Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/715

 Rh measure, both immensely in love with each other, but ill at ease and silent. Yagenka began at last to arrange his golden hair, and he felt the vicinity of her upraised arms, of her hands, and he shivered from head to foot, restraining himself with all his force of will lest he might seize her by the waist and press her with all his might to his bosom.

In the silence the hurried breath of both was audible.

"Perhaps thou art ill?" inquired the girl after a while. "What troubles thee?"

"Nothing," answered the young knight.

"But somehow thou art panting."

"Thou art panting too—"

Again there was silence. Yagenka's cheeks were as red as roses, for she felt that Zbyshko did not take his eyes from her face for an instant; so, to talk away embarrassment, she asked,—

"Why dost thou look at me in that way?"

"Does it annoy thee?"

"It does not annoy, but I ask."

"Yagenka?"

"What—"

Zbyshko drew in a long breath, sighed, moved his lips as if for further conversation, but it was clear that he had not sufficient courage yet, since he merely repeated again,—

"Yagenka."

"What?"

"If I am afraid to tell something—"

"Be not afraid. I am a simple girl, not a dragon."

"Of course not a dragon! But Uncle Matsko says that he wants to take thee!"

"Yes he does, but not for himself."

And she stopped as if frightened at her own words.

"By the dear God! My Yagus!—but what answer hast thou to give, Yagus?" cried Zbyshko.

But unexpectedly Yagenka's eyes filled with tears, her beautiful lips began to quiver, and her voice became so low that Zbyshko could hardly hear it when she said,—

"Papa and the abbot wished—while I—as thou knowest!—"

At these words delight burst forth in Zbyshko's heart like a sudden flame; so he caught the girl in his arms, lifted her up as he might a feather, and shouted wildly,—

"Yagus! Yagus! thou my gold! my sun—hei! hei!"