Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/470

32 under it; then silence fell between them, but their hearts beat powerfully, his with desire, hers with a certain sweet, intoxicating fear.

At first desire was uppermost in the Cheh, and when he said that he looked at Anulka as a wolf at a lamb, he told the truth. But that evening, when he saw her cheeks and eye-lashes moist with tears, the heart softened in him. She seemed good and in some way near to him, his as it were, and having an honest nature, which was also knightly, he did not become proud, and was not haughty at sight of those tears, but grew more hesitating, and considered her more. His former heedless speech left him, and though he trifled a little at supper with the timid girl, it was different, and at the same time he served her as the attendant of a knight was bound to serve a noble woman. Matsko, though considering mainly the journey of the morrow, noticed this, but merely praised him for his lofty manners, which, as the old man said, he must have acquired at the Mazovian court with Zbyshko. Then turning to Yagenka, he added,—

"Hei! Zbyshko he would find his place even with a king!'

After that service at supper, when they had to part for the night, Hlava, after kissing Yagenka's hand, raised in turn to his lips Anulka's, wherewith he said,—

"Not only have no fear of me, but when near me fear nothing, for I will not yield thee to any one."

Then the men disposed themselves in the front room; Yagenka and Anulka in a side chamber on the same plank bed, which was broad and well-covered. Neither of them was able to fall asleep soon, for some reason, but especially Anulka, who turned every moment on her coarse blanket. So after a time Yagenka pushed her head up, and whispered,—

"Anulka!"

"What?"

"It seems to me that thou art terribly fond of the Cheh. How is it?"

The question remained without an answer, so Yagenka whispered again,—

"Well, I understand that; so tell me."

Anulka gave no answer; she merely pressed her lips to the cheek of her lady and kissed it repeatedly. But sighs raised the maiden breast of poor Yagenka time after time.

"Oi, I understand, I understand!" whispered she so quietly that Anulka's ear barely caught the words.