Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/532

94 silence came down and intensified that picture of gloom and of mental depression.

Zbyshko gave out orders to the men whom he had brought, and with whom he could speak easily, for among them was a small number of Plotsk people; then he turned to his attendant, Hlava, and said,—

"Thou hast seen enough; it is time to sleep now."

"Of course I have seen enough," answered Hlava, "but I do not rejoice much at what I have seen, for it is evident in a moment that the people are beaten."

"Twice; four days ago at the castle, and the next day at the crossing. And now Skirvoillo wants to go for the third time, to pass through the third defeat."

"How is it that he does not understand that with such troops he cannot succeed against Germans? Pan Matsko told me, and now I myself see, that they must be poor men for combat."

"In this thou art mistaken, for they are warlike as few men on earth are. But they fight in a crowd, while the Germans fight in ranks. If you break the German line, a Jmud man will put down a German quicker than a German can put down a Jmud man. The Germans know this, close in, and stand like a stone wall."

"As to taking castles, of course there is no word to be said of that," remarked Hlava.

"Well, there are no materials for doing so," answered Zbyshko. "Prince Vitold has the materials, and till he comes we shall not get any castle, unless by chance or through treason."

Thus conversing, they reached the tent, before which a large fire was kept up by servants, and in it smoked meat prepared by them. It was damp in the tent and cold, so that both knights, and with them Hlava, sat down before the fire on rawhides. After they had refreshed themselves they tried to sleep, but sleep they could not. Matsko turned from side to side, and saw that Zbyshko, sitting near the fire, had embraced both knees with his arms.

"Listen!" said he. "Why didst thou advise to go far away to Ragneta, and not near by to this Gotteswerder? Why didst thou propose that?"

"Because something told my soul that Danusia is in Ragneta—and there they are less on guard than here."

"There was no time to talk long, for I myself was weary, and after the defeat thou wert collecting men through the