Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/364

340 the walls of the castle of Schytno. At sight of this he did not move from his place, but he began to pray as ardently and fervently as a man prays for whom there is nothing left in this world but God's mercy.

And when he moved forward at last, he felt that solace of some kind was entering his heart. He was ready now to endure everything that might meet him. He called to mind that Saint George, a descendant of the greatest family in Cappadocia, had endured various humiliating tortures, and still he not only did not lose his honor, but is seated on the right hand of God, and is named patron of all earthly knighthood. Yurand had heard frequent narratives of his adventures from pilgrims who had come from distant lands, and with the remembrance of them he strengthened his heart at that moment.

Gradually even hope itself was roused in him. The Knights of the Cross had, it is true, been noted for vengefulness; hence, he doubted not that they would work revenge on him for all the defeats which he had inflicted, for the shame which had fallen on them at every meeting, and for the terror in which they had lived so many years.

But it was this very thing which gave him courage. He thought that they had carried off Danusia only to get him; so when they had him what would they care for her? That was it! They would put him in chains, beyond doubt, and, not wishing to keep him in the neighborhood of Mazovia, would send him to some remote castle, where he would groan to the end of his life in a dungeon, but Danusia they would free. Even should it appear that they had taken him by deceit and were tormenting him, the Grand Master would not take it very ill of them, nor would the Chapter; for he (Yurand) had been really grievous to the Germans, and had squeezed more blood out of them than any other knight then alive. But that same Grand Master would punish them, perhaps, for imprisoning an innocent maiden, and, moreover, a ward of the prince of Mazovia, whose good-will he was trying diligently to win, in view of the threatening war with the King of Poland.

And hope was taking possession of Yurand with increasing force. At moments it seemed to him almost certain that Danusia would return to Spyhov under Zbyshko's strong protection. "He is a firm fellow," thought Yurand; "he will not let any man harm her." And he recalled with a certain emotion all that he knew of Zbyshko. "He had