CHAPTER IV.
"Whose retinue is this?" inquired Jurand, suddenly starting from musing,as if from sleep, beyond Radzanow.
"Mine," replied Zbyszko.
"And did all my people perish?"
"I saw them dead in Niedzborz."
"Have you no old comrades?"
Zbyszko made no reply, and they traveled on in silence, but hurriedly,because they wanted to get to Spychow as quickly as possible, hopingpossibly to meet some Teutonic messengers there. To their good fortunethe frosts set in again, and the highways were firm, so that they couldmake haste.
Toward evening Jurand spoke again, and began to inquire about thosebrethren of the Order who were at the Forest Court, and Zbyszko narratedeverything--their complaints, their departure, the death of de Fourcy,his follower's action in crushing Danveld's arm so terribly, and, as hespoke, one circumstance recurred strikingly to his mind, namely thepresence in the Forest Court of that woman who brought the healingbalsams from Danveld. During the bait, he commenced therefore to inquireof the Bohemian and Sanderus about her, but neither knew exactly what hadbecome of her. It seemed to them, that she had left either in companywith those people, who came for Danusia, or soon after them. It nowoccurred to Zbyszko's mind, that this might have been some one sent forthe purpose of warning the people in case Jurand should happen to be atthe court in person. In that case they would not claim to have come fromSpychow, but could have prepared another missive to give to the princessinstead of Jurand's fictitious letter. All this had been arranged withhellish dexterity, and the young knight, who so far had known the Teutonsonly from the battlefield, thought for the first time, that the fist wasnot sufficient for them, but that they must be overcome with the head aswell. This was a sullen thought for him, because his great sorrow andpain had become concentrated into a desire for fight and blood. Even helpfor Danusia in his mind took the form of a series of battles either introops or singly; and now he perceived that it might be necessary torestrain his desire for revenge and splitting of heads, like a bear on achain, and seek new means of saving and recovering Danusia. Whilethinking of this, he felt sorry that Macko was not with him. Macko was ascunning as he was brave. He secretly determined to send Sanderus fromSpychow to Szczytno, in order to find that woman and to try to learn fromher what had happened to Danusia. He said to himself that, even ifSanderus wished to betray him, he could do little harm in the matter, andon the contrary might render great service, because his trade gainedadmittance for him everywhere. However, he wished to consult Jurandfirst, but postponed it until their arrival in Spychow, the more sobecause night came on, and it seemed to him, that Jurand, sitting on aknight's high saddle, had fallen asleep from fatigue, exhaustion andgreat anxiety. But Jurand rode with a bowed head only because misfortuneweighed it down. And it was apparent that he was constantly thinking ofit, with a heart full of terrible dread, because he finally said:
"I would rather be frozen under Niedzborz! It was you that dug me out?"
"I, with others."
"And at the hunt, you saved my child?"
"What should I have done?"
"Will you help me now, too?"
And there burst forth in Zbyszko at the same time such love for Danusiaand such great hatred toward the Teuton wrongdoers, that he rose in hissaddle and began to speak through tightly set teeth, as though withdifficulty:
"Listen to what I say: even if I have to bite the Prussian castles withmy teeth, I will do it and get her."
Then followed a moment's silence.
The vengeful and uncontrollable nature of Jurand also seemed to awake infull force under the influence of Zbyszko's words, because he began tognash his teeth in the darkness and after a while to repeat again thenames: Danveld, von Loeve, Rotgier and Godfried! And he thought in hissoul that if they wanted him to restore von Bergow, he would do so; ifthey demanded an additional payment he would give it, even if he had tothrow into the price Spychow entire; but then, woe to those who hadraised their hands against this his only child!
Throughout the whole night, sleep did not close their eyelids for amoment. At dawn, they scarcely recognized each other, to such an extenthad their faces changed during this single night. At length Jurand wasstruck by that pain and inveterate hatred on Zbyszko's face and thereforesaid: "She saved you and snatched you from death--I know. But you alsolove her?"
Zbyszko looked directly into his eyes with an almost defiant expressionand replied: "She is my wife."
Upon that, Jurand stopped his horse and looked at Zbyszko, blinking hiseyes with astonishment.
"What do you say?" he inquired.
"I say that she is my wife and I am her husband."
The knight of Spychow brushed his eyes with his sleeve, as if he weredazed by a sudden thunder-stroke, and after awhile, without a word ofreply, he urged his horse forward to the head of the troop and rode onsilently.