Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/643

 Rh Lorche, and their two attendants went back to the inn. They walked on for a time, sunk in thought; but near the inn De Lorche said something to his attendant, a Pomorian who spoke Polish easily, and the man turned to Zbyshko,—

"My lord," said he, "would like to ask something of your Grace."

"Very well," replied Zbyshko.

De Lorche spoke to his attendant again awhile. The Pomorian, smiling slightly, said,—

"My lord would like to inquire if it is certain that that damsel with whom your Grace conversed before the feast is a mortal being, or if she is some saint or angel."

"Tell thy lord," answered Zbyshko, with a certain impatience, "that he has asked me that question already, so I wonder now to hear it a second time. In Spyhov he told me that he was going to Vitold's court to see the beauty of Lithuanian damsels, then for a similar cause he wished to visit this place, in Plotsk to-day he wished to challenge the knight Povala in behalf of Yagenka of Dlugolyas. and now again he is aiming at another. Is that his constancy; is that his knightly faith?"

Pan de Lorche listened to this answer through the mouth of his attendant, sighed deeply, looked awhile at the sky, which was growing pale, and then answered,—

"Thou speakest justly. Neither constancy nor faith, for I am a sinful man and unworthy to wear the spurs of knighthood. As to Panna Yagenka of Dlugolyas, I have made a vow to her, it is true, and God grant that I shall keep it; but see how I shall move thee when I tell how cruelly she treated me at Chersk."

Here he sighed again, and looked at the sky, on the eastern rim of which a strip was growing clearer. When the Pomorian had interpreted his words De Lorche continued,—

"This is what she said to me: 'I have an enemy, a master of the black art: he dwells within a tower in the middle of a forest; he sends a dragon out every year against me; this dragon comes to Chersk in autumn, and watches to see if he can seize me.' When she told this I declared immediately that I would give battle to that dragon. Ah! consider my story further: when I reached the appointed place I saw a dreadful monster waiting for me; delight filled my soul, for I thought that either I should fall or rescue the maiden from his disgusting jaws, and win eternal glory. But when I went near and thrust a spear into the monster— Canst