Chapter 37 third chapter

However, Master Rotkier had not yet arrived in Warsaw, and the incident that happened in Sztno had already spread to Warsaw, causing surprise and uneasiness.Neither the duke himself nor any official at court understood what was going on.Mykolaj of Drugolas was just about to set off for the meeting in Marburg with a letter from the prince when a letter arrived from the master of Spyhof.In the letter, the duke severely criticized the tyrannical "Commuters" on the border for snatching Danusia, and demanded that Danusia should be returned immediately in a tone that seemed almost threatening. The letter said that it was not a crusader knight who had taken his daughter, but a common bandit on the frontier, and that she would be set free if a ransom was paid. So the duke's messenger did not set out; no one dreamed of a crusade The knight would have compelled Jurand to write this letter by threatening the life of Jurand's daughter. It is incomprehensible how the robbers could have taken the girl, since the bandits on the border, who are dukes The subjects of the country, and the subjects of the Knights, always attack each other in summer, but in winter, because the snow will give away their footprints, they never do so. They also often rob merchants, or rob houses, and kidnap ordinary people It is absolutely unbelievable that he dared to trespass on the duke himself and take away his adopted daughter, who was the daughter of a knight of immense strength and feared by everyone. This and other doubts were answered by a letter signed and sealed by Jurand himself, and sent by a well-known Mrs. Spiecher; was established; the prince, in a fit of temper never before ordered a search for robbers on the whole frontiers of his principality, and at the same time demanded that the prince of Plotsk carry out a search at the same time, so that the daring would not go unpunished.

Just then came the news of Schitno's accident. This news has been spread ten times, ten times to hundreds, and it has been expanded ten times when it is spread here.It is said that Jurand went to the castle alone first, broke through the gates, and fought all the way in. The defenders were so panic-stricken that they had to ask for help from the neighboring castles, and invited outstanding knights and armed infantry. Re-enter the castle and kill Jurand and his accomplices.He also said that the army was about to cross the border and enter the principality, which would inevitably lead to a war.The duke heard these tales and did not believe them, for he knew that if the knights of the crusaders came to war with the king of Poland, their Grand Master would always understand how much it meant to him to keep the forces of the two duchies of Masovia in neutral. It is very important, because the Grand Commander understands very well that if the Crusader Knights dare to declare war on him or the Principality of Plotsk, then no one can stop the Kingdom of Poland from sending troops to help, and the Grand Commander is afraid of such a war .The Grand Master knew that war was inevitable, but he tried his best to delay it, because first, he was naturally peace-loving, and second, he wanted to fight against the mighty old Achaean army, so he had to accumulate strength. He did not have enough strength, and at the same time, he had to get the aid of not only Germans, but also the dukes and knights of the whole West.

The duke was not afraid of war, but he wanted to know what had happened, and what he should think of the events in Scittno, Danusia's disappearance, and the rumors from the frontier.So though he hated the crusaders, he was glad one evening when the captain of the archers came to report that a knight of the order had come to ask him to see him. The duke received him proudly, and though he recognized at once one of the mages who had been to the Forest Palace, he pretended not to know him, and asked him who he was, where he came from, and what he wanted to do in Warsaw. "I am the mage Rotjière," replied the crusader knight. "Not long ago, I had the honor of paying homage to Your Highness."

"Since you are a mage of the Knights, why don't you wear the badge of the Knights?" The knight explained to the duke that he did not wear a white cloak because if he wore it he would be captured or killed by the knights of Masovia; The sign of the cross on it would have been protected and received people's kindness and courtesy, but in the Principality of Masovia, those who wore the sign of the cross were courting their own death. The Duke interrupted him angrily: "It's not because of the sign of the cross," he said. "We kissed the cross too, but because of your wickedness; and if you are received better by people elsewhere, it is only because they don't know you well enough."

The Duke saw that the knight looked very embarrassed after hearing these words, and asked: "Since you are from Scittno, do you know what happened there?" "I'm from Schüttno, and I know what's going on there," replied Rotgier, "but I'm not here as anyone's messenger this time, only because of the experience of the experienced and pious Jansbauke." Komto' told me: 'Our grand master loves the pious prince and trusts in his justice, so I hastened to Marburg and you to Masovia to report our misery, humiliation and misfortune .A just duke would not praise a breaker of the peace and a cruel aggressor who has caused the blood of many Catholics to be shed, as if he were not the servant of Christ but of Satan.'” And the crusader The knight then began to relate the details of everything that had happened in Scijtno: how they had rescued a girl from robbers, how they had sent Jurand to see if the girl was his own daughter, how Jurand, instead of being grateful, had initiated Crazy, killed Dunwiert, Master Godfried.Hughes the Englishman, von Bracht, and two noble servants, as for the servants killed by him, it is innumerable; but they remembered the commandment of God and did not want to kill him, "Kneihe "It was only from necessity that he caught the dreadful man in his net, and he took his sword and cut himself, and was mortally wounded; And in the towns and cities one could hear fearful laughter and cries resounding through the howling winter winds: "Our Jurand! Criminal who read the cross! Criminal who murdered the innocent! Our Jurand!" Lund!"

The whole narrative, and especially the last few sentences, made a deep impression on all present.They all felt terrible.They were terrified, lest Jurand had in fact called "the Devil" as his assistant, and everyone was terrified and silent. But the princess who was there, because she loved Danusia so much, felt inconsolable for her. Sorrowful, he asked Rotgier an unexpected question: "Cavalier, you just said that after you rescued the girl, you thought she was Jurand's daughter, so you summoned her to Schitno, didn't you?" ? " "Yes, my dear Duchess," replied Rotgier.

"You once saw Jurand's daughter with me in the forest palace, so how could you think that way?" Master Rotjière was stopped because he did not expect such a question.The prince stood up and looked sternly at the Duncans, while Mykolaj of Drugolas, Murokote of Mokashiv, Yasko of Yadhernica, and Mazovia The other knights immediately ran up to the priest and repeatedly asked in a threatening tone: "Why do you think so? Say it, Germans! How can it be so?" Master Rotgier collected himself for a moment, and then said: "We priests never look directly at women. There are many maids and duchesses in the forest palace, and we don't know which one is Jurand's daughter. .”

"Dunvelt knows," said Mikolaj of Drugolas. "He talked to her when he was hunting." "Dunwiert has gone to God now," replied Rotgier, "and all I can say about him is that a bouquet of roses was seen on his coffin the next morning; It cannot be done by human beings.” It was silent again. "How did you know that Jurand's daughter was kidnapped?" asked the duke. "It's just because the matter itself is very evil and intolerable, so it spread to our ears. Therefore, as soon as we heard the news, we ordered to pray for thanks, because the one who was robbed from the forest palace was just an ordinary court lady , not your Highness's biological daughter."

"But I still don't understand how you could mistake a country girl for Jurand's daughter?" "Dunwiert said to us: 'Satan often betrays his own servants, so perhaps he transformed Jurand's daughter.'" "These thieves are rough men, and cannot forge Kaleb's handwriting and Jurand's seal. Who can do it?" "devil." So everyone was speechless again. Rotgier looked sharply into the Duke's eyes and said, "Indeed, these questions are like swords stabbing at my chest, because there is doubt and distrust in them. But I trust in the justice of God." and the power of truth. I ask your highness: did Jurand himself suspect that we were responsible? If he did, why did he search for robbers all over the border before we called him to Szytno? Want to redeem his daughter from them?"

"That's good!" said the Duke. "Even if you can hide from the world, you can't hide from God. He doubted you at first, but then... Later, he had another idea." "See how the light of truth triumphs over darkness," said Rotgier, glancing triumphantly down the hall, thinking that the Teutonic mind was more resourceful and informed than the Pole's, who could only live forever. Be the prey and prey of the knights, as the fly is the prey and prey of the spider. So he threw off his former disguise, went up to the prince, and said loudly and forcefully: "My lord, please make up for our losses, for our sufferings, for our tears and blood! That devil-like Jurand is your subject, so in the name of God, who gives power to all kings, In the name of justice and the cross, make up for our suffering and blood shed!"

The duke gave him a surprised look. "My God!" said he, "what do you want? If Jurand really goes mad and causes you to bleed, am I to be responsible?" "He is your subject, my lord," said the Tonian; "his lands, his village, and the castle where he imprisoned the servants of the Knights are all in your park; And that wicked castle has since become the property of the Knights. Honestly, this will not make up for the noble blood we have shed! Honestly, it will not bring the dead back to life, but it may appease part of God's wrath and wash away the whole The disgrace to the duchy for not paying compensation. Oh, my lord! The Knights have lands and castles everywhere, which the Catholic dukes have gifted us with grace and piety, only in your dominions we have not yet One inch of land. God will help us take revenge for the bullying we have suffered, and you must at least give us some compensation, so that we can also go up to God and say that there are also people who fear God living here!" The prince was even more astonished when he heard this; after a long silence, he replied: "God! If it was not by the mercy of my ancestors that you knights possessed this vast land? The lands, manors, and castles that once belonged to us now fall into your hands, Are you not satisfied? Jurand's daughter is still alive, and because you have not heard of her death, do you want to take the orphan's dowry, and pay for your wrongs with an orphan's food and clothing? " "Your Highness, since you admit that we have been wronged," said Rotgiet, "please make up for it with your duke's conscience and your honest soul." He rejoiced again, for he thought: "Now, instead of bringing charges against us, they're even thinking of getting out of the way and avoiding the whole thing. No one blames us anymore, and our reputation remains as knightly." As white as the regiment's white cloak." At this moment old Mikolaj of Drugolas spoke: "You are suspected of want of greed, and God knows whether this suspicion is just, because even in this matter you are concerned with your own interests, Not the honor of the Knights." "That's right!" the knights of Masovia shouted in unison.So the man took a few steps forward, raised his head arrogantly, looked at them arrogantly, and said: "I didn't come here as a messenger, I just came here as a witness to this event and as a knight of the Knights, I am always ready to even use my own blood to defend the honor of the Knights until I die! Who dares to deny Jurand's own words and suspect that the Knights have robbed his daughter—let him pick up the knight's gloves and obey the judgment of God!" Having said this, he threw his knight's gloves before them, and they fell to the ground; but they all stood silent, for though more than one of them tried to bring his sword to the head of the Don If you chop down, you are afraid of God's judge.Everyone knew that Jurand had said plainly that the knights of the Order had not taken his daughter; so they all thought to themselves, "Rotgier is right; in a duel he will win." He looked even more arrogant, put his hands on his hips, and asked: "If it is as you said, who will pick up this glove?" At this moment, a knight suddenly walked to the center of the hall.No one saw him when he came in, but he was already at the door listening to the conversation, raised his gauntlet, and said: "I'll pick it up!" he said, staring at Rotgier's face, and breaking the silence of the hall with a roar like thunder, he cried: "In the presence of God, before the majestic duke and all the cavaliers, I tell you, you Teuton, who bark like a dog at justice and truth - I challenge you, Go to a duel in the tournament field, whether on foot or on horseback, use spears, axes, daggers, long swords, you choose! Whoever defeats is not counted as a slave, but to fight to the last breath, Until death!" The hall was so silent that even the sound of flies could be heard.All eyes turned to Rotgier and the knight who challenged him.No one could tell who this knight was, for he wore an iron helmet, and though there was no steel hood, the round visor reached behind the ears, completely obliterating the upper half of his face and leaving the lower half as well. It was dark and dark.The Teuton was as surprised as the rest.panic.Paleness and anger appeared on his face in turn, like lightning flashing across the night sky. He caught the gauntlet thrown by Zbyszko, hung it on the hook on his arm, and said: "Who are you to challenge the justice of God?" The other party then untied the neck armor, took off the helmet, suddenly revealed a young and handsome face, and said: "I am Zbyszko of Bogdaniec, Jurand's son-in-law." Everyone (including Rotgier) was astonished, because no one knew about Danusia's marriage except the Duke and Duchess, the Abbe Vishonnec, and de Rausch; the Teutons thought Jurand's daughter , apart from her father, there is no other immediate family to defend her.At this time De Lauche stood up and said: "On my knight's honor, I vouch for the truth of what he says; and whoever dares doubt, here are my gloves." The daring Rotgière, now full of resentment, might have accepted the challenge, but he suddenly remembered that the glove-thrower was a famous knight, and a relative of the Duke of Gertly. Self-restraint; and besides, the prince himself got up, frowned, and said: "Do not pick up this glove, and I declare that the knight speaks the truth." The Teuton bowed quickly when he heard this, and said to Zbyszko: "If you agree, let's go to the tournament field and fight the axe on foot." "When I challenged you just now, I said it's up to you," Zbyszko replied. "May God let justice prevail!" cried the knights of Masovia.