Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/353

Rh Knights of the Cross, but bandits, carried off your daughter, and that you had to ransom her from robbers."

"It is true," said Yurand, "that robbers stole my child, and that I must ransom her from robbers."

"And you must not speak otherwise to any one; for if even one man should learn that you had negotiations with the brothers, if even one living soul, or even one complaint should go to the Master or the Chapter, serious difficulties would follow."

Alarm appeared on Yurand's face. At the very first it had seemed to him quite natural that the comturs wished secrecy because they feared responsibility and ill repute; now the suspicion rose in him that there might be some other cause; but since he was unable to understand this cause, such fear seized him as seizes the most daring men when danger threatens, not themselves, but those who are near and dear to them. He resolved, however, to learn something further from the woman.

"The comturs wish secrecy," said he, "but what secret is there to keep when I release De Bergov and those others in ransom for my daughter?"

"You will say that you took a ransom for De Bergov so as to have something with which to pay the bandits."

"People will not believe; for I have never taken ransom," answered Yurand, gloomily.

"Well, it has never been a question of your child," hissed back the woman.

Again came silence, after which the pilgrim, who had summoned boldness now, and judged that Yurand needed still more curbing, said,—

"Such is the will of Brothers Schaumberg and Markwart."

"You will say that this pilgrim, who has come with me, brought you a ransom," continued the woman. "We will go from here with the noble De Bergov and the other captives."

"How is that?" asked Yurand, frowning. "Do you suppose that I will yield up captives before you return me my daughter?"

"Then choose another way. You can go to Schytno for your daughter; the brothers will take her there to meet you."

"I? To Schytno?"

"Yes; for should bandits seize her on the road again, your suspicion and that of people here would fall upon the