Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/740

 302 it almost in the twinkle of an eye, and with such irresistible spirit that before the whole train had come up there remained of the town and the castle only ruins and burnt remnants, in the midst of which the wild warriors of Vitold, and the Tartars under Saladin, were cutting down the last of the German infantry, who defended themselves with desperation.

But the fire did not last long, for it was extinguished by a shower of short duration though tremendously violent.

The whole night of July 14 was marvellously changeable and showery. Whirlwinds brought tempest after tempest. At moments the heavens seemed to be ablaze from lightning, and thunders mingled in awful explosion from the east to the west. Frequent lightning filled the air with the odor of sulphur, then again the roar of rain outsounded all else. Again wind scattered clouds, and amid the tattered fragments of them stars and the great bright moon were visible. Only after midnight did it calm down somewhat so that men could at least kindle fires. In fact thousands and thousands of them blazed up then in the immense camp of the Poles and Lithuanians. The warriors dried their drenched garments and sang songs of battle.

The king was watching also, for in a house standing at the very edge of the camp, in which he had taken refuge from the storm, a council of war was in session to which account was rendered of the capture of Gilgenburg. Since the regiment of Sieradz had taken part in storming that castle, its leader, Yakob of Konietspole, was summoned with others to justify himself for storming the place without orders, and for not stopping the attack though the king had sent to restrain them his own usher and a number of confidential attendants.

For this reason the voevoda, uncertain whether blame would meet him, or even punishment itself, took with him a number of the foremost knights, and among others old Matsko and Zbyshko, as witnesses that the usher appeared only when they were on the walls of the castle and at the moment of most stubborn struggle with the garrison. As to this, that he had attacked the castle, "It is difficult," said he, "to inquire about everything when the troops are dispersed over a space of many miles. Sent out in advance, I understood that I was bound to crush obstacles before the army and to fight with the enemy wherever I met them."

On hearing these words the king, Prince Vitold, and the lords, who in soul were delighted with what had happened,