Chapter 52 Chapter Eighteen

Early in the morning they reached Nevezi, where some rode on horses and others sat on bundles of willow branches to cross the river.The movements were so swift that the volunteers from Matsko, Zbyszko, Hlava and Mazovia were amazed at the dexterity of these fighters; they then understood why the Lithuanians could not be stopped by woods, swamps and rivers. expedition.They climbed up to the bank of the river, and none of them took off their wet clothes, not even sheepskins and wolfskins, and let them dry in the sun until they were steaming like a man burning asphalt, and then they took a little rest. Then hurried north again.In the evening, they arrived at Nimen.

In spring, the river is flooded, and crossing the river is not an easy task.The ford, which Scovolo knew, became deep in places, and the horses had to weep for a quarter of the furlong.Two persons near Zbyszko were carried away by the water, and Hlava tried to save them, but failed; for it was dark and the water was fast, and the two persons were instantly lost from sight.Those who were hiding in the water did not dare to shout for help, because the commander had given an order in advance: try to be as quiet as possible when crossing the river.The rest, however, made it safely to the opposite bank, where they did not light a fire until daybreak.

Just after dawn, the whole army was divided into two branches.Scovolo led a detachment to meet the two knights who were leading reinforcements to Gautsweed.The second, led by Zbyszko, moved back and advanced towards the island in order to meet the men who came out of the castle to meet the reinforcements. It was a mild and clear morning, but in the woods, in the moor, and in the bushes, a thick white mist hung over, obliterating the distance altogether.This was exactly what Zbyszko and the others were looking for, because in this way the Germans coming out of the castle would not be able to see them in time and retreat.The young knight was very happy and said to Macko:

"Let's take a good position and don't think about the fog over there. May God allow the fog not to dissipate before noon." So he hastened to the front, gave orders to some of the "Sitniks," and returned immediately, saying: ① Note to the English translation: The captain who leads a hundred people is called "Sitnik". "We shall soon meet them on the road that leads inland from the island's ferry. We shall hide in the jungle and wait for them." "How do you know that way?" Macko asked. "We got information from local farmers. There are many local farmers among our people, and we can ask them to lead the way wherever we go."

"How far from the castle do you plan to attack?" "Within a mile or so." "Very well; because any closer, the soldiers in the castle could rush out to the rescue, but now they will not come in time, and they will not be able to hear them." "I thought of that." "And when you think of that, think of another: if they're solid peasants, send two or three ahead, so as to signal the Germans as soon as they see them." "Hey! That's been done, too." "Then I will tell you one more thing: deploy one or two hundred people, and when the battle starts, don't join the battle, but rush to their rear to cut off the back road leading to the island."

"That's the most important thing," Zbyszko replied. "But the order has been given too. The Germans are about to fall into a trap from which they cannot escape." At this, Macko looked at his nephew approvingly, was very happy, and felt that although he was young, he knew a lot about the art of war, so he smiled and said in a low voice: "It is worthy of being a descendant of our family." But Halava, the servant, was happier than Macko, because he loved war the most. "I don't know about our fighting strength," he said, "but they march quietly and swiftly, and seem to be in high spirits. If Skovolo had planned everything well, not a single German would survive .”

"God forbid, few escape," Zbyszko replied. "But I have given orders to take as many prisoners as possible; if any knights or priests are found among them, never kill them." "Why not kill, my lord?" asked the Czech. "You must take care," replied Zbyszko, "it must be done. If there is a knight among them, he must have a lot of information, because he has traveled to many cities and castles and has seen a lot; if a knight the mages of the regiment, all the more so. Therefore I thank God that I have come here, that I may find out about Danusia, and exchange her captives. If there is any way, it is It's my only option."

So he rode on, and galloped forward again to give his last orders, so as not to dwell on those melancholy thoughts; there was no time to lose, and he was almost at the point of their ambush. "Why does the young master think his wife is alive, and that she is somewhere near here?" asked the Czech. "Because, if Siegfried hadn't murdered her in Schüttno in a fit of rage," Macko replied, "then there is every reason to think she is still alive. If she was killed, rest assured." The priest of Teno won't tell us what happened to him in front of Zbyszko. It's a tricky business; even the cruelest man can't kill a helpless woman. Hey! Let alone an innocent girl."

"It's impossible to kill, but it's a different story for the Knights of the Crusaders. What happened to the children of Duke Witout?" "It is true that crusader knights are wolves. But it is true that Siegfried did not kill her in Schüttno, and Siegfried himself set out there; so he may have hidden her. In some castle." "Hey! If that's the case, I must take the island and the castle!" "But you just look at these people," Macko said. "Of course, of course; but I have an idea to report to the young master." "I don't care if you have ten ideas. You can't bring down walls with spears."

Macko pointed to the spears held in the hands of most of the fighters; and asked: "Have you ever seen such a soldier?" In fact, the Czechs had never seen such soldiers.Ahead of them was a dense crowd marching chaotically.Both cavalry and infantry were mixed together, and their steps were wildly inconsistent as they passed through the undergrowth in the woods.In order to keep pace with the cavalry, the infantry grabbed hold of the horse's mane, saddle, and tail.On the shoulders of the warriors were skins of wolf, lynx, and bear; Protruding high above their heads, with blackened bows and arrows on their backs, when viewed from behind, especially from the fog, they are simply a group of beasts coming out of the depths of the forest. Driven by the desire to drink blood or hunger, it is hunting for prey.This scene is a bit scary and grotesque, as if it is the miracle of the so-called "Nomon"; according to folklore, when "Nomon" appears, wild animals and even stones and bushes will move in front of them.

It was this sight that made one of the two noble youths from Lenkavitri, who had come with the Czech, come up to him and say: "In the name of the Father and the Son! I say we are marching with a pack of wolves, not men." But Halava, though he had never seen such a sight, seemed to be familiar with it.As if unsurprised, he replied: "Although wolves come out in groups to look for food in winter, they also have to taste the blood of crusader knights in spring." It was spring indeed, and it was May; the hazel trees that densely covered the forest were showing a new green.Soldiers marched soundlessly over the moss, where white and blue pulsatillas could be seen, and berries and ferns.The bark softened by the continuous rain exudes a pleasant smell, while in the forest, on the ground made of pine needles and dead wood, there is a spicy smell.The sun made a rainbow in the raindrops on the leaves and branches, and the birds sang joyfully on it. They quickened their pace because Zbyszko urged them to catch up.From time to time Zbyszko rode to the rear of the detachment, together with Macko, the Czechs, and the two volunteers from Masovia.The prospect of a victorious battle evidently flattered him, for his old melancholy was gone and his eyes regained their usual sparkle. "Come on!" he yelled. "We must get to the front now - not to be left behind." He led them to the front of the troops. "Listen," he added. "We may surprise the Germans by surprise, but if they have established themselves, we must attack them first, because our armor is better than the Zemuds, and our swords are better than the Zimuds. Human sharpness." "Just do it," Macko said. The rest steadied themselves in their saddles, as if they were about to attack.They took a deep breath and touched the sword to see if it could be drawn freely. Once again Zbyszko reiterated his previous order that if any knight in a white cloak was found among the infantry, he must not be killed but captured alive; and he galloped up to the guides, calling the procession to a halt. They came to the main road, which leads inland from the ferry crossing on the opposite side of the island, not really a road, strictly speaking, but a country passage, recently carved out of the woods, with a rough and uneven surface. Passage, but soldiers and carriages can pass after all.There are tall trees on both sides of the road, and the old pine trees have been chopped down to make the road wider.The hazel bushes grew so thick that in some places the whole forest was their world.Therefore, Zbyszko chose a turning point, so that the advancing opponent could not see far away, could not retreat, and had no time to form a position.It was there that he took both sides of the path and ordered to wait for the enemy. The Shimuds, accustomed to forest life and war, hid very skillfully behind tree stumps and storm-blown roots, behind young clumps of club trees and fir saplings—so that it seemed as if the earth had swallowed them up.No one spoke, and the horses did not snort.From time to time, some big and small beasts passed by those ambushes, and suddenly bumped into them inadvertently, they were all startled, and ran away in a hurry.Now and then a gust of wind would make a solemn roar through the forest, and again there would be silence save for the distant song of the cuckoo and the nearer pecking of the woodpecker. The Shimud people are very happy to hear this sound, because they believe that woodpeckers are singers who specialize in predicting good omens.There are many such birds in the forest, and the continuous sound of wood pecking can be heard in all directions, and the sound is as urgent as the song of human labor.One would almost think that each of these birds has its own blacksmith shop and has started to work actively.Macko and the two Majurs seemed to hear the carpenter hammering nails on the roof of the new house, and it reminded them of home. The hours passed more and more tiresomely; the only sounds were the howling of the trees and the singing of the birds.The fog that had hung over the plain dissipated.The sun was high and the weather was getting warmer, but the soldiers lay there and waited.At last Hlava, unable to bear the silence and the long wait, whispered into Zbyszko's ear: "My lord, if God will, not a dog will let him escape. Shall we not surprise the castle and take it?" "Do you think the ships there are unguarded and have no password?" "They have sentries," answered the Czech in a low voice, "but when you take a prisoner, you only have to frighten them with a knife, and they will tell you the password. Why! They will even answer the password in German. If we get to the island on, then the castle itself..." He hadn't finished speaking when Zbyszko suddenly put his hands over his mouth, because the crows of crows were heard from the road. "Hush!" he said. "That was a signal." After about two times of saying the Lord's Prayer, a Shimud man appeared on the road, riding a shaggy pony. Wrapped in sheepskin.Looking sharply from side to side, the rider suddenly heard a reply from the jungle to the crowing crow, and immediately dived into the forest, and in an instant he was at Zbyszko's side. "Here they come! . . . " he said.