Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/304

280 To this Father Vyshonek, who was a good and mild man, replied,—

"The word of an anointed of God like you is great. I am afraid of the bishop, but your word has power. The young man too might promise something to the cathedral in Plotsk—I know not.—Seest thou this is always a sin till dispensation comes, and the sin of no one but me?—Hm! the Lord Jesus is indeed merciful; if any man sins not to his own profit, but out of compassion for the suffering of others He forgives the more readily.—But this is a sin, and should the bishop be stubborn, who would absolve me?"

"The bishop will not be stubborn!" cried Princess Anna.

"That Sanderus, who came with me has indulgences for everything," said Zbyshko.

Father Vyshonek did not believe altogether, perhaps, in Sanderus's indulgences, but he was glad to seize at a pretext even, if only it favored Zbyshko and Danusia, for he had great love for the maiden, whom he had known from her childhood. At last he considered that church penance was the worst that might befall him, so he turned to the princess and said,—

"I am a priest, it is true, but also I am the prince's servant. What do you command, gracious lady?"

"I do not command, I request," replied she. "But if that Sanderus has indulgences—"

"He has. But it is a question of the bishop. He deals strictly with rules there in Plotsk."

"Have no fear of the bishop. He has forbidden to priests bows and swords, as I hear, as well as various acts of license, but he has not forbidden good deeds."

"Then let it be according to your will," said Father Vyshonek, raising his eyes and his hands.

At these words delight possessed their hearts. Zbyshko dropped again to his pillow, but the princess, Danusia, and Father Vyshonek sat around the bed and "counselled" how the affair was to be accomplished. They determined to preserve the secret, so that not a living soul in the house should know of it; they determined also that neither ought Yurand to know till the princess herself should inform him in Tsehanov of everything. The priest was to write a letter immediately from the princess to Yurand, asking him to come at once to Tsehanov, where they could find better cures for his wounds, and he would not be so troubled by