Chapter 44 chapter Ten

After Shiraz was destroyed and burned by the Crusader Knights in 1331, King Kazimis rebuilt the devastated city.But this place is not necessarily outstanding, and it cannot keep pace with other cities in the kingdom.But Jagienka, who had always lived in Zgotsyriti and Kirsysnya, could not help admiring and amazed at the houses, the towers, the town hall, and especially the church; How can the wooden buildings of Snea compare with these houses.At first she even lost her usual audacity, did not dare to speak aloud, and asked Macko in a low voice about the wonders that dazzled her.But when the old knight told her categorically that Shiraz was far from being on the same level as Krakow, just as torches were not on the same level as the sun, she couldn't believe her ears when she heard this, because she felt No more in the world.There may be a city to compare with Shiraz.

It was still the wizened abbot who received them in the monastery, who still remembered the massacres he had witnessed in his boyhood, and who had received Zbyszko not so long ago.They were much troubled when he told them the news of the abbot; it turned out that the abbot had lived in the monastery for a long time, but fourteen days before their arrival he had gone to visit his friend the bishop of Plotsk. went.The old man has been sick.Sober during the day, but delirious at night, he fell out of bed to put on his chain mail and challenge Duke John of Latchbau.The people in the church had to compel him to lie in bed; this must have caused great trouble, and even great danger.About fourteen days ago the abbot had lost all reason, and in spite of his serious condition he had ordered that he be taken immediately to Plotsk.

"He said he could trust no one but the Bishop of Plotsk, and he wanted to go to him to take communion and give him his will. We tried our best to persuade him not to go out, because he was very weak, and we were afraid he would go away. He was going to die in less than a mile. But it was not easy to persuade him. So we had to ask the entourage to prepare a carriage and send him away. God bless you in peace." "If the old man had died somewhere near Shiraz, you would have heard the news," Macko said. "Of course I've heard the message a long time ago," the abbot replied. "So we don't think he's dead, and in any case he didn't ascend to heaven when he got to Lunchicha. After that place, it's hard for us to determine what happened. If you go and chase him, you'll get news on the way." .”

Macko was disturbed by this news, and went to consult with Jagienka, who had already learned from the Czechs where the abbot was going. "What should I do?" the old man asked her, "What do you plan for yourself?" "You go to Plotsk, and I will go with you." "To Plotsk!" Anurka repeated in a soft voice. "That's easy to say! Do you think going to Plotsk is as easy as wielding a scythe?" "Can't I go back with Anurka? If I couldn't go on with you, I might as well have stayed at home. Don't you think that Wilk and Chidan's plot against me would be more difficult to deal with?" Is it?"

"Wilker and his son will help you resist Qidan." "I'm equally afraid of the protection of Wilke and his son and the attack of Qitang. I think you are also against me. If it's just a verbal opposition, I don't care; if you seriously oppose it, it will be different." Matsko's objection was not really serious; on the contrary, he would rather have Jagienka than to go back, so when he heard what she said, he smiled and said: "She took off her skirt and started talking about the truth." "Reason is only about the head, not about the dress."

"But it's not the way to Plotsk." "The Czech said it would be on the way, and it will be the closest to Marburg from there." "Then you have consulted with the Czechs?" "Of course; he also said that if the young lord was in trouble at Marlborough, we could get a lot of help from Duchess Alexandra, because she is the king's sister; besides, she and the Knights of the Crusader They are very friendly and have a lot of prestige with them.” "That's absolutely true!" Macko exclaimed. "We all know that if she is willing to send a letter to the Grand Master for us, we can travel safely and unimpeded in the territory of the Crusader Knights. They all love her, because she loves them too. This Czech The lad is not a fool, and he is quite right."

"How nice he is!" cried Anvrka warmly, raising her little sky-blue eyes. Macko turned suddenly to her and asked: "What are you doing here?" The girl was so embarrassed by the question that she lowered her eyes and her face was as red as a rose. Macko knew very well that there was really no other way but to continue on with the two girls.In fact, he was so happy about it.The next morning, they bid farewell to the little old abbot and continued on their way.The journey was made more difficult by the flooding from the melting snow.Along the way, he inquired about the whereabouts of the abbot, found the residences of many nobles and priests, and even visited some inns where the abbot had stayed.In fact, his whereabouts are easy to find out, because he is generous, pays for Mass, donates the bell to the church, and contributes to the fund for the repair of the church.So every beggar, church secretary, and even every priest they came across was grateful for the mention of him.It's always been said, "He walked like an angel," and people prayed for his quick recovery, though from what was heard everywhere, it was feared that his rest day was not far off, believe him There is little hope for improvement.The abbot passed through certain places and was delayed for two or three days because of his weakness, so Macko thought it possible to catch up with the old man.

Macko's calculations, however, were wrong.Owing to the flooding of the Neil and Buzusa rivers, they were unable to reach the town of Renchicha, and were obliged to spend four days in a deserted inn, whose owner had evidently fled for fear of the flood.A section of the road leading from the inn to the town was submerged in mud floods, although the road had been more or less repaired with tree stumps.Macko's servant Werther was a native, and vaguely knew that there was a road through the woods, but he refused to be a guide, because he knew that the marshes of Renchicha were a place where demons gathered, especially the powerful ones. Baolut likes to lead people into the bottomless swamp. Anyone who meets him can only escape by selling his soul.The inn itself has a bad reputation, so travelers often prefer to bring their own food to satisfy their hunger.Even old Macko was a little afraid of the place.At night they heard scuffles on the roof of the inn, and often heavy knocking at the door.Jagienka and Anurka slept in the suite next to the main room, and at night they heard small footsteps on the ceiling and on the wall, and they were obviously not afraid of it, because they were used to hearing it in Zgotriliti. A strange sound of birds and beasts.Old Zich fed them when he was alive; according to the custom at that time, many people gave them bread to eat, and they did no harm.One night, however, there was a low, menacing growl from the neighboring bushes, and the next morning they found the tracks of huge clawed hooves in the mud.It must be a beast like a buffalo, but Werther thinks it is the footprint of Borut. It is said that he has the same appearance as a man, even a nobleman, but instead of human feet, he has split-toed hooves.Because he was mean, he took his boots off when he crossed the swamp.Macko had also heard that wine could be used to make friends with him; he had been thinking about it all day, wondering whether it was a sin to make friends with the devil.He even discussed the matter with Jagienka.

"I should like to hang a bull's bladder over this fence, and fill it with wine or mead," said he, "and if the wine is drunk in the night, it will prove that the devil has come." "But it would offend the gods," answered Jagienka, "and we need to ask the gods to help us get out of Zbyszko without any problems." "That's what I'm afraid of too, but I don't think it's a sale of my soul to give it a little mead. I'll never sell my soul to it. A bladderwine or mead, I think, in the eyes of the gods Irrelevant!" Then he lowered his voice and said again:

"It is said that it is still a nobleman. It is common for a nobleman to entertain a nobleman, even if the nobleman being entertained is a heinous scoundrel." "Who is it?" asked Jagienka. "I don't want to mention the devil's name." That night, Macko hung up with his own hands a large cow bladder, which is usually used for wine, and found it completely empty the next morning. But when he told the Czech about it, he laughed, but no one paid attention to it.But Macko was full of joy, because he hoped that when he passed through the moor in the future, no harm would happen to him.

"They said devils save face, unless they lie," he said to himself. The most important thing is to find out whether it is possible to walk through the woods.It may be possible to walk, because where there are woods, the ground is hard and not easily softened by the rain; although Werther is a native and can do this, he refuses to go. He shouted: "I will not go if I kill it." So they explained to him that the devil can't play tricks in the daytime.Macko intended to go by himself, but in the end it was decided that Hlava should take the risk first, for he was a brave man, gentle with everyone, especially with girls.So he stuck a broad ax in his waist, took a scythe in his hand, and left. Halava left early in the morning and was due to return at noon, but did not return.Everyone was startled.In the afternoon, the servants were all looking forward to the edge of the forest; in the afternoon, Werther waved his hand to show that Halaffa had not returned, but if he did, we would be in greater danger, because only God knows whether after being bitten by wolves Make sure you don't turn into a werewolf.Everyone was terrified at this; even Macko was a little out of sorts.Jagienka turned and crossed herself towards the forest.Anurka tried to find something in her skirt and apron to cover her eyes, but she couldn't find it, so she covered her eyes with her fingers, and tears immediately fell from her fingers. . But at dusk, just as the sun was about to set, the Czech appeared, and not only himself, but another man with him; he drove the man ahead with a rope.Everyone shouted joyfully and ran towards him.But when they saw the man, they fell silent; it turned out to be a dwarf, like a monkey, with hair all over his body, dark complexion, and wearing the skin of a wolf. "Father and Son, please tell me: what is this strange thing that you have dragged," Macko called. "How do I know?" replied the Czech. "He said he was a human being, a tar burner, but I don't know if he was telling me the truth." "Oh, he's not a man, not a man," Werther exclaimed. But Macko told him to be silent; then, looking at the man carefully, he said suddenly: "Well, cross yourself! We always cross ourselves when we are with the devil..." "Praise Jesus Christ!" cried the captive, crossing himself as quickly as he could.He took a deep breath, looked at the group of people very trustingly, and said: "Praise Jesus Christ. Oh Jesus, I can't tell if I'm in the hands of the Catholics or the devil." "Don't be afraid. You are among the Catholics. We all go to Holy Mass. Who are you?" "I'm a bitumen burner, my lord, and live in a hut. Seven of us live in a hut with our family." "How far is it from here?" "Less than ten furlongs." "Which way are you going to town?" "We have a secret path down 'Devil's Valley.'" "Along with what? Calling the devil? ... You make the sign of the cross again." "Father, God, and Holy Spirit. Amen!" "Very well. Can horses and carriages pass that road?" "It's muddy everywhere now, but it's better near the canyon than on the main road; because the canyon is often windy and the soil dries quickly. But the road to Buda is very bad. But those who know the way people can walk slowly." "Give you a florin or two, and will you show us the way?" ① "Florin" is a gold coin minted in Florence in the Middle Ages. The asphalt burner readily accepted, but asked for half a loaf of bread. According to him, there was a shortage of bread in the forest, and he hadn't seen bread for a long time.They planned to leave early tomorrow morning, because the asphalt burner said, "It is not convenient to walk at night. Although Borut is terrible in the forest, it is not harmful. However, because he wants to protect his Principality of Chichicha, And drive all the other devils into the jungle. It is bad luck to meet him at night, especially to a man who is drunk; but not to a sober man." "But you are afraid?" Macko asked,' "Because the knight grabbed me suddenly and so hard, I thought he was not a person." Jagienka could not help being amused to hear that they thought the asphalt burner was a devil, and that this man thought them a devil.Anurka couldn't help laughing when she heard Macko's next words! "You were crying for Halava just now, the tears are not dry yet, and now you are laughing?" The Czech looked at the girl, saw that her eyelashes were still moist, and asked: "Did you cry for me?" "Of course not for you," answered the girl. "I'm just scared." "You should be ashamed. Aren't you a noble woman? Your mistress is also a noble woman, she is not afraid. In broad daylight, there are so many people, what can ghosts and ghosts do to you?" "I have nothing to do with it, but I'm worried about you." "But you just said you weren't crying for me." "I would say, not for you." "Then why are you crying?" "Because of fear." "Are you not afraid now?" "I'm not afraid anymore." "why?" "Because you're back." The Czech looked at her gratefully, smiled and said: "Hey! If we go on like this, we may go on till dawn. You're too cunning." "Don't tease me," Anurka replied softly.In truth, she was a real cunning woman, as only a shrewd fellow like Hlavar knew best.He also knew that the girl's love for him was growing day by day.But it was Jagienka who he loved, but it was only a kind of admiration of the subjects for the princess, which was based entirely on humility and respect, and there was no other motive at all.Along the way he grew closer to Anurka.When they were on the road, old Matsko and Jagienka always rode side by side, and Hlava and Anurka followed together.He was as strong as a buffalo, and full of blood; and when he looked straight into her lovely, bright eyes, at the few locks of flaxen curls that peeped out from under her net, she was all slender and pretty. His body trembled, especially when he looked at her admirably long legs, which held the pony tightly.He couldn't hold back any longer.The more he looked at her charming figure, the more he wanted to see her.He couldn't help thinking that if the girl was the incarnation of the devil, she could easily seduce people.What's more, she is soft-tempered, very docile, and lively like a sparrow on the roof.Sometimes the Czech had strange thoughts; for example, once, when he and Anurka were falling behind near the pack-horse, he suddenly turned his head and said to her: "Do you know that I will swallow you here like a wolf?" She laughed loudly, revealing a mouthful of fine white and beautiful teeth. "You want to eat me?" she asked. "Yes! Even those little bones." He glanced at her, which made her heart tremble.Then they were silent, only two hearts were beating non-stop, his heart was full of desire, her heart was full of joy and intoxication, slightly terrified. But the Czechs let lust completely trump tenderness from the start.He had just said that he looked at Anurka like a wolf looks at a sheep, and that was true.It wasn't until that night, when he saw her eyes and cheeks were stained with tears, that his heart softened.He felt so good about her, so close to him, as if she were already his own.But as he was a good boy by nature and a knight at the same time, instead of being proud of himself when he saw her tender tears, he continued to gaze at her all the more courageously.He had lost his usual joking manner, and although he still joked with the shy girl sometimes at night, it was of a different nature.He treated her as a squire would treat a noblewoman. Old Macko was thinking only of the journey, how he would get across the marshes tomorrow, but he also noticed this, and praised Hlava's noble manners, which must have been his and Zbyszko's since childhood. Learned at the court of Masovia. Then he turned to Jagienka and added: "Hey! Zbyszko! . . . he behaves like a king." After finishing the work at night, each went to sleep.Halaval kissed Jagienka's hand, raised Anurka's hand to his lips, and said: "Not only do you not have to worry about me, but as long as you are with me, you don't have to worry about anything, because I will never let you be bullied by anyone." The men went to sleep in the front room, Jagienka and Anurka in the suite, and they both shared a large, comfortable bed.Neither of them could fall asleep immediately, and Anurka was especially disturbed, tossing and turning.At last Jagienka put her head close to Anurka and said in a low voice: "Anurka!" "What's up?" "I think you've got the Czech out of your mind. . . . have you?" Her question was not answered. Jagienka whispered again: "I get it all... tell me." Still Anurka did not answer, but pressed her lips firmly to the cheek of her mistress, and kissed her mistress's cheek one after another. Poor Jagienka's chest heaved with kisses from Anurka. "Oh, I see, I see!" she whispered, so low that Anurka could hardly understand.