Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/465

Rh They like her, for she likes them. That is good advice; that Hlava is not a dull fellow."

"Of course he is not!" cried Anulka, with enthusiasm, raising her blue eyes.

Matsko turned to her suddenly.

"But what hast thou to do in this case?"

The girl was terribly confused, and drooping her long lashes grew as red as a rose.

Matsko saw that there was no other way but to take the two girls farther, and he was willing in secret to do so; hence he continued his journey next morning after taking farewell of the prior. Because of the melting snow and the increase of water, he advanced with greater toil than ever. On the way he inquired about the abbot at many noble residences and priest's houses, or, where these failed, at inns where he halted. It was easy to follow the abbot's traces, for he had given alms, he had paid for masses, he had given for bells, and contributed to decaying churches, so that more than one poor grandfather who was travelling "to ask," more than one sexton, nay, more than one priest, remembered him with gratitude. People said generally that he "travelled like an angel," and they were praying for his health, though here and there fear was expressed that he was nearer eternal salvation than temporal recovery. In some places he had halted two or three days because of exceeding weakness; therefore it seemed probable to Matsko that they would overtake him.

But he failed in his reckoning, for the swollen waters of the Ner and the Bzura detained them. Before reaching Lenchytsa they were forced to halt four days in an empty inn which the innkeeper had deserted apparently through fear of high water. The road from the inn to the city, though covered with tree-trunks, had sunk, and for some considerable distance was changed to a mud-pit. Vit, Matsko' s attendant, a native of that region, had heard something of a way through the forest, but was unwilling to serve as guide, for he knew that in the mud of Lenchytsa unclean powers had their residence, and especially the mighty Boruta, who was glad to entice people into bottomless places and rescue them only at the price of their souls' salvation. The inn itself was ill-famed, and though travellers in those days carried with them provisions and had no fear of hunger, a stay in such a house caused alarm even to Matsko.

At night they heard fighting on the roof; at times some