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The Knights of the Cross, a novel by Henryk Sienkiewicz |
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Part 2 - Chapter 9 |
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_ PART SECOND: CHAPTER IX Zybszko, having joined Zych and Jagienka, who were accompanying the abbot and his retinue to Krzesnia, rode with them, because he wanted to show the abbot that he was afraid neither of Wilk of Brzozowa, nor of Cztan of Rogow. He was again surprised at Jagienka's beauty. He had often seen her in Zgorzelice and Bogdaniec, dressed beautifully; but never had she looked as she did now when going to church. Her cloak was made of red broadcloth, lined with ermine; she wore red gloves, and on her head was a little hood embroidered with gold, from beneath which two braids fell down on her shoulders. She was not sitting on the horse astride, but on a high saddle which had an arm and a little bench for her feet, which scarcely showed from beneath her long skirt. Zych permitted the girl to dress in a sheepskin overcoat and high-legged boots when at home, but required that for church she should be dressed not like the daughter of a poor _wlodyczka_,[84] but like the _panna_ of a mighty nobleman. Two boys, dressed like pages, conducted her horse. Four servants were riding behind with the abbot's seminarists, who were armed with swords and carried their lutes. Zbyszko admired all the retinue, but especially Jagienka, who looked like a picture. The abbot, who was dressed in a red cloak, having enormous sleeves, resembled a traveling prince. The most modest dress was worn by Zych, who requiring magnificent display for the others, for himself cared only for singing and joy.
Zych, Zbyszko, Jagienka and the abbot rode together. At first the abbot ordered his _shpilmen_ to sing some church songs; afterward, when he was tired of their songs, he began to talk with Zbyszko, who smiled at his enormous sword, which was as large as a two-handed German sword. "I see," said he gravely, "that you wonder at my sword; the synod permits a clergyman to wear a sword during a journey, and I am traveling. When the holy father forbade the ecclesiastics to wear swords and red dresses, most assuredly he meant the men of low birth, because God intended that noblemen should wear arms; and he who would dare to take this right from a nobleman, would oppose His eternal will." "I saw the Mazovian Prince Henryk, when he fought in the lists," said Zbyszko. "We do not censure him, because he fought," answered the abbot, raising his finger, "but because he married and married unhappily; _fornicarium_ and _bibulam_ had taken _mulierem_, whom _Bachum_ since she was young _adorabat_, and besides that she was _adultera_, from whom no one could expect any good." He stopped his horse and began to expound with still greater gravity: "Whoever wishes to marry, or to choose _uxorem_ must ascertain if she is pious, moral, a good housekeeper and cleanly. This is recommended not only by the fathers of the church, but also by a certain pagan sage, called Seneca. And how can you know whether you have chosen well, if you do not know the nest from which you take your life companion? Because another sage has said: _Pomus nam cadit absque arbore._ As is the ox, so is the skin; as is the mother, so is the girl. Prom which you, a sinner, must draw this moral,--that you must look for your wife not far away, but near; because if you get a bad one, you will cry as did the philosopher, when his quarrelsome wife poured _aquam sordidam_ on his head." "_In saecula saeculorum_, amen!" exclaimed in unison the wandering seminarists, who when responding to the abbot, did not always answer properly. They were all listening very attentively to the abbot's words, admiring his eloquence and his knowledge of the Scriptures; he apparently did not speak directly to Zbyszko; but on the contrary, he turned more toward Zych and Jagienka, as if he wished to edify them. But evidently Jagienka understood what he was trying to do, because from beneath her long eyelashes, she looked at Zbyszko, who frowned and dropped his head as if he were seriously thinking about what the abbot had said. After this the retinue moved on silently; but when they came near Krzesnia, the abbot touched his girdle and then turned it so that he could seize the hilt of his sword more easily, and said: "I am sure that old Wilk of Brzozowa will come with a good retinue." "Perhaps," replied Zych, "but I heard that he was not well." "One of my seminarists heard that he intends to attack us in front of the inn after the service is over." "He will not do that without a challenge, and especially after holy mass." "May God, bring him to reason. I do not seek a quarrel with anybody and I bear my wrongs patiently." Here he looked at the _shpilmen_, and said: "Do not draw your swords, and remember that you are spiritual servants; but if they attack us first, then strike them!" Zbyszko, while riding beside Jagienka, said to her: "I am sure that in Krzesnia we will meet young Wilk and Cztan. Show me them from afar, so that I may know them." "Very well, Zbyszku," answered Jagienka. "Do they not meet you before the service and after the service? What do they do then?" "They serve me." "They will not serve you now, understand?" And she answered again, almost with humility: "Very well, Zbyszku." Further conversation was interrupted by the sound of the wooden knockers, there being no bells in Krzesnia. After a few moments they arrived at the church. From the crowd in front, waiting for mass, young Wilk and Cztan of Rogow came forward immediately; but Zbyszko jumped from his horse, and before they could reach her, seized Jagienka and lifted her down from her horse; then he took her by the hand, and looking at them threateningly, conducted her to the church. In the vestibule of the church, they were again disappointed. Both rushed to the font of holy water, plunged their hands in, and then stretched them toward the girl. But Zbyszko did the same, and she touched his fingers; then having made the sign of the cross, she entered the church with him. Then not only young Wilk, but Cztan of Rogow also, notwithstanding his stupidity, understood that this had been done purposely, and both were very angry. Wilk rushed out of the vestibule and ran like a madman, not knowing where he was going. Cztan rushed after him, although not knowing why. They stopped at the corner of the inclosure where there were some large stones ready for the foundation of the tower which was to be built in Krzesnia. Then, Wilk wishing to assuage the wrath which raged in his breast, seized one of these stones, and began to shake it; Cztan seeing him do this, seized it also, and both began to roll it toward the church gate. The people looked at them with amazement, thinking that they had made some vow, and that in this way they wished to contribute to the building of the tower. This effort gave them relief and they came to their senses; then they stood, pale from their exertion, puffing and looking at each other. Cztan of Rogow was the first to break the silence. "What now?" asked he. "What?" answered Wilk. "Shall we attack him immediately?" "How can we do that in the church?" "Not in the church, but after mass." "He is with Zych and the abbot. And have you forgotten that Zych said that if there were a fight, he would refuse to let either of us visit at Zgorzelice. But for that, I would have broken your ribs long ago." "Or I, yours!" answered Cztan, clinching his powerful fists. And their eyes began to sparkle threateningly; but soon they both realized that now, more than ever, they needed to have a good understanding. They often fought together; but after each fight, they always became reconciled, because although they were divided by their love for Jagienka, they could not live without each other. Now they had a common foe and they understood that the enemy was a dangerous one. After a while Cztan asked: "What shall we do? Shall we send him a challenge?" Wilk, although he was wiser, did not know what to do. Fortunately the knockers resounded to notify the people that mass would begin. When he heard them he said: "What shall we do? Go to church now and after that, we will do whatever pleases God." Cztan of Rogow was pleased with this answer. "Perhaps the Lord Jesus will send us an inspiration," said he. "And will bless us," added Wilk. "According to justice." They went to church, and having listened devoutly to the mass, they grew more hopeful. They did not lose their temper after mass, when Jagienka again accepted holy water from Zbyszko. In the church-yard they bowed to Zych, to Jagienka and even to the abbot, although he was an enemy of Wilk of Brzozowa. They scowled at Zbyszko, but did not attempt to touch him, although their hearts were throbbing with grief, anger and jealousy; never before had Jagienka seemed to them to be as beautiful as she was then. When the brilliant retinue moved on and when from afar they heard the merry song of the ambulant seminarists, Cztan began to wipe the perspiration from his hairy cheeks and to snort like a horse; as for Wilk, he said, gnashing his teeth: "To the inn! To the inn! Woe to me!" Afterward remembering what had relieved them before, they again seized the stone and rolled it back to its former place. Zbyszko rode beside Jagienka, listening to the abbot's _shpilmen_ singing merry songs; but when they had traveled five or six furlongs, he suddenly reined in his horse, and said: "Oh! I intended to pay for a mass to be said for uncle's health and I forgot it; I must return." "Do not go back!" exclaimed Jagienka; "we will send from Zgorzelice." "No, I will return, and you must not wait for me. With God!" "With God," said the abbot. "Go!" And his face brightened; when Zbyszko disappeared, he touched Zych with his elbow and said: "Do you understand?" "What?" "He will surely fight in Krzesnia with Wilk and Cztan; but I wished for it and I am glad." "They are dreadful boys! If they wound him, then what of it?" "What of it? If he fight for Jagienka, then how can he afterward think about that other girl, Jurandowna? From this time, Jagienka will be his lady, not the other girl; and I wish it because he is my relative and I like him." "Bah! What about his vow?" "I will give him absolution in the twinkling of an eye! Have you not heard that I promised to absolve him?" "Your head is wise about everything," answered Zych. The abbot was pleased with this praise; then he approached nearer Jagienka and asked: "Why are you so sad?" She leaned on the saddle, seized the abbot's hand and lifted it to her mouth: "Godfather, could you not send your _shpilmen_ to Krzesnia?" "What for? They will get drunk in the inn--that's all." "But they may prevent a quarrel." The abbot looked into her eyes and then said sharply: "Let them even kill him." "Then they must kill me also!" exclaimed Jagienka. The bitterness which had accumulated in her bosom since that conversation about Danusia with Zbyszko, mingled with grief, now gushed forth in a stream of tears. Seeing this, the abbot encircled her with his arm, almost covering her with his enormous sleeve, and began to talk: "Do not be afraid, my dear little girl. They may quarrel, but the other boys are noblemen; they will attack him only in a chivalrous manner; they will call him up on the field, and then he can manage for himself, even if he be obliged to fight with both of them at once. As for Jurandowna, about whom you have heard, I will tell you this: there is no wood growing for a bed for the other girl." "If he prefers the other girl, then I do not care about him," answered Jagienka, through her tears. "Then why do you, weep?" "Because I am afraid for him." "Woman's sense!" said the abbot, laughing. Then having bent toward Jagienka's ear, he said: "You must remember, dear girl, that even if he take you, he will be obliged to fight just the same; a nobleman must be a knight." Here he bent still closer and added: "And he will take you, and before long, as God is in heaven!" "I do not know about that!" answered Jagienka. But she began to smile through her tears, and to look at the abbot as if she wished to ask him how he knew it. Meanwhile, Zbyszko having returned to Krzesnia, went directly to the priest, because he really wished to have a mass read for Macko's health; after having settled about that, he went to the inn, where he expected to find young Wilk of Brzozowa, and Cztan of Rogow. He found both of them there, and also many other people, noblemen, farmers and a few "madcap fellows" showing different German tricks. At first he could not recognize anybody, because the windows of the inn being made of ox bladders, did not let in a good light; but when the servant put some resinous wood on the fire, he noticed in the corner behind the beer buckets, Cztan's hairy cheeks, and Wilk's furious face. Then he walked slowly toward them, pushing aside the people; when he reached them, he struck the table so heavily with his fist that the noise resounded throughout the whole inn. They arose immediately and began to turn their girdles; but before they could grasp the hilts of their swords, Zbyszko threw down a glove, and speaking through his nose, as the knights used to speak while challenging, he said these words which were unexpected by everybody: "If either of you, or any other knightly person here present, deny that the most beautiful and most virtuous girl in the world is _Panna_ Danuta Jurandowna of Spychow, that one I will challenge to combat, on horseback or on foot, until the first kneeling, or until the last breath." Wilk and Cztan were astonished as much as the abbot would have been, had he heard Zbyszko's words; and for a while they could not say a word. Who was this _panna_? They cared about Jagienka and not about her; and if this youth did not care for Jagienka, then what did he wish? Why had he made them angry in the church-yard? What did he return for, and why did he wish to quarrel with them? These questions produced such confusion in their minds, that they opened their mouths widely and stared at Zbyszko as if he were not a man, but some German wonder. But the more intelligent Wilk, who was a little familiar with chivalrous customs and knew that often a knight served one lady, but married another, thought that this must be a similar case, and that he must seize the opportunity, to defend Jagienka. Therefore he came out from behind the table, and coming close to Zbyszko, asked threateningly: "Then, you dog-brother, you mean to say that Jagienka Zychowna is not the most beautiful girl in the world?" Cztan followed him; and the people surrounded them, because they understood that it would not end in words. _ |
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