Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/581

 Rh Hlava returned to the fire, for something was weighing on his soul, which he wished to tell the old knight from Bogdanets. He found him sunk also in thought, paying no heed to the snoring of Arnold, who after his toil had eaten of meat and turnips immensely and was sleeping as soundly as a stone.

"But are you awake?" inquired Hlava.

"Sleep flies from my lids," answered Matsko. "God grant a good morrow." Then he looked toward the stars. "The Great Bear is in the sky, and I am thinking how all this will turn out."

"I too have no thought of sleep, for the lady of Zgorzelitse is in my head."

"Hei, true, a new trouble! She is in Spyhov, that is true."

"Yes, in Spyhov. We took her from her home. Why did we take her?"

"She herself wished to go," was the impatient answer of Matsko, who talked of this matter reluctantly, for in his soul he felt guilty.

"True, but what now?"

"Ah, what? I will take her home, and let the will of God be done; " but after a while he added: "Very well, let the will of God be done; if only Danusia were in health and like other people we should know at least what to do. But now, the devil knows! If she does not recover—and if she does not die— May the Lord Jesus incline either to this or to that side—"

But Hlava at that moment was thinking of Yagenka.

"You see, your Grace," said he, "when I left Spyhov and took farewell of the lady, she said: 'In case something happens, come hither thou before Zbyshko and Matsko; they must send some one with news, let them send thee, and thou wilt take me to Zgorzelitse.'"

"Oh! it is true," answered Matsko, "that when Danusia comes it would be awkward for Yagenka in Spyhov. It is sure that she would need to go home immediately. I am sorry for the orphan, I am sorry, but, since the will of God did not favor, the position is difficult! How arrange this? Wait—thou sayest that she commanded thee to return before us with the news, and take her home?"

"She commanded as I have told thee faithfully."

"Well, then, thou mayest go before us. There is need also to tell Yurand that his daughter is found, so as not to kill