Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/610

 172 "True; but a Knight of the Cross, an executioner who hanged himself! Let crows and wolves work at him."

"Do not say idle words. God will judge him for his sins, but let us do our part. No evil will attach to us if we carry out a pious command."

"Let it be as you wish," answered Hlava.

And he gave needful orders to the attendants, who obeyed with disgust and hesitation. But fearing Hlava, with whom dispute was dangerous, they took, in the absence of spades, forks and axes to make a hole in the earth, and went to work. Hlava went with them to give an example, and when he had made a sign of the cross he cut with his own hands the strap by which the corpse was hanging.

Siegfried's face had grown blue in the air and was ghastly, for his eyes were not closed and they had a terrified expression. His mouth was open as if to catch the last breath.

They dug a depression there at his side quickly, and with fork-handles stuffed the body into it, face downward. After they had covered it the attendants sought stones, for the custom was from time immemorial to cover suicides with stones, otherwise they would rise at night and waylay travellers. There were stones enough on the road and among the mosses of the forest. So there soon rose above the Knight of the Cross a tomb, and then Hlava cut out with an axe, on the trunk of the pine-tree, a cross,—which he made, not for Siegfried, but to prevent evil spirits from assembling on that spot,—and then he returned to the company.

"His soul is in hell, but his body is in the earth," said he to Yagenka;" now we may go."

And they moved forward. But Yagenka when riding past broke a twig from the pine-tree and threw it on the stones. Following the example of their lady, all the others did in like manner, for custom commanded that also. They rode on a long time in thoughtfulness, thinking of that evil enemy the Knight of the Cross, and the punishment which had overtaken him, till at last Yagenka said,—

"The justice of God does not spare, and it is not proper to say even 'eternal rest,' for that man, since there is no rest for him."

"You have a compassionate heart, since you commanded to bury him," answered Hlava. And then he added with a certain hesitation: "People say—well not people perhaps,