Chapter 10 chapter eight

Princess Anna was not very surprised to see Jurand of Spyhof approaching.It turned out that Jurand would suddenly think of Danusia when there were several raids and battles with the neighboring German knights.Then, unexpectedly, he would come to Warsaw, to Cuiechanov, or to the place where the court of Prince Janusz was temporarily staying. Every time he saw the child it aroused some sadness, for Danusia looked so much like her mother.His stony heart, which was supposed to be determined for vengeance, would soften itself through such grief.The Duchess often tried to persuade him to give up his bloody Spyhoff and stay at court with Danusia.The duke himself, admiring his bravery, wanted to spare him the inevitable fatigue of border disputes, and promised him the position of swordsman, but it was always in vain.As soon as he saw Danusia, the trauma in his heart recurred, and he lost his appetite for several days, suffered from insomnia at night, and was very taciturn.He was obviously heartbroken, and at last he would quietly leave the court and go back to the moor of Spychof, so that his sorrow and anger would be drowned in a pool of blood.And so it is often said: "Woe to the Germans! Yes, they are not sheep, but they become sheep when they meet Jurand, because he is a wolf to them." After a while, all kinds of news spread, saying that those who volunteered for the Knights of the Crusaders were captured on the road; that many towns were burned and many farmers were captured; or that the terrible Juren De always came out victorious in a near-death battle.Due to the greedy and plundering nature of both the Majurs and the Germanic knights who received lands and fortresses from the Knights, even in a period of peace between the Duke of Mazovia and the Knights, there were frequent constant attacks near the border. There is a fight.Residents always carry weapons with them, even when they are cutting wood in the forest or harvesting in the fields.The common people who live there always pass today and don't know tomorrow; they are always preparing for war, making everyone a hard-hearted person, no one is satisfied with defense, and they can plunder for plunder, arson for arson, Aggression still aggression.It often happens that the Germans sneak through the forest to attack a fortress, to plunder the peasants or the fortress, while the Majurs do the same thing at the same time.Sometimes the two sides fought as soon as they met; but usually it was just a desperate battle between the leaders of the two sides.The result was that the conqueror captured the retinue of the defeated opponent.Thus, when the court in Warsaw received complaints against Jurand, the duke often responded by accusing the Germans of attacks.Both sides demanded justice, neither side was willing to enforce it, and all acts of looting, arson and aggression continued with impunity.

Jurand of Spyhof, who lived among the rush-grown moors, terrified his German neighbors with his irresistible desire for vengeance, until at last their fear outstripped their courage.The land bordering Spiehof was barren; the forests were overgrown with buffalo hops, and the meadows were full of reeds.Several Germanic knights tried to settle in the vicinity of Spyhof; but after some time each of them would rather give up his fiefs, herds, and farmers than live in this vengeful man Nearby, these knights often planned a joint expedition against Spykhov, but failed every time.They tried various methods.Once, they brought a knight from the province of Mayne, known for his physical strength and brutality, who was always invincible in battle.He challenged Jurand.But as soon as he entered the arena, the German, seeing the formidable Majur, turned his horse's head in fright and tried to run away; ended his honor and his life.After this, the neighbors became even more frightened.Even if the Germans saw the smoke of Spyhoff from afar, they immediately crossed themselves and prayed to the heavens to their patron saints.It was believed that Jurand had sold his soul to the devil for revenge.

Horrible tales are being told about Spyhof, that the path leading to Spyhof leads through a muddy marsh covered with green floating grass and deep deep, and that the path is so narrow that two people cannot Riding side by side; and said that there were many German bones on both sides, and that at night, people could see the drowned ghost walking on the spider's thin legs, screaming, and dragging the riders into the abyss to go.They also said that there were still many skeletons hanging on the gate of the small town as decorations.This is all nonsense.However, in the locked cellars of Spiehof there were often many groaning prisoners; Jurand's name was actually more frightening than the legends of skeletons and drowned ghosts.

Zbyszko was pleased with Jurand's arrival, and hurried to him, but was troubled, for he was Danusia's father.Nothing could prevent him from choosing Danusia as his love; moreover, the Duchess later betrothed them.What would Jurand say about this?Will he agree?What if he disagrees?These questions filled him with dread, for he cared more about Danusia now than anything else in the world.He emboldened himself by the thought that Jurand might admire Lichtenstein for attacking Lichtenstein, which he had done to avenge Danusia's mother, and nearly lost his own head. Then he asked the court squire who had come to see him at Amirei's house:

"Where are you taking me?" he asked, "to the castle?" "Yes, to the castle. Jurand is staying with the princess's courtier." "Tell me what he's like, so I'll know how to talk to him!" "What can I tell you! He's a very different man. They say he was a happy man until his heart hardened!" "What can he do?" "He is skilful; he robs, and he is not robbed. Why! He has but one eye, for the other was blinded by a German crossbow; but with one eye alone he can put a People see through. He loves no one but the duchess, our lady; he loves her because his wife was a lady-in-waiting at her court, and now his daughter stays with her."

Zbyszko breathed a sigh of relief. "Then you think he will not object to the Duchess' wishes?" "I know what you want to inquire about, so I will tell you what I have heard. The Duchess told him about your engagement, as it would have been inappropriate to keep it from him; but no I know how he responds." They talked like this and came to the gate of the city.The captain of the archers, who had led Zpilko to the scaffold, now saluted them.They passed the post, entered the courtyard, and walked to the right towards the residence of the Duchess. The courtier met a servant at the door and asked:

"Where is Jurand of Spychoff?" "In the suite with his daughter." "It's over there," said the courtier, pointing to a door. Zbyszko crossed himself, opened the curtain and entered the house with a beating heart, but he did not see Jurand and Danusia, because the room was not only "curved" but also dark. .It was a while before he saw the girl's golden hair sitting on her father's lap.They did not hear him come in; he stopped by the curtain, coughed, and finally said: "Praise God!" "Eternal life," Jurand replied, rising.

At this moment Danusia sprang up, met the young knight, seized him with both hands, and screamed: "Zpiscigu! Dados is here!" ① "Dada" in Polish means father; therefore, there are the following nicknames: "Dados", "Dadodos", "Dadoro", "Daduxiu", "Datulu" and "Dadulu" Duerzhan"; equivalent to "dear dad", "dear good dad" and so on. Zbyszko, having kissed her hands, went up to Jurand with her, and said: "I have come to salute you; you know who I am?" He bent down slightly and made a gesture with his hands, as if to support Jurand's knees.But Jurand took his hand, drew him toward the light, and began to look him over carefully.

Zbyszko had made up his mind; therefore, he looked at Jurand curiously.He saw standing before him a tall man with blond hair and mustache, a few pockmarked face, and one iron-blue eye.He seemed to feel that this eye would guard him at a glance, and he couldn't help feeling flustered again.Although he did not know what to say, at last, in order to break the awkward silence, he asked: "So you are Jurand of Spychof, father of Danusia?" The other just pointed to an oaken stool next to his own chair, and continued to look at Zbyszko.Zbyszko could bear it no longer, and said: "It's not pleasant to have me sit like I'm at court."

Then Jurand said: "Are you going to duel Lichtenstein?" "Yes!" replied Zbyszko. A strange gleam flashed in the pupils of Sir Spycherov's eyes, and his stern face lit up.After a while he glanced at Danusia and asked: "Is it for her?" "For who else! My uncle told you, and I swore to her, that I would pluck three tufts of peacock feathers from the head of the German. But three tufts will not suffice now, at least one The number of hands. In this way, I can also help you avenge Danusia's mother." "Woe to them!" replied Jurand.

Again there was silence.But Zbyszko, noticing that Jurand's heart could not be won without expressing his pain for the Germans, said: "I will never forgive them! They almost killed me." Having said this, he turned to Danusia, and said: "She saved me." "I know," said Jurand. "Are you angry?" "Since you have sworn to her, you must serve her, because this is the knight's rule." Zbyszko hesitated for a while, and then began to say with a marked uneasiness: "You know she puts her turban over my head? All the knights present and the Franciscan friar who was with me with the crucifix heard her say, 'He's mine!' Therefore, I will serve her to the death, I swear by God!" Having said this, he knelt down again, and kissed Danusia's feet very reverently, as a token of his familiarity with the ways of chivalry.Then he stood up, turned to Jurand and asked: "Have you ever seen a beauty like her?" Suddenly Jurand put his hands behind his head, closed his eyes, and said aloud: "Yes, I have seen one, but unfortunately the Germans killed her long ago." "Listen," said Zbyszko enthusiastically, "we have suffered the same loss, we have the same hatred. Those dog mages killed our Bogdaniec people too. You will avenge your shame and find another No one more suitable than I. That is nothing new to me! Ask my uncle. I can fight with spear, with axe, with dagger, with long sword! My uncle Did I tell you about the two Frisians? I'll kill the Germans for you like a sheep; and as for the girl, I swear to you on my knees, for her I'll even die in hell Stalosta' herself would have fought. No matter how much land, herds, or anything else you give me, I will not give her up! Even if someone offered me a castle with glass windows, if there is no For her, I would rather not have this castle, but follow her to the ends of the earth." ①Here means Satan. Jurand sat for a while with his head in his hands; at last, as if waking from a dream, he said sadly and mournfully: "I like you, young man, but I cannot give her to you; she was not destined for you, my poor child." Zippyko was speechless when he heard this, and looked at Jurand with wide eyes. But Danusia came to smooth things over for him.Zbyszko was her favorite; to her delight, she was not regarded as a "little grass" but as "a mature girl."She also liked this engagement and the daily delicacies that the knight brought her; so, when she heard that she was about to lose it all, she jumped from the arm rest and rested her head on the on his father's knee, crying: "Dadulu, Dadulu!" Jurand obviously loved her more than anything in the world, and he laid his hand softly on her head, and all traces of terrible resentment and anger disappeared from his face, and only Show a sad look. At this moment Zbyszko regained his composure and said: "What? Do you want to oppose the will of God?" Jurand replied: "If it was God's will, then you could have her; but I can't. Hi! I'd love to, but I can't." Saying this, Jurand stood up, took Danusia in his arms, and walked towards the door.Zbyszko wanted to keep him, but he paused and said: "If you served her as a knight, I would not be angry with you; but ask me nothing, for I can tell you nothing." So he went out.