Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/775

 Rh When they heard this the Polish regiments rushed with the greatest impetus toward the enemy. Mikolai Kielbasa was the first to strike them with his regiment, and again raged the battle.

But whether it was that the knights from the province of Helmno, among whom there were many of Polish blood, did not strike earnestly, or that nothing could restrain the rage of the Poles, it suffices that this new attack did not produce the effect which the Grand Master had looked for. It had seemed to him that his would be the finishing blow to the power of Yagello; meanwhile he saw soon that it was the Poles who were pushing, advancing, beating down, cleaving, taking, as it were, in iron vices his legions, while his knights were rather defending themselves than advancing. In vain did he urge them with his voice, in vain did he push them with his sword to the battle. They defended themselves, it is true, and defended themselves mightily, but there was not in them either that sweep or that fire which victorious armies bear with them, and with which Polish hearts were inflamed. In battered armor, in blood, in wounds, with dinted weapons, their voices gone from their breasts, the Polish knights rushed on irresistibly to the densest throng of the Germans, as wolves rush at flocks of sheep; and the Germans began to restrain their horses, then to look around behind, as if wishing to learn whether those iron vices were not surrounding them more and more terribly, and they drew back slowly, but continually, as if desiring to withdraw unobserved from the murderous enclosure.

But now from the direction of the forest new shouts sounded suddenly. This was Zyndram, who had led out and sent the country people to battle. Soon was heard the biting of scythes on iron and the hammering of flails on armor; bodies began to fall more and more densely; blood flowed in a stream on the trampled earth; and the battle became like one immense flame, for the Germans, seeing salvation only in the sword, defended themselves desperately.

And both sides fought in that way, uncertain of success, till huge clouds of dust rose all at once on the right flank of the king's army.

"The Lithuanians are returning!" roared Polish voices in gladness.

—22