Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/744

 306 to Prussian regions, and thereby rendered considerable service,—but I will tell that later; and now mount, your greatness, for that Bohemian count whom you call Hlava is waiting for us with supper at the tent of my lord."

Zbyshko sat on the horse, and approaching Pan de Lorche he rode at his side so as to speak with him freely, for he was curious to learn his story.

"I am tremendously glad," said Zbyshko, "that thou art on our side, but I wonder, for thou hast served the Knights of the Cross."

"Those serve who take pay," replied De Lorche, "but I have never taken pay. No,—I went to the Knights of the Cross only to seek adventures and win the belt of a knight, which, as is known to thee, I received from the hands of a Polish prince. And while remaining long years in those countries I came to know on whose side was justice; and when I also married here and settled down, how could I appear against you? I am now a man of this country, and observe how I have learned your language. I have even forgotten my own somewhat."

"But thy property in Guelders? For, as I have heard, thou art a relative of the ruling house there, and an heir to many castles and villages."

"I yielded my inheritance to my relative, Foulk de Lorche, who paid me for it. Five years ago I was in Guelders and brought back from there considerable wealth, with which I purchased property in Mazovia."

"But how did it happen thee to marry Yagenka of Dlugolyas?"

"Ah, who can understand a woman? She trifled with me always till the time came when I was tired of such action, and declared to her that from grief I would go to a war in Asia, and never return again. She began to cry unexpectedly, and said, 'Then I will be a nun.' I fell at her feet for those words and two weeks later the Bishop of Plotsk blessed us in church."

"Hast thou children?" inquired Zbyshko.

"After the war Yagenka is going to the grave of Queen Yadviga to implore her," answered De Lorche, sighing.

"That is well. They say that method is certain,—and that in such cases there is no better intercessor than our holy queen. Before long all will go to Cracow, for a decisive battle will take place in a few days, and then peace will come."

"Yes."