Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/316

292 happiness, even with his own blood. He loved Zbyshko, too, and desired from his whole soul to serve both to the death.

"Then your Grace will live at home," said he, with delight.

"How am I to live at home, when I have challenged those Knights of the Cross, and still earlier Lichtenstein? De Lorche said that very likely the Grand Master would invite the king to Torun. I may attach myself to the royal retinue, and I think that Zavisha of Garbov or Povala of Tachev will obtain from our lord permission for me to meet those monks of the Order. Surely they will fight in company with their attendants; so thou wilt have to fight also."

"I would do so even if I had to become a monk," answered Hlava.

Zbyshko looked at him with satisfaction.

"Well, it will not be pleasant for the man who comes under thy metal. The Lord Jesus has given thee tremendous strength, but thou wouldst do badly wert thou to plume thyself over-much on it, for modesty is the ornament of a genuine attendant."

The Cheh nodded in sign that he would not boast of his strength, but also that he would not spare it on the Germans. Zbyshko smiled, not at the attendant, but at his own thoughts.

"The old man will be glad when we return," said Hlava after a moment, "and there will be gladness at Zyh's house."

Zbyshko saw Yagenka as clearly as if she had been at his side in the sleigh. It happened always that when he chanced to think of Yagenka he saw her with wonderful definiteness.

"No!" said he to himself, "she will not be glad, for if I go to Bogdanets, it will be with Danusia and let her take another." Then Vilk and young Stan flashed before his eyes, and the thought was bitter to him that the girl might go into the hands of one of those two. "Better far the first man she meets," thought he; "they are beer guzzlers and dice throwers, while the girl is honest." He thought also that in every case it would be disagreeable for his uncle to learn what had happened, but he comforted himself with this, that Matsko's first thought had always been turned to wealth and descent, so as to raise the distinction of his family. Yagenka, it is true, was nearer, for she was at the boundary of their land, but as a recompense Yurand was a greater heir than Zyh; hence it was easy to foresee that Matsko would not be angry very long over such a connection, all the more since he knew