Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/387

Rh Siegfried. And he stretched forth his hand as a sign of thanks and dismissal, for till further consultation he desired to be alone with Brother Rotgier, whom he loved and in whom he had great confidence. In fact, after the departure of De Bergov he dismissed the two novices under pretext of hastening work on the coffins of the common soldiers slain by Yurand, but when the door closed behind them he turned to Rotgier quickly and said,—

"Listen to what I tell thee. There is only one salvation, concealment; no living soul must ever know that Yurand's real daughter was with us."

"That will not be difficult," answered Rotgier; "no one knew that she was here except Danveld, Gottfried, us two, and that serving woman of the Order who has care of her. Danveld gave command to intoxicate the men who brought her hither from the hunting-lodge, and then he hanged them. There were persons in the garrison who suspected something, but they were confused through that idiotic maiden, and now they know not whether we mistook the girl, or some wizard really metamorphosed Yurand's daughter."

"That is well."

"I have thought, noble comtur, of this: Should we not throw all the blame on Danveld, since he is not alive?"

"And acknowledge before the whole world that we in time of peace and while negotiating with Prince Yanush of Mazovia bore off from his court a foster daughter of the princess, her favorite damsel? No, as God lives, that cannot be! People have seen us at the court with Danveld, and Danveld's relative, the Grand Hospitaller, knows that he and we undertook everything in company. If we accuse Danveld the Hospitaller will try to avenge his memory."

"Let us consider this point," said Rotgier.

"We must consider it well, or woe to us. If Yurand's daughter is set free she will say that we did not rescue her from bandits, but that the men who took her carried her to Schytno directly."

"That is true!"

"And God is witness that I am thinking not of responsibility alone; the prince will complain to the King of Poland, and their ambassadors will not fail to cry out at all courts against our violence, our crime, our treachery. God alone knows how much harm may result to the Order from this matter. If the Grand Master himself knew the truth he would be bound in duty to secrete that maiden."