Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/593

 Rh "Oh, he is wealthy and of noted family," said Wolfgang. "You have made a rich capture; it is well that you mentioned this, I will not free you now for a trifle."

Matsko bit his moustache, but raised his head proudly, and said,—

"We know our worth without that."

"So much the better," answered the younger Von Baden; but immediately he added, "so much the better, but not for us,—we are humble monks who have vowed poverty,—but better for the Order, which will use your money to the glory of God."

Matsko made no answer to this, but he looked at Wolfgang as if to say, "Tell that to some other man," and after a while they began to arrange the terms. This for the old knight was disagreeable and difficult, for on the one hand he was very sensitive to losses, and on the other, he understood that it became neither him nor Zbyshko to put on themselves too small a value. He squirmed therefore like an eel, all the more since Wolfgang, though of smooth and pleasant speech, proved to be immensely greedy, and as hard as stone. The only comfort for Matsko was the thought that De Lorche would pay for all, but he regretted the lost hope of gain. He did not count on the ransom of Siegfried, for he thought that Yurand, and even Zbyshko, would not renounce the old comtur's head for any sum. After long talk he agreed as to the amount of money and the interval, and, having stipulated the number of attendants and horses which Zbyshko was to take, he went to tell him. At the same time he advised his nephew to set out immediately. Evidently he did this through fear lest some new thought might strike the Germans.

"Such is the knightly condition," said he, sighing; " yesterday thou hadst them by the head, to-day they have thee. Yes, it is difficult; God grant that our turn come another day. But lose no time; by going quickly thou wilt overtake Hlava, and it will be safer for you both in company; but once out of the forest and in the inhabited part of Mazovia ye will find entertainment, assistance, and care at the house of any noble or land-tiller. With us no one refuses these services to a stranger, much less to our own people; for this poor woman there will be perhaps salvation in the journey."

Thus speaking, he looked at Danusia, who, sunk in half lethargy, breathed loudly and quickly. Her transparent