Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/649

 the control of the Order, Vitold would not move a finger, for he would have neither excuse nor reason. The Grand Master, who was a man of peace, and knew Yagello's strength more clearly than did others, strove to pacify the king; and notwithstanding the muttering of some comturs who were proud and passionate, he spared no flattering words, and at moments showed humility. But since even in that humility veiled threats were heard frequently, all ended in failure. Discussions on important points were dropped quickly, and on the second day they spoke only of inferior questions. The king attacked the Order sharply for maintaining bands of ruffians and for attacks and robberies along the border, for the stealing of Yurand's daughter and of little Yasko, for murdering fishermen and land-tillers.

The Grand Master denied, evaded, swore that, that had been done without his knowledge, and in return he made reproaches, saying that not only Vitold, but Polish knights as well had assisted pagan Jmud men to war against the Order. To prove this he gave instance of Matsko of Bogdanets. Fortunately, the king knew through Povala what the knights of Bogdanets were seeking in the Jmud land, and was able to answer the reproach, all the more easily that in his retinue was Zbyshko, and in that of the Master the two Von Badens, who had come with the hope of fighting with Poles inside barriers.

But there was no meeting of that sort. The Knights of the Cross had wished, in case discussions went smoothly, to invite King Yagello to Torun, and have feasts there and spectacles for many days to do him honor; but as discussions had failed, producing only mutual dislike and anger, desire for amusements was lacking. Only privately, in the morning hours, knights tried one another a little in strength and dexterity, but as the gladsome Prince Yamont said, that went against the grain of the Knights of the Cross, for Povala proved stronger in the arm than Arnold von Baden, Dobek of Olesnitsa at the lance, and Lis of Targovisko in jumping over horses surpassed all men. On this occasion, Zbyshko arranged the ransom with Arnold. De Lorche, as a count and a man of great note, looked down on Arnold, opposed that arrangement, and affirmed that he took all on himself. But Zbyshko considered that knightly honor commanded him to pay the amount of ransom promised; therefore, though Arnold was ready to reduce the sum, he would not accept the reduction, or Pan de Lorche's interference.