The Knights of the Cross, or, Krzyzacy. Генрик Сенкевич
in the forest, reverberated against the trunks of the trees, finally reëchoed in the far distance and then was lost in the thickets.
Again Macko felt his side, in which the German spearhead had lodged and said, moaning a little:
"Formerly the people were wiser!"
Then he became thoughtful, as if recollecting the old times; and he added:
"Although even then some of them were stupid also."
But, in the meantime, they emerged from the forest, behind which they perceived the miners' sheds, and further walls, built by King Kazimierz, and the tower of the fara erected by Wladyslaw Lokietek.
The canon of the fara beard Macko's confession and offered them hospitality; they remained there over night, and started the next morning. Beyond Olkusk, they turned toward Szlonsk,[66] and on its boundaries, they proposed to ride toward Wielkopolska. The road was laid out through a large forest, in which there was heard toward sunset, the roaring of the urus and of the bison, and during the night the eyes of wolves were seen shining behind the thick hazelnut trees. But the greatest danger which threatened the traveler on this road, was from the German and Germanized knights of Szlonsk, whose castles were erected here and there near the boundaries. It is true, that because of the war with the Opolczyk, Naderspraw, whom the Silesians were helping against King Wladyslaw, the majority of these castles had been destroyed by Polish hands; it was necessary, however, to be watchful, and especially after sunset, and to have one's weapons ready.
They were riding so quietly, however, that Zbyszko found the journey tedious; when they were about one day's journey from Bogdaniec, they heard the snorting and trampling of horses behind them.
"Some people are following us," said Zbyszko.
Macko, who was awake, looked at the stars and answered like an experienced traveler:
"Day-break is near. Robbers do not attack toward the end of the night."
Zbyszko stopped the wagon; however, placed the men across the road, facing the advancing horses, and waited.
In fact, after a certain time he perceived in the dusk, several horsemen. One of them was riding ahead, and it was evident that he did not wish to hide, because he was singing. Zbyszko could not hear the words of the song; but the gay "hoc! hoc!" with which the stranger ended each refrain, reached his ears.
"Our people!" he said to himself.
After a while he shouted, however:
"Stop!"
"And you sit down!" answered a joyous voice.
"Who are you?"
"And you?"
"Why do you follow us?"
"And why do you obstruct the road?"
"Answer, our crossbows are bent."
"And ours, – thrust out, – aimed!"
"Answer like a man, otherwise woe to you!"
To this a merry song was given, as an answer to Zbyszko.
"One misery with another
They are dancing on the crossway.
Hoc! Hoc! Hoc!
What use have they of dancing?
It's a good thing, anyhow.
Hoc! Hoc! Hoc!"
Zbyszko was amazed at hearing such an answer; meantime, the song stopped and the same voice asked:
"And how is the old man Macko? Does he still breathe?"
Macko rose in the wagon and said:
"For God's sake, they are some of our people!"
Zbyszko rushed forward.
"Who asks about Macko?"
"A neighbor. Zych of Zgorzelice. I have looked for you for a week and inquired about you from all on the road."
"Rety![67] Uncle! Zych of Zgorzelice is here!" shouted Zbyszko.
They began to greet each other joyfully because Zych was really their neighbor, and also a good man of whom everybody was very fond on account of his mirth.
"Well, how are you?" asked he, shaking hands with Macko. "Still hoc, or no more hoc!"[68]
"Hej, no more hoc!" answered Macko. "But I see you gladly. Gracious God, it is as if I were already in Bogdaniec."
"What is the matter with you; I heard that the Germans had wounded you?"
"They did, dog-brothers! I A head of a spear stuck between my ribs."
"You see!" said Zbyszko, "everybody advises the grease of a bear. As soon as we reach Bogdaniec, I will go with an axe to the barcie."[69]
"Perhaps Jagienka has some."
"What Jagienka? Your wife's name was Malgochna," said Macko.
"O! Malgochna is no more! It will be three years on St. Michael's day since Malgochna was buried in the priests' field. She was a sturdy woman; may the Lord make his face shine upon her soul! Jagienka is exactly like her, only younger."
"Behind a ravine, there is a mount,
As was mother, such is daughter.
Hoc! Hoc!"
"I told Malgochna not to climb the pine tree because she was no longer young. But she would climb it. The branch broke; she fell and was badly hurt; within three days, she died."
"Lord, make your face shine upon her soul!" said Macko. "I remember, I remember! When she was angry, the farm boys used to hide in the hay. But she was clever. So she fell from a pine tree!"
"She fell down like a cone. Do you know, after the funeral I was so stupefied with grief, that for three days they could not arouse me. They thought I was dead. Afterward, I wept for a long time. But Jagienka is also clever. She takes care of everything."
"I can scarcely remember her. She was not as large as the helve of an axe when I went away. She could pass under a horse without touching its body. Bah! that is a long time ago, and she must have grown."
"She was fifteen the day of St. Agnes; but I have not seen her for more than a year."
"Why have you not seen her? Where have you been?"
"To the war. I do not need to stay home; Jagienka takes care of everything."
Macko, although ill, began to listen attentively when the war was mentioned, and asked:
"Perhaps you were with Kniaz Witold at Worskla?"
"Yes, I was there," answered Zych of Zgorzelice gaily. "Well, the Lord God did not send him good luck; we were dreadfully defeated by Edyga. First they killed our horses. A Tartar will not attack you openly like a Christian knight, but throws his arrows from afar. You attack him and he flees, and then again throws his arrows. What can you do with such a man? In our army the knights boasted and said: 'We do not need to lower our spears, nor draw our swords; we will crush the vermin under our horses' feet.' So they boasted; but when the arrows began to twange, it grew dark they were so numerous, and the battle was soon over. Hardly one out of ten survived. Will you believe it? More than half of the army were slain; seventy Lithuanian and Russian princes lay dead on the battlefield; and one could not count in two weeks' time, the bojars and other courtiers, whom they call otroks, that were killed."
"I heard about it," interrupted Macko. "Many of our knights perished also."
"Bah! even ten Knights of the Cross were killed, because they were obliged to serve in Witold's army. Many of our people perished, because they, you know, never run away. Kniaz Witold had the greatest confidence in our knights and he wanted a guard of them round him during the battle, exclusively Poles. Hi! Hi! Great havoc was made among them; but he was not touched! Pan Spytko of Mielsztyn was killed, also the sword bearer, Bernat, Judge Mikolaj, Prokop, Przeclaw, Dobrogost, Jasko of Lazewice, Pilik Mazur, Warsz of Michow, Wojewoda