Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/453

Rh got in there; they rouse disturbance and commit wrongs, so that he who wants to hide among them hides. Surely I should not give up easily to either Vilk or Stan, but I am anxious also for my brothers. If I am not here there will be peace, but if I stay God knows what will happen. There will be attacks and battles. Yasko is fourteen years old, and no power, not to mention mine, can restrain him. The last time, when you hurried to help us, he rushed to the front. Stan struck into the crowd with his club, and barely missed Yasko's head. Yasko told the servants that he would challenge both those fellows to trampled earth. I tell you there will not be a day's peace, and something evil may happen Yasko and the other."

"Oh, Stan and Vilk are dog brothers," said Matsko with vehemence, "but they will not raise hands on children. Tfu! only Knights of the Cross would do that."

"They will not raise hands on children, but in an uproar, or, God preserve, at a fire, accidents are easy. What is the use of talking! Old Setsehova loves my brothers as if they were her own children, so care and guardianship will not be lacking them; but without me it would be safer far than with my presence."

"Perhaps so," said Matsko. Then he looked quickly at the girl. "What dost thou wish?"

"Take me with you," answered Yagenka with a lowered voice.

At this Matsko, though it was not difficult for him before to divine the end of the conversation, was astonished greatly; he stopped his horse, and cried,—

"Fear God! Yagenka."

She dropped her head, and said as if with timidity, and sadness,—

"Well, I choose to speak sincerely rather than hide my thoughts. Both you and Hlava say that Zbyshko will never find that other one, and Hlava expects still worse. God is my witness that I wish her no evil. May the Mother of God preserve and guard her, the poor thing. She was dearer than I to Zbyshko, but there is no help for that! Such is my fate. But you see until Zbyshko finds her, or if, as you think, he never finds her, then—then—"

"Then what?" inquired Matsko, seeing that the girl was becoming more and more confused and halting.

"Then I do not wish to be Stan's or Vilk's, or any one's."