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368 such slaughter that few of the garrison were left among the living. It was said that they had to send for aid to neighboring castles, and summon the best of the knights and armed bodies of footmen, who only after a siege of two days had succeeded in bursting into the fortress and cutting down Yurand, together with his comrades. It was said too that very likely these troops would cross the boundary, and a great war come undoubtedly.

The prince, who knew how very anxious the Grand Master was that in case of war with the Polish king the forces of the two Mazovian principalities should be neutral, did not believe these reports, for to him it was no secret that if the Knights of the Cross began war against the Prince of Plotsk, or against him, no human power could restrain Poland; hence the Grand Master feared war. He knew that war must come, but being of peaceful nature he wished delay, and moreover he knew that to measure himself with the power of Yagello he needed forces such as the Order had never put forth up to that time; he needed besides to assure himself of aid from the princes and knighthood, not only of Germany, but of all Western Europe.

The prince had no fear of war, therefore, but he wished to know what had happened, what he was to think really of the event in Schytno, of the disappearance of Danusia, and of all those tidings brought in from the boundary; hence, though he could not endure the Order, he was glad when one evening the captain of the archers announced that a Knight of the Cross had come and requested an audience.

He received him haughtily, and, though he knew at once that the man was one of those brothers who had been at the hunting-lodge, he feigned not to remember him, and inquired who he was, whence he had come, and why he had visited Tsehanov.

"I am Brother Rotgier," answered he, "and had the honor not long since to bow down to the knees of your Princety Grace."

"Since you are a brother, why have you not the insignia of the Order on your person?"

The Knight explained that he had not put on a white mantle because had he done so he would have been captured or slain beyond doubt by the knights of Mazovia. "In all the world elsewhere," said he. "in all other principalities and kingdoms, the cross on a mantle wins good-will and