Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/93

Rh But Zavisha Charny, the most renowned among the renowned, the "model of knights," turned his frowning brows to Lichtenstein, and said,—

"Kuno, I do not recognize thee. How canst thou, a knight, shame a noble people among whom thou, being an envoy, art threatened by no punishment?"

But Kuno endured calmly his terrible Vooks and answered slowly and emphatically,—

"Our Order before coming to Prussia warred in Palestine, but there even Saracens respected envoys. Ye alone do not respect them, and for this reason I have called your customs pagan."

At this the uproar became still greater. Around the table were heard again the cries of "Woe! woe!"

They grew silent, however, when the king, on whose face anger was boiling, clapped his hands a number of times in Lithuanian fashion. Then old Yasko Topor of Tenchyn, the castellan of Cracow, rose,—he was gray, dignified, rousing fear by the truthfulness of his rule,—and said,—

"Noble knight of Lichtenstein, if any insult has met you as an envoy, speak, there will be satisfaction and stern justice quickly."

"This would not have happened to me in any other Christian land," answered Kuno. "Yesterday, on the road to Tynets, one of your knights fell upon me, and though from the cross on my mantle it was easy to see who I was, he attempted my life."

Zbyshko, when he heard these words grew deathly pale and looked involuntarily at the king whose face was simply terrible. Yasko of Tenchyn was astounded, and said,—

"Can that be?"

"Ask the lord of Tachev, who was a witness of the deed."

All eyes turned to Povala who stood for a while gloomy, with drooping eyelids, and then said,—

"It is true!"

When the knights heard this they called out: "Shame! shame! The ground should open under such a one." And from shame some struck their thighs and their breasts with their hands, others twisted the pewter plates on the table between their fingers, not knowing where to cast their eyes.

"Why did'st thou not kill him? " thundered the king.

"I did not because his head belongs to judgment," replied Povala.

"Did you imprison him? " asked the Castellan of Cracow.