Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/450

12 the forest darkness and density, and at this thought a wild desire for conflict seized him. This desire became at moments so great that the impulse came to grasp his axe or sword and slash even some pine-tree at the roadside. He felt that if he should give a good blow it would relieve him. Finally he would have been glad even to urge his horse into a rush, but they were riding on in front slowly, foot after foot, saying almost nothing; for little Yasko, though talkative usually, seeing after some attempts that his sister had no wish to speak, sank also into silence.

But when he was near Zgorzelitse sorrow rose in Hlava's heart and anger against Stan and Vilk. "I would not spare even blood," said he to himself, "if I could only comfort thee; but what can I do, I, poor unfortunate, unless to say that Zbyshko gave command to bow down to thee, and God grant that that give thee comfort!"

So after meditation he urged his horse up to Yagenka's.

"Gracious lady."

"Art thou riding with us? " asked the girl, starting up as if from a dream. "But hast thou something to tell me?"

"I have, for I forgot to say that my lord, when we were parting at Spyhov, called me, and said: 'Fall at the feet of the young lady of Zgorzelitse, since in good or evil fortune I shall never see her; for that,' said he, 'which she has done for uncle and for me may God reward her and preserve her in health.'"

"God reward him for the kind word," answered Yagenka. Then she added in a certain strange voice, so that Hlava's heart melted completely: "And thee, too, Hlava."

The conversation stopped for a time, but Hlava was pleased with himself, and with what she had answered, for he said in his mind: "At least let her not think that he has paid her with ingratitude." He began at once then to search in his honest head for something more to tell her of like sort, and after a while he began,—

"Young lady."

"What is it?"

"This—I wish to say—what I said to the old lord in Bogdanets, that that woman is lost for the ages, and he will never find her, even if the Grand Master himself were to help him."

"She is his wife," answered Yagenka. The Cheh began to torture his head. "She is such a wife as—"