Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/97

Rh his breast; from being insolent, he became humble, and said, in a low, mild voice,—

"Christ, our Saviour, forgave the thief on the cross, and also his own enemies."

"A true knight utters that!" exclaimed the bishop of Cracow.

"A true knight, a true knight!"

"Why should I not forgive him," continued Kuno,—"I, who am not only a Christian, but a monk? Hence, as a servant of Christ, and a monk, I forgive him from the soul of my heart."

"Glory to him!" thundered Povala of Tachev.

"Glory to him!" repeated others.

"But," added the Knight of the Cross, "I am here among you as an envoy, and I bear in my person the majesty of the whole Order, which is Christ's Order. Whoso offends me as an envoy, offends the Order; and whoso offends the Order offends Christ himself; such a wrong I before God and man cannot pardon. If, therefore, your law pardons it, let all the rulers of Christendom know of the matter."

These words were followed by a dead silence. But after a while were heard here and there the gritting of teeth, the deep breathing of restrained rage, and the sobbing of Danusia.

Before evening all hearts were turned to Zbyshko. The same knights who in the morning would have been ready at one beck of the king to bear Zbyshko apart on their swords were exerting their wits then to see how to aid him. The princesses resolved to go with a prayer to the queen, asking her to persuade Lichtenstein to drop his complaint altogether, or in case of need to write to the Grand Master of the Order, begging that he command Kuno to drop the affair. The way seemed sure, for such uncommon honor surrounded Yadviga that the Grand Master would bring on himself the anger of the pope and the blame of all Christian princes if he refused her such a request. It was not likely that he would, and for this reason, that Conrad Von Jungingen was a calm man, and far milder than his predecessors. Unfortunately the bishop of Cracow, who was also chief physician of the queen, forbade most strictly to mention even one word to her touching the matter. "She is never pleased to hear of death sentences," said he, "and though the question be one of a simple robber, she takes it to heart at once; and what would it be now, when the life of a young man is at stake,—a young man who might justly expect her