Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/388

364 "If that be true, when she disappears they will not complain of us, will they?" asked Rotgier.

"No! Brother Danveld was very adroit. Dost thou remember that he laid this down as a condition to Yurand, that he was not only to present himself at Schytno, but before coming to declare, and to inform the prince by letter, that he was going to ransom his daughter from bandits, and knew that she was not in our possession?"

"True, but how justify that which has happened at Schytno?"

"We will say that as we knew Yurand to be searching for his daughter, and as we had rescued from bandits a girl who could not tell who she was, we notified Yurand, thinking that this might be his daughter; but when he came he fell into a rage at sight of the girl, and, possessed by the evil one, shed so much innocent blood that frequently more is not shed in a battle."

"Indeed," answered Rotgier, "reason and the experience of age speak through you. Danveld's evil deeds, even should we accuse him, would be laid on the Order, therefore on us all, on the Chapter, and the Grand Master himself; but when our innocence is evident all blame will fall upon Yurand, to the detriment of the Poles and their alliance with Satan."

"And after that let any one judge us who pleases: the Pope, or the Roman Caesar!"

"Yes!"

A moment of silence followed, after which Rotgier inquired,—

"What shall we do with Yurand's daughter?"

"Let us think over this."

"Give her to me."

Siegfried looked at him and answered,—

"No! Listen, young brother! In a question of the Order spare neither man nor woman, but spare not thyself either. The hand of God touched Danveld, for he wished not only to avenge wrongs done the Order, but to gratify his own desires."

"You judge me wrongly!" said Rotgier.

"Indulge not yourselves," interrupted old Siegfried, "for ye will make both body and soul effeminate, and one day the knees of that stalwart race will press your breasts and ye will never rise afterward."

And for the third time he rested his gloomy head on his