Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/601

 Rh Only next morning, considerably after matins, when Yagenka looked in again, did he inform her that he wished to see Hlava and the captive. They brought Siegfried in from the dungeon then. His hands were bound crosswise on his breast, and, in company with Tolima, all went to Yurand.

At the first moment Hlava could not see Yurand well, for the membrane windows admitted little light, while the day was dark because of clouds which had covered the sky completely, and announced a dreadful tempest. But when his keen eyes had grown used to the gloom, he barely recognized the old man, so thin had he grown, and so wretched. The giant had changed into an immense skeleton. His face was so white that it did not differ much from the milky color of his beard and hair, and when he bent toward the arm of the chair and closed his eyelids, he resembled a real corpse, as it seemed to Hlava.

Near the armchair stood a table; on the table was a crucifix, near it a pitcher of water and a loaf of black bread; in the latter was thrust a misericordia, or that dreadful knife which knights used to despatch the wounded. Yurand had taken no nourishment save bread and water for a long time. A coarse hair shirt served him as clothing; this he wore on his naked body; the shirt was girded by a grass rope. Thus lived the wealthy and once terrible knight of Spyhov since his return from captivity in Schytno.

When he heard people enter he pushed away with his leg the tame she-wolf which kept his feet warm, next he straightened his body; then it was that he seemed to Hlava like a dead man. A moment of expectation followed, for those present thought that he would make a sign for some one to speak; but he sat motionless, white, calm, with lips somewhat open, as if he had sunk really into the endless repose of death.

"Hlava is here," said Yagenka, in her sweet voice, at last; "do you wish to hear him?"

He nodded in sign of assent; then Hlava began his narrative for the third time. He mentioned briefly the battles fought with the Germans near Gotteswerder, described the struggle with Arnold von Baden and the recovery of Danusia, but not wishing to add pain to those glad tidings brought the old martyr, and rouse new fear in him, he concealed the fact that Danusia's mind was disturbed by long days of cruel torture.

But since his heart was envenomed against the Knights of the Order, and he desired that Siegfried should be punished