Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/594

 156 hands lying on the dark bearskin trembled feverishly. Matsko made the sign of the cross on her, and said,—

"God change this, for she is spinning fine, as it seems to me."

"Do not say that," cried Zbyshko, with despairing emphasis.

"God is mighty. I will direct to bring the horses here, and do thou go."

Matsko went from the hut, and arranged everything for the journey. The Turks given by Zavisha brought the horses with the cradle, which was lined with moss and skins, and Vit, the attendant, brought Zbyshko's saddle-horse.

After a while Zbyshko bore Danusia out of the hut on one arm. There was something so touching in this that the brothers Von Baden, whose curiosity had led them to the hut, when they saw the half-childish form of Danusia, her face which resembled the faces of sacred virgins in church pictures, and her weakness so great that she could not move her head which had dropped heavily on Zbyshko's shoulder, looked at each other, and their hearts rose against the authors of such misery.

"Siegfried had the heart of an executioner, not of a knight," whispered Wolfgang to his brother;" and though she was the cause of freeing thee, I will have that serpent flogged with rods."

They were moved by this too, that Zbyshko was carrying Danusia on his arm as a mother would a child, and they understood his love, for both had the blood of youth in their veins yet.

Zbyshko hesitated a while whether to take the sick woman to the saddle, and hold her before him on the road, or put her in the cradle. He decided finally for the cradle, thinking that it would be easier for Danusia to travel lying down. Then approaching his uncle, he bent to kiss his hand in parting. Matsko, who loved him as the apple of his eye, though he had no wish to show emotion before Germans, did not restrain himself, but embraced Zbyshko firmly, pressing his lips to his rich golden hair.

"God go with thee," said he; "but think of the old man, for captivity is bitter in every case."

"I will not forget," answered Zbyshko.

"May the Most Holy Mother give thee solace!"

"God reward thee for those words, and for everything."

After a while Zbyshko was on his horse, but Matsko