CHAPTER VII
In the meanwhile, the Czech rushed as fast as he could to the prince'shunting residence, and finding the prince still there, he told him first,what had happened. Happily there were some courtiers who had seen theshield-bearer go without any arms. One of them had even shouted afterhim, half in jest, to take some old iron, because otherwise the Germanswould get the best of him; but he, fearing that the knights would passthe frontier, jumped on horseback as he stood, in a sheepskin overcoatonly and hurried after them. These testimonies dispelled all possibledoubts from the prince's mind as to the fact who had murdered de Fourcy;but they filled him with uneasiness and with such anger, that at first hewanted to pursue the Knights of the Cross, capture them and send them tothe grand master in chains. After a while, however, he came to theconclusion, that it was impossible to reach them on this side of theboundary and he said:
"I will send, instead, a letter to the grand master, so that he may knowwhat they are doing here. God will punish them for it!"
Then he became thoughtful and after a while he began to say to thecourtiers:
"I cannot understand why they killed their guest; I would suspect theshield-bearer if I did not know that he went there without weapons."
"Bah!" said the _ksiondz_ Wyszoniek, "why should the boy kill him? He hadnot seen him before. Then suppose he had had arms, how could he attackfive of them and their armed retinues?"
"That is true," said the prince. "That guest must have opposed them insomething, or perhaps he did not wish to lie as was necessary for them. Isaw them wink at him, to induce him to say that Jurand was the first tobegin the fight."
Then Mrokota of Mocarzew said:
"He is a strong boy, if he could crush the arm of that dog Danveld."
"He said that he heard the bones of the German crack," answered theprince; "and taking into consideration what he did in the forest, onemust admit it is true! The master and the servant are both strong boys.But for Zbyszko, the bison would have rushed against the horses. Both theLotaringer and he contributed very much to the rescue of the princess."
"To be sure they are great boys," affirmed the _ksiondz_ Wyszoniek. "Evennow when he can hardly breathe, he has taken Jurand's part and challengedthose knights. Jurand needs exactly such a son-in-law."
"In Krakow, Jurand said differently; but now, I think he will not opposeit," said the prince.
"The Lord Jesus will help," said the princess, who entered just now andheard the end of the conversation.
"Jurand cannot oppose it now, if only God will restore Zbyszko's health;but we must reward him also."
"The best reward for him will be Danusia, and I think he will get her,for when the women resolve to accomplish some object, then even Jurandhimself could not prevent them."
"Am I not right, to wish for that marriage?" asked the princess.
"I would not say a word if Zbyszko were not constant; but I think thereis no other in the world as faithful as he. And the girl also. She doesnot leave him now for a moment; she caresses him and he smiles at her,although he is very ill. I cry myself when I see this! I am speakingrighteously! It is worth while to help such a love, because the HolyMother looks gladly on human happiness."
"If it be God's will," said the prince, "the happiness will come. But itis true that he nearly lost his head for that girl and now the bison hasinjured him."
"Do not say it was for that girl," said the princess, quickly, "becausein Krakow Danusia saved him."
"True! But for her sake he attacked Lichtenstein, in order to tear fromhis head the feathers, and he would not have risked his life for deLorche. As for the reward, I said before that they both deserve one, andI will think about it in Ciechanow."
"Nothing will please Zbyszko more than to receive the knightly girdle andthe golden spurs."
The prince smiled benevolently and answered:
"Let the girl carry them to him; and when the illness leaves him, then wewill see that everything is accomplished according to the custom. Let hercarry them to him immediately, because quick joy is the best!"
The princess having heard that, hugged her lord in the presence of thecourtiers, and kissed his hands; he smiled continually and said:
"You see--A good idea! I see that the Holy Ghost has granted the womansome sense also! Now call the girl."
"Danuska! Danuska!" called the princess.
And in a moment in the side door Danusia appeared; her eyes were red onaccount of sleepless nights; and she held a pot of steaming gruel, whichthe _ksiondz_ Wyszoniek had ordered to be put on Zbyszko's fracturedbones.
"Come to me, my dear girl!" said Prince Janusz. "Put aside the pot andcome."
When she approached with some timidity, because "the lord" always excitedsome fear in her, he embraced her kindly and began to caress her face,saying:
"Well, the poor child is unhappy--_hein_?"
"Yes!" answered Danusia.
And having sadness in her heart, she began to cry but very quietly, inorder not to hurt the prince; he asked again:
"Why do you cry?"
"Because Zbyszko is ill," answered she, putting her little hands to hereyes.
"Do not be afraid, there is no danger for him. Is that not true, FatherWyszoniek?"
"Hej! by God's will, he is nearer to the wedding than to the coffin,"answered the good-hearted _ksiondz_ Wyszoniek.
The prince said:
"Wait! In the meanwhile, I will give you a medicine for him, and I trustit will relieve him or cure him entirely."
"Have the Krzyzaks sent the balm?" asked Danusia quickly, taking herlittle hands from her eyes.
"With that balm which the Krzyzaks will send, you had better smear a dogthan a knight whom you love. I will give you something else."
Then he turned to the courtiers and said:
"Hurry and bring the spurs and the girdle."
After a while, when they had brought them to him, he said to Danusia:
"Take these to Zbyszko--and tell him that from this time he is a beltedknight. If he die, then he will appear before God as _miles cinctus_; ifhe live, then the rest will be accomplished in Ciechanow or in Warszawa."
Having heard this, Danusia seized "the lord" by his knees; then caughtthe knightly insignia with one hand and the pot of porridge with theother, and rushed to the room where Zbyszko was lying. The princess, notwishing to lose the sight of their joy, followed her.
Zbyszko was very ill, but having perceived Danusia, he turned his paleface toward her and asked:
"Has the Czech returned?"
"No matter about the Czech!" answered the girl. "I bring you better newsthan that. The lord has made you a knight and has sent you this by me."
Having said this, she put beside him the girdle and the spurs. Zbyszko'spale cheeks flushed with joy and astonishment, he glanced at Danusia andthen at the spurs; then he closed his eyes and began to repeat:
"How could he dub me a knight?"
At that moment the princess entered, and he raised himself a little andbegan to thank her, because he guessed that her intervention had broughtsuch a great favor and bliss to him. But she ordered him to be quiet andhelped Danusia to put his head on the pillows again. In the meanwhile,the prince, the _ksiondz_ Wyszoniek, Mrokota and several other courtiersentered.
Prince Janusz waved his hand to signify that Zbyszko must not move; thenhaving seated himself beside the bed, he said:
"You know! The people must not wonder that there is reward for gooddeeds, because if virtue remained without any reward, human iniquitieswould walk without punishment. You did not spare your life, but withperil to yourself defended us from dreadful mourning; therefore we permityou to don the knightly girdle, and from this moment to walk in glory andfame."
"Gracious lord," answered Zbyszko. "I would not spare even ten lives----"
But he could not say anything more, on account of his emotion; and theprincess put her hand on his mouth because the _ksiondz_ Wyszoniek didnot permit him to talk. The prince continued
further:
"I think that you know the knightly duties and that you will wear theinsignia with honor. You must serve our Saviour, and fight with the_starosta_ of hell. You must be faithful to the anointed lord, avoidunrighteous war and defend innocence against oppression; may God and HisHoly Passion help you!"
"Amen!" answered the _ksiondz_ Wyszoniek.
The prince arose, made the sign of the cross over Zbyszko and added:
"And when you recover, go immediately to Ciechanow, where I will summonJurand."