Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/374

350 "But I am under the will of God too," answered Yurand.

Then he looked at his guide more attentively, and finding in his face something in the nature of compassion and pity, he said,—

"Honesty is looking out of thy eyes, boy. Wilt thou answer me truly touching that which I ask?"

"Hurry, lord," answered the guide.

"Will they give me my child? "

The youth raised his brows in astonishment.

"Is that your child who is here?"

"My daughter."

"That damsel in the tower at the gate?"

"Yes. They promised to send her home if I would give myself up to them."

The guide made a motion in sign that he knew not, but his face expressed doubt and fear.

Yurand added another question, however,

"Is it true that Schaumberg and Markward are guarding her?"

"Those brothers are not at this castle. But take your daughter away before Danveld, the starosta, recovers."

Yurand trembled on hearing this, but there was no time to make further inquiry, for they had come to a hall on the story where Yurand was to stand before the starosta of Schytno. The youth opened the door and withdrew to the stairway.

The knight of Spyhov entered, and found himself in a large chamber which was very dark, for the glass panes, fitted into leaden sash, admitted light scantily, and moreover the day was wintry and cloudy. In a great chimney at the farther end of the room a fire was burning, it is true, but the wood, being imperfectly seasoned, gave out little flame. Only after a time, when Yurand's eyes had grown accustomed to the gloom, did he see in the distance a table with knights sitting near it, and beyond their shoulders a whole company of armed attendants, also men at arms, among whom was the castle jester, who held a tame bear by a chain.

Yurand had fought with Danveld on a time, later he had seen him twice at the court of Prince Yanush in the character of envoy, but since those times some years had passed; still, in spite of the darkness he recognised him at once, by his corpulence, by his face, and finally by this, that he was sitting at a table, in the centre of the room, in an easy-chair, with his arm bound in splints and resting on the side of the