The Knights of the Cross | Page 6

"It would be in vain, because I am going to choose another lady, whom
I will serve till death, and then I will find a wife."
"You must first find the girdle of a knight."
"_Owa!_[10] There will be plenty of tournaments. And before that the
king will not dub a single knight. I can measure myself against any.
The prince could not have thrown me down, if my horse had not
reared."
"There will be knights here better than you are."
Here the noblemen began to shout:
"For heaven's sake! Here, in the presence of the queen, will fight not
such as you, but only the most famous knights in the world. Here will
fight Zawisza of Garbow and Farurej, Dobko of Olesnica, Powala of
Taczew, Paszko Zlodzie of Biskupice, Jasko Naszan and Abdank of
Gora. Andrzej of Brochocice, Krystyn of Ostrow, and Jakob of
Kobylany! Can you measure your sword against the swords of those,
with whom neither the knights here, nor of the Bohemian court, nor of
the Hungarian court can compete? What are you talking about? Are you
better then they? How old are you?"
"Eighteen," answered Zbyszko.
"Everyone of them could crush you between his fingers."
"We will see."
But Macko said:
"I have heard that the king rewarded those knights munificently who
returned from the Lithuanian war. Speak, you belong here; is it true?"
"Yes, it is true!" answered one of the nobles. "The king's munificence is
known to the world; but it will be difficult to get near him now,
because the guests are swarming to Krakow; they are coming to be in
time for the queen's confinement and for the christening, wishing to
show reverence to our lord and to render him homage. The king of

Hungary is coming; they say the Roman emperor will be here also, and
plenty of princes, counts and knights, will come because not one of
them expects to return with empty hands. They even say that Pope
Boniface, himself will arrive, because he also needs favor and help
from our lord against his adversary in Avignon. Therefore in such a
crowd, it will be difficult to approach the king; but if one would be able
to see him and bow at his feet, then he will liberally reward him who
deserves it."
"Then I will bow before him, because I have served enough, and if
there is another war, I shall go again. We have taken some booty, and
we are not poor; but I am getting old, and when one is old, and the
strength has left his bones, one is pleased to have a quiet corner."
"The king was glad to see those who returned from Litwa with Jasko of
Olesnica; and they feast well now."
"You see I did not return at that time; I was still at the war. You know
that the Germans have suffered because of that reconciliation between
the king and Kniaz Witold. The prince cunningly got the hostages back,
and then rushed against the Germans! He ruined and burned the castle
and slaughtered the knights and a great many of the people. The
Germans wanted revenge, as did also Swidrygello, who went to them.
There was again a great expedition started. The grand master Kondrat
himself went with a great army; they besieged Wilno, and tried from
their towers to ruin the castles; they also tried to capture the city by
treachery--but they did not succeed! While retreating there were so
many killed, that even half of them did not escape. Then we attacked
Ulrich von Jungingen, the grand master's brother, who is bailiff in
Swabja. But the bailiff was afraid of the kniaz and ran away. On
account of this flight there is peace, and they are rebuilding the city.
One pious monk, who could walk with bare feet on hot iron, has
prophesied since that time, that as long as the world exists, no German
soldier will be seen under the walls of Wilno. And if that be so, then
whose hands have done it?"
Having said this, Macko of Bogdaniec, extended his palms, broad and
enormous; the others began to nod and to approve:
"Yes, yes! It's true what he says! Yes!"
But further conversation was interrupted by a noise entering through
the windows from which the bladders had been taken out, because the

night was warm and clear. From afar thrumming, singing, laughing and
the snorting of horses were heard. They were surprised because it was
quite late. The host rushed to the yard of the inn, but before the guests
were able to drink their beer to the last drop, he returned shouting:
"Some court is coming!"
A moment afterward, in the door appeared a footman dressed in a blue
jacket and wearing a red