Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/714

 276 But when Yagenka saw the women, comb in hand, and troubled, when she saw the curry-comb lying on the bench at Zbyshko's side and his hair standing out in all directions, she fell to laughing.

"By my word, it is a bundle of straw, a bundle of straw!" cried she, showing the wonderful white teeth between her coral lips. "We might put thee in a hemp field or a cherry garden, to frighten the birds away!"

Zbyshko frowned.

"We were making ready to visit Zgorzelitse," said he; "in Zgorzelitse thou wouldst not attack a guest, but here thou hast the privilege of making sport of me as much as may please thee, and upon my faith thou art always glad to make sport of me."

"I glad to make sport of thee!" exclaimed Yagenka. "Oh, mighty God! Why, I have come to invite you both to supper; and I am laughing not at thee, but at these women. If I were in their place I could arrange matters quickly."

"Thou couldst not."

"But who dresses Yasko's hair?"

"Yasko is thy brother," answered Zbyshko.

"Of course he is!"

Here the old and experienced Matsko resolved to assist them.

"In families," said he, "when a knightly youth's hair grows, after cutting, his sister dresses it; in mature age a man's wife dresses his hair for him; but it is the custom also that if a knight has no sister or wife, a noble maiden serves him, even though she be entirely unrelated."

"Is there really such a custom?" inquired Yagenka, dropping her eyes.

"Not only in mansions, but in castles. Yes! even at the king's court," answered Matsko.

Then he turned to the women.

"Since ye can do nothing, go to your own place!"

"Let them bring me warm water," added Yagenka.

Matsko went out with the women, as if to see that there was no delay in serving, and after a moment he had warm water brought in, and when it had been placed in the room the young people were left with each other. Yagenka having wet a towel moistened Zbyshko's hair well with it; when the hair had stopped flying up and had lain down with the weight of dampness, she took a comb and sat on the bench at the side of the young man to proceed with the work.

And they sat there side by side, both comely beyond