Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/626

 188 be more humble than the Knights of the Cross are. Let Zbyshko be of the king's retinue, and let him claim his own; let him complain as loudly as is possible against the evil doings of the Order. The Germans will listen differently in presence of the king, and in presence of Cracow knights, who are famous everywhere, and whose decisions are widely current in the world of knighthood."

"Excellent advice! by the Cross of the Lord, it is excellent!" exclaimed Father Kaleb.

"It is!" confirmed De Lorche. "And opportunity will not be lacking. I heard in Malborg that there will be feasts and tournaments, for foreign knights will surely wish to meet the knights of Poland. As God is true! Juan of Aragon is coming; he is the greatest knight of all in Christendom. Do ye not know that from Aragon he sent his gauntlet to your Zavisha, so that it should not be said in foreign courts that there is on earth another man who is his equal?"

The arrival of De Lorche, the sight of him, and conversation with the man so roused Zbyshko from that painful torpor in which he had been buried, that he listened to the news with curiosity. Of Juan of Aragon he knew, for it was the duty of every knight in that age to know and recollect the names of all who were most renowned as champions; the fame of the nobles of Aragon, especially of Juan, had passed through every Christian land. No knight had ever equalled him inside barriers; the Moors fled at the very sight of his armor; and the opinion was universal that he was the greatest knight in Christendom.

At this news, therefore, the warlike, knightly soul of Zbyshko responded, and he asked very eagerly,—

"Did he challenge Zavisha Charny?"

"It is about a year since the gauntlet came and Zavisha sent his own to Aragon."

"Then will Juan come surely?"

"It is not known whether he will come, but there are reports that he will. The Knights of the Order have sent him an invitation long ago."

"God grant us to see such things."

"God grant!" said De Lorche. "And though Zavisha should be killed, as may happen easily, it is great glory for him that such a man as Juan of Aragon challenged him; nay, honor for thy whole people."

"We shall see!" answered Zbyshko. "I only say, 'God grant us to see such things.'"