Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/497

Rh prayer. So now he covered his face with his hands and sat some time in silence; at last he shook himself, rubbed his eyelids, and then said,—

"Now inquire."

"How did Zbyshko win over to his side the Voyt of Samba?"

"He is not Voyt of Samba now."

"No matter. Take note of what I ask, and tell what you know."

"He won him at the tournament. Ulrich Von Jungingen is fond of encounters within barriers, so he met Zbyshko; for there was a multitude of knightly guests in Malborg and the Grand Master had arranged tournaments. The saddle girth burst on Ulrich's horse, and Zbyshko might have brought him down easily, but he, seeing that, struck his spear against the ground, and besides supported the tottering man."

"Hei! Well, seest thou?" cried Matsko, turning to Yagenka. "Ulrich fell to loving him for that?"

"Yes, for that. He would not meet him with sharp lances, or dull ones, and became his friend. Zbyshko, on his part, told him his sufferings, and he, because he cares for knightly honor, was inflamed with dreadful rage, and sent Zbyshko with a complaint to his brother. God grant him salvation for that, since there are not many among the Knights who love justice. Zbyshko told me too that Pan de Lorche assisted him much because they respect him there for his wealth and great family, and he gave testimony for Zbyshko in everything."

"But what came of the complaint, and the testimony? "

"This, that the Grand Master commanded severely the comtur of Schytno to send to Malborg at once all captives and prisoners in Schytno, not excepting Yurand himself. As to Yurand, the comtur answered that he had died of his wounds and was buried near the church there. Other prisoners he sent to Malborg, among them the idiot girl, but our Danusia was not among them."

"I know from Hlava," said Matsko, "that Rotgier, he who was slain by Zbyshko, mentioned such a girl. He said at the court of Prince Yanush that they had mistaken her for Yurand's daughter; and when the princess answered that they had seen and knew the real daughter of Yurand, who was not an idiot, he said, 'You are right, but we thought that the Evil One had changed her.'"