Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/679

 Rh Matsko did not speak in perfect sincerity, for with him it was a question of something else, but immediately he waved his hand.

"If I had not been sick in Malborg well,—that too," said he. "But we will talk of it in Spyhov."

And next day, after their night rest, they set out for Spyhov.

The days were clear, the road dry, easy, and besides safe; for because of the recent agreement the Knights of the Cross restrained robbery on the border. Moreover, the two knights were of that class of travellers whom it was better for a robber to bow to from afar than attack at close quarters, so the journey passed quickly, and the fifth day after leaving Plotsk they halted in the morning at Spyhov. Yagenka, who esteemed Matsko as her best friend on earth, greeted him almost as she would her father; while he, though no common thing could move him, was moved by that kindness of the girl whom he liked so much, and when later, Zbyshko, after he had inquired about Yurand, went to the tomb of his Danusia, the old knight sighed deeply.

"Well," said he, "God took the one He wished to take, and left the one He wished to leave; but I think that our troubles and wanderings in wildernesses and wild places are ended."

After a while he added,—

"Ei! where has the Lord Jesus not carried us during these recent years!"

"But the hand of God guarded you," said Yagenka.

"True, it guarded us, but indeed it is time to go home."

"We must stay here while Yurand lives."

"But how is he?"

"He looks up and smiles. It is clear that he sees Paradise, and in it Danusia."

"Dost thou look after him?"

"I do; but Father Kaleb says that angels look after him. Yesterday the housekeeper saw two of them."

"They say," answered Matsko, "that it is most fitting for a noble to die in the field, but it is well, too, to die on a bed if one dies like Yurand."

"He eats nothing, he drinks nothing, but smiles continually."

"Let us go to him; Zbyshko must be there." But Zbyshko remained only a short time with Yurand, who recognized no one; he went then to Danusia's coffin in the

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