Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/256

232 "By my faith," said some of the older men," he has learned that custom surely from knights beyond the sea, and perhaps from real pagans, for it does not. exist even among Germans." "That is not strange," thought the younger ones, "for he owes his life to the maiden." The princess and Danusia did not recognize Zbyshko immediately, for he had knelt with his back toward the fire and his face was shaded. Princess Anna thought at the first moment that he was a courtier who had failed in duty to the prince and was begging her intercession; but Danusia, who had a quicker glance, pushed forth a step, and inclining her bright head, cried suddenly in a voice thin and piercing,—

"Zbyshko!"

Then, without thinking that the whole court and the foreign guests were looking at her, she sprang like a deer toward the young knight, and seizing him with her arms fell to kissing his eyes, his lips, his cheeks, nestling up to him and piping meanwhile with great delight, till the Mazovians thundered forth in one great burst of laughter, and the princess drew her to herself by the collar. Danusia looked then at the people, and, confused terribly, hid behind the princess with equal swiftness, covering herself with the folds of her robe so that barely the tip of her head remained visible.

Zbyshko embraced Princess Anna's feet; she raised him, greeted him, and at the same time inquired about Matsko,—was he dead, or was he alive yet; if alive, had he come to Mazovia? Zbyshko answered those questions with no very great presence of mind, for, bending to one side and the other, he tried to see behind the princess Danusia, who thrust her head out from that lady's robe and then dived into its folds again. The Mazovians seized their sides at sight of this, even the prince himself laughed, till at last the hot dishes were brought and the delighted lady turned to Zbyshko with these words,—

"Serve us, dear attendant, and God grant not only at this table, but forever."

Then she said,—

"But thou, tortured fly, crawl out from behind my robe, or thou wilt tear it to pieces."

Danusia came out flushed, confused, raising from moment to moment on Zbyshko eyes that were frightened, put to shame, and curious, and so marvellous that the heart was not only melting in him but in other men. Hugo von Danveld