tone:
"You see, sir, the noble comthur thinks that the whole affair is unimportant. Not only in our kingdom but in every country the youths are slightly crazy; but such a noble knight does not fight children, neither by sword nor by law."
Lichtenstein touched his yellow moustache and moved on without a word, passing Macko and Zbyszko.
A dreadful wrath began to raise the hair under their helmets, and their hands grasped their swords.
"Wait, you scoundrel!" said the elder wlodyka through his set teeth; "now I will make a vow to you. I will seek you as soon as you have finished your mission."
But Powala, whose heart began to bleed also, said:
"Wait! Now the princess must speak in favor of the boy; otherwise, woe to him!"
Having said this, he followed the Knight of the Cross, stopped him and for a while they talked with great animation. Macko and Zbyszko noticed that the German knight did not look at Powala so proudly as he had at them; this made them still more angry. After a while, Powala returned and said to them:
"I tried to intercede for you, but he is a hard man. He said that he would not complain to the king if you would do what he requires."
"What?"
"He said thus: 'I will stop to greet the Princess of Mazowsze; let them come, dismount, take off their helmets, and standing on the ground with uncovered heads, ask my forgiveness.'"
Here Powala looked sharply at Zbyszko, and added:
"I know it will be hard for people of noble birth to do this; but I must warn you, that if you refuse no one knows what you may expect—perhaps the executioner's sword."
The faces of Macko and Zbyszko became like stone. There was silence.
"What then?" asked Powala.
Zbyszko answered quietly and with great dignity as though during this conversation he had grown twenty years older:
"Well, God's might is over all!"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, that even if I had two heads and the executioner was going to cut off both, still I have only one honor which I will not stain."
Powala became grave and turning toward Macko, asked:
"And what do you say?"
"I say," answered Macko gloomily, "that I reared this youth from childhood. On him depends our family, because I am old; but he cannot do what the German asks, even if he must perish."
Here his grim face began to quiver and finally his love for his nephew burst forth with such strength, that he seized the boy in his arms, and began to shout:
"Zbyszku! Zbyszku!"[31]
The young knight was surprised and having returned his uncle's embrace, said:
"Aj! I did not know that you loved me so much."
"I see that you are both true knights," said Powala; "and as the young man has promised me upon his knightly honor, that he will appear at the court, I will not imprison him; one can trust such people as you. No more gloomy thoughts! The German intends to stay in Tyniec a day or two; therefore I will have an opportunity to see the king first, and I will try to tell him about this affair in such a way that his anger will not be aroused. I am glad I succeeded in breaking the spear in time—great luck, I tell you!"
But Zbyszko said:
"Even if I had to lay down my life, I would like at least to have the satisfaction of breaking his bones."
"It surprises me that you who know how to defend your own honor, do not understand that you would thus disgrace our whole nation!" impatiently answered Powala.
"I understand it very well," said Zbyszko; "but I regret my disability just the same."
Powala turned toward Macko:
"Do you know, sir, that if this lad succeeds in escaping the penalty for his offence, then you ought to put a cowl like a hawk's on his head! Otherwise he will not die a natural death."
"He will escape if you, sir, will not say anything to the king about the occurrence."
"And what shall we do with the German? We cannot tie his tongue."
"That is true! That is true!"
Talking thus, they went back toward the princess' retinue. Powala's servants followed them. From afar one could see amidst the Mazovian caps, the quivering peacock feathers of the Knight of the Cross and his bright helmet shining in the sun.
"Strange is the nature of a Krzyzak," said the knight of Taczew. "When a Krzyzak is in a tight place, he will be as forbearing as a Franciscan monk, as humble as a lamb and as sweet as honey; in fact, it would be difficult to find a better man. But let him feel power behind him; then nobody will be more arrogant and merciless. It is evident that God gave them stones for hearts. I have seen many different nations and I have often witnessed a true knight spare another who was weaker, saying to himself; 'My fame will not increase if I trample this fallen foe.' But at such a time a Krzyzak is implacable. Hold him by the throat, otherwise woe to you! Such a man is that envoy! He wanted not only an apology, but also your humiliation. But I am glad he failed."
"He can wait!" exclaimed Zbyszko.
"Be careful not to show him that you are troubled, because then he would rejoice."
After these words they approached the retinue and joined the princess' court. The envoy of the Krzyzaks, having noticed them, immediately assumed an expression of pride and disdain; but they ignored him. Zbyszko stood at Danusia's side and began to tell her that from the hill one could see Krakow; at the same time Macko was telling one of the rybalts about the extraordinary strength of the Pan of Taczew, who had broken the spear in Zbyszko's hand, as though it were a dry stem.
"And why did he break it?" asked the rybalt.
"Because the boy in fun attacked the German."
The rybalt, being a nobleman, did not consider such an attack a joke; but seeing that Macko spoke about it lightly, did not take it seriously either. The German was annoyed by such conduct. He glanced at Macko and Zbyszko. Finally be realized that they did not intend to dismount and that they did not propose to pay any attention to him. Then something like steel shone in his eyes, and he immediately began to bid the princess adieu.
The Lord of Taczew could not abstain from deriding him and at the moment of departure he said to him:
"Go without fear, brave knight. The country is quiet and nobody will attack you, except some careless child."
"Although the customs of this country are strange, I was seeking your company and not your protection," answered Lichtenstein; "I expect to meet you again at the court and elsewhere."
In the last words a hidden menace rang; therefore Powala answered gravely:
"If
