Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/657

 Rh Order had the skill to fabricate. The immensity of the walls surpassed every structure which the Polish knights had seen in their lives thus far. It might seem that edifice grew there on edifice, creating in that place, low by nature, as it were, a mountain, the summit of which was the High Castle, the sides the Middle and the First Castle. There radiated from that giant nest of armed monks such uncommon might and power that even the long and usually gloomy face of the Grand Master cleared somewhat as he gazed at it.

"Ex luto Marienburg. Marienburg from the mud," said he, turning toward Zyndram; "but no human power can crush that mud."

Zyndram made no answer, and in silence he took in with his eyes all the bastions and the immensity of the walls strengthened by monstrous escarps.

"You gentlemen," added Conrad, after a moment of silence, "who understand fortresses, what do you say to this?"

"The fortress seems to me impregnable," replied the Polish knight, as if in meditation; "but—"

"But what? What can you criticise in it?"

"But any fortress may change masters."

At this the Grand Master frowned.

"In what sense do you speak?"

"In this sense, that the judgments and decisions of God are hidden from the eyes of man."

And again he looked in meditation on the walls, while Zbyshko, to whom Povala had interpreted his answer correctly, looked at him admiringly and with gratitude. He was struck at that moment by the resemblance between Zyndram and the Jmud leader Skirvoillo. Both had immense heads of the same kind, driven in, as it were, between broad shoulders; both had mighty breasts and the same form of bowed legs.

Meanwhile the Master, not wishing that the last word should remain with the Polish knight, began a second time:

"They say that our Marienburg is six times greater than Vavel, the castle of Cracow."

"In Cracow on the cliff there is not so much space as here on the plain," replied Zyndram; "but our heart in Vavel is greater."

Conrad raised his brows wonderingly,—

"I do not understand."