Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/457

Rh "This is wonderful," said old Vilk. "I have not seen any man thus far who met them without suffering injustice and oppression."

"Yes, it is the same with our whole kingdom!" added Matsko. "Neither Lithuania before it received holy baptism nor the Tartars were more grievous than those devilish monks are."

"The solid truth; but do you know this too: they have been gathering and gathering, until they have gathered in all, and now would be the time to finish them in this style!"

Then the old man spat lightly in both hands, and the young one added,—

"It cannot be otherwise."

"And surely it will be that way, but when? Not our head answers for that, but the king's. Maybe it will be soon, maybe not soon God knows. Meanwhile I must go to them."

"And is it with a ransom for Zbyshko?"

At the mention of Zbyshko by his father, young Vilk's face grew pallid from hatred in an instant, and became threatening.

But Matsko answered calmly: "Perhaps with a ransom, but not for Zbyshko."

These words increased still more the curiosity of father and son, and the old man, unable to restrain himself longer, said,—

"You are free to answer or not. Why are you going there?"

"I will tell, I will tell," said Matsko, nodding, "but first I will say something else. Now consider: after I go Bogdanets will remain under the sole care of God. At first, when Zbyshko went to war under Prince Vitold, the abbot looked after our property, yes, and Zyh also a little; but now neither the one nor the other will care for it. It is terribly painful for a man to think that he has been laboring and running for nothing. But you know how these things go. They will entice people away from me, will plow over the boundary; each will steal what he can of my cattle, and though the Lord Jesus permit my return in safety, I shall return to empty places. There is but one cure for this, one salvation: a good neighbor. Therefore I have come to beg you in neighbor fashion to take Bogdanets under your care, and let no one rob me."

When old Vilk heard this request he looked at young Vilk, and young Vilk looked at old Vilk, and both were astonished beyond measure. A moment of silence followed,