Chapter 33 Chapter Thirty-One

At noon the next day two messengers met Jurand, and soon they rode off with de Bergove, two attendants, and the rest of the captives.Jurand immediately summoned the Abbe Kaleb, and dictated a letter to the Duke, stating that Danusia had not been taken by the Crusader knights, but that he had discovered her whereabouts, and probably within a few days. can get her back.He repeated these words to Zbyszko, who had been so frightened, terrified, and bewildered since the night before that he was on the verge of madness. The old knight would not answer any question he asked, but told him to wait patiently and do nothing to save Danusia, since it was unnecessary.

At dusk he stayed again in the closet with the priest Kaleb, who ordered him to write his will; then, having confessed and received the sacraments, he summoned Zbyszko and the taciturn old Tolima— —In all the expeditions and battles, the old man Tolima has been following him, and he manages chores in Spykhov during peacetime. "This one," he said, raising his voice, and turning to the old soldier, as if addressing someone with weak ears, "is my son-in-law, who married my daughter at the duke's court, and is fully With my consent. Therefore, after my death, the castle, land, woods, rivers, and people of Spychoff will be under his jurisdiction and will be his property."

Tolima was astonished at this, and turned his huge head now towards Jurand, now towards Zbyszko; but he said nothing, for he never spoke much; he only addressed Zbyszko. Xico saluted and gently hugged his knees.Jurand went on to say: "This is the testament written on my behalf by the Abbe Kaleb, and below it is my seal of wax; you must prove that you heard these words from me, and you must prove that I ordered you to obey this young knight, As you obey me. Also, you will give him the booty and money in the treasury one by one; whether in peace or war, you will serve him faithfully even to death. Do you hear me?"

Tolima raised her hands to her ears and nodded, and Jurand made a sign, bowed, and went out; and the old knight again said affectionately to Zbyszko: "Curry's wealth is enough to satisfy the most greedy people. Not only can one captive be redeemed, but a hundred are enough. Remember!" Oh, Zbyszko asked: "Why are you giving me Spychoff now?" "My daughter gave it to you too, not to mention Spychoff." "We don't know the hour of death yet," said Father Kaleb. "Yes, I don't know yet," Jurand repeated melancholy, "I was buried in heavy snow not long ago, and although God saved me, my strength has disappeared. . . . "

"Good God!" cried Zbyszko, "you have had a change in your heart since yesterday, and you would rather talk about what happened after that than about Danusia. Good God!" "Danusia will come back, she will come back," Jurand replied: "she is under God's protection now. If she comes back... remember... take her to Bogdaniec. Leave Spychoff in the care of Tolima.  …He is a faithful man, but here are savage neighbors.  …They will not be able to rope her away there … She is safer there.  … ..." "Hey!" cried Zbyszko, "you seem to be talking in another world. What's the matter?"

"Because I'm about to go to another world, I feel that I can't do it now. I can't worry about my daughter... because I only have this one child. And you have to care about her, although I know you love her very much. … ..." At this point he stopped abruptly, drew a dagger called a Mitrikaudia from its sheath, and handed the hilt to Zbyszko. ①A kind of thin pair of daggers in the Middle Ages. "Now swear to me on this little cross that you'll never hurt her and always love her.  …" Suddenly tears welled up in Zbyszko's eyes; he threw himself on the ground, put his finger on the hilt of his sword, and cried:

"I swear by the holy Good Friday that I will never hurt her, but I will always love her!" "Amen," said Father Kaleb. Jurand reinserted the Mitrilicaudia into the scabbard, put his arms around him and said: "Then you are my child too! So they parted.It was late, and they hadn't had a good rest for several days.Zbyszko got up at dawn the next day, for he had been frightened the day before, and fearing that Erlund had really fallen ill, he was eager to inquire how the old knight had slept at night.At the door of Jurand's room, he met Tolima who had just walked out of the room.

"How is my lord? Well?" he asked. The other party bowed, then put his hand behind his ear, and asked: "What are your orders?" "I'm asking how your lordship is doing?" Zbyszko repeated, raising his voice. "My lord has gone." "Where are you going?" "I don't know. . . . He went away fully armed!"