Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/703

 Rh of New Kovno,—she had even heard more; namely, that Vitold had begun negotiations. This last news concerned her more than the former, for should peace be concluded Zbyshko would return home, of course, were he living.

Then she fell to inquiring of the old knight if that were credible; and he, when he had thought a while, answered,—

"Every news is credible in Vitold's case, for he is a man different altogether from others, and surely the keenest of all lords in Christendom. When he needs to extend his dominion toward Russia, he makes peace with the Germans; and when he has done what he planned, he takes the Germans again by the forelock! They cannot manage either him, or that suffering Jmud land. One time he takes it away from them, another time he gives it, and not only gives it, but helps them to crush it. There are men among us, yes, in Lithuania also, who take this ill of him that he plays thus with the blood of that ill-fated people. And I, to speak truth, would consider it infamous on his part, if he were not Vitold. But I think to myself, 'Well, he is wiser than I, and he knows what he is doing.' I have indeed heard from Skirvoillo himself that Vitold has made of that land a boil always festering in the body of the Order, so that that body should never have health in it. Women in the Jmud land will always bear children, and it is no harm to spill blood unless it be spilt to no purpose."

"I care only for this: will Zbyshko come back," said Yagenka.

"If God permit, he will come; but may the Lord grant, girl, that thou hast said these words at a lucky moment."

Still months passed. News came that peace had been really concluded, grain with its heavy ears had grown yellow, the fields sown with buckwheat were ruddy, but of Zbyshko no tidings.

At last when the first work was done, Matsko could endure no longer and declared that he would hurry to Spyhov, and as it was nearer to Lithuania get news there and inspect Hlava's management.

Yagenka insisted on going with him, but he would not take her, so they began disputes on this point, which held out a whole week if not longer. At length, on a certain evening when they were disputing in Zgorzelitse, a youth from Bogdanets rushed into the yard like a whirlwind, barefoot, without a cap on his yellow head, and cried to them before the porch on which they were then sitting,—