Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/46

22 removed the kernels he put his hand to his lips and blew the shells suddenly with his mighty breath to the ceiling. Danusia laughed so much that the princess, fearing lest the girl might choke herself, commanded him to abandon the amusement. Seeing, however, Danusia's delight, she asked,—

"Well, Danusia, is it nice to have thy knight?"

"Oi, nice!" answered the maiden. And putting forth a rosy finger she touched Zbyshko's white silk jacket, withdrew the finger suddenly, and asked,—

"And will he be mine to-morrow?"

"To-morrow, in a week, and till death," answered Zbyshko.

The supper came to an end when, after the nuts, sweet pancakes full of berries were brought to them. Some of the courtiers wished to dance, others preferred to hear the singing of the choristers, or of Danusia; but toward the end of the supper Danusia's eyelids began to grow heavy; her head dropped first to one side, then to the other; once and a second time she looked at the princess, then at Zbyshko; again she rubbed her eyes with her fists and immediately rested with great confidence against the knight's shoulder, and fell asleep.

"Is she asleep?" asked the princess. "Now thou hast thy 'lady.'" "She is dearer to me sleeping than another in a dance," answered Zbyshko, sitting erect and motionless so as not to rouse the maiden.

But not even the playing and singing of the choristers roused her. Some kept time to the music with their feet, others accompanied by beating the dishes, but the greater the noise the better she slept, with her mouth open, like a little fish. She woke only when, at cock-crow and the sound of church bells, all moved from the table crying,—

"To matins! to matins!"

"We will go on foot to praise God," said the princess.

And taking the awakened Danusia by her hand, she went forth first from the inn, and after her the whole court. The night had grown pale. On the eastern sky a slight brightness was visible, green at the top, rosy below that, and under all a narrow golden ribbon as it were, which widened as one looked at it. On the west the moon seemed to withdraw before that brightness. The dawn became rosier and clearer each instant. The world awoke wet from abundant dew, refreshed and joyful.