Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/460

22 "Well," said he to himself, "Bogdanets is safe, and Zgorzelitse is safe. They will be enraged because Yagenka is going, but they will guard my property and hers, for they must do so. The Lord Jesus has given man cleverness. When a thing cannot be got by the fist we must get it by clear wit. If I come back I shall not escape the old man's challenge to the field, but never mind. God grant me to trap the Knights of the Cross in like manner. But with them it will be harder. Though a dog brother may be found among our people sometimes, if he swears on his knightly honor and escutcheon he will keep his oath; but for Knights of the Cross an oath is as spittle in the river. But maybe the Mother of God will support me, so that I may be of some use to Zbyshko, as I have been now to Zyh's children and to Bogdanets."

Then it occurred to him that really the girl need not go, for old and young Vilk would guard her as the sight of their eyes. After a while, however, he rejected that thought. "They will guard her, but Stan will attack all the more. Gods knows who will conquer, and it is sure that there will be battles and attacks in which Zgorzelitse will suffer,—Zyh's sons, and Yagenka herself even. It will be easier for old Vilk and his son to take care of Bogdanets, and better for the girl in every case to be far away from those two quarrellers, and near the rich abbot."

Matsko did not believe that Danusia could escape alive from the Knights of the Cross, so he did not abandon the hope that when Zbyshko returned a widower he would surely feel the will of God toward Yagenka.

"O mighty God!" thought he, "if having Spyhov he should marry Yagenka with Mochydoly, and with what the abbot will leave her, I should not begrudge a stone of wax for candles."

In such meditation the road passed quickly. But he came to Bogdanets late at night, and was astonished when he saw the membrane windows lighted brightly. The waiting-men were not asleep, for he had barely ridden into the yard when the stable-boy ran out to him.

"Are there guests?" asked Matsko, dismounting.

"Yes, the young lord from Zgorzelitse, with the Cheh."

Matsko wondered at this visit. Yagenka had promised to come before daylight in the morning, and they were to start immediately. Why had Yasko come, and so late? The old knight thought that something had happened in