Chapter 82 Chapter Forty-eight

A year later, Grand Master Conrad passed away.Jagienka's brother, Jasco of Zgotrilitri, was the first to hear the news of the Grand Master's death and Ulrich of Jungingen's election in Shiraz.He was also the first to bring the news to Bogdaniec.The news caused a great commotion there, and in the houses of all the nobles. "An unprecedented time has come," old Macko declared solemnly. When Jagienka heard the news, she brought all her children to Zbyszko, and she herself bade him farewell, as if he were going to go to war next morning.Of course both Macko and Zbyszko knew that war would not break out like a fire in a furnace.But they all believed that war was bound to happen.So they carefully prepared for the expedition: choosing horses and armor, taking care of the squires, servants, village chiefs (who were obliged to go on expeditions on horseback according to the Magdeburg law) and small landowners powerful nobles) for military training.All courts are preparing for war.Hammers were clanging in all the smithies, chain mail was being scraped everywhere, bows and belts were oiled, and carriages were repaired.Plenty of oatmeal and bacon are in storage.On Sundays and holidays, the people in front of the church were all asking for news, and when they couldn't get any news, they dispersed in a sad and silent way, because everyone was deeply convinced that this was the last day of the great enemy of the entire Polish nation. Time to fix the problem.Otherwise, according to St. Bridget's words, the Kingdom of Poland could not prosper without "cracking their teeth and chopping off their right hands."

① Magdeburg law is a medieval German law that originated in the Germanic city of Magdeburg, mostly commercial law. Macko and Zbyszko were besieged when they were in Krzysnya, and everyone wanted news and advice from them, because they were supposed to be acquainted with the Knights of the Crusaders and related to the Germans. People with combat experience.People want to know not only information, but also what is necessary to fight against the Germans, what is the best way to deal with them, what are their tactics, what are they superior to the Poles, and what are they inferior to them and to know whether, when the spears are broken, is it better to break their armor with the ax or with the sword.

In fact, both Macko and Zbyszko are experienced in such matters.They were therefore listened to with great attention, especially since it was well known that the coming war was not an easy one, but a contest of strength with the best knights of all nations; You can win if you are defeated, but you must completely eliminate it, otherwise you will perish completely.The young knights all said this: "It will be clear soon: either they die or we die." The young generation who deeply feel the great cause of the future from their hearts, they do not flinch.On the contrary, they were more and more active every hour of the day; but not empty talk or boasting, but single-minded, indomitable, and most determined self-sacrifice to prepare for war.

"Either they die, or we die." However, Zhou Zitian passed away, and the war still did not come after a long time.It is true that there was talk of a certain discord between King Vladislav and the Knights, and even of the province of Duborzin, although the land had been redeemed some years before; It was the first time that many people in this place had heard of a border dispute over a place called Drezdenko.But no formal declaration of war was made.Some people even doubt whether there will be a war?For arguments come and go, and always end in conferences, negotiations, and exchanges of envoys.

① Drezdenko - a border castle in Greater Poland. It was widely circulated that an envoy from the Knights of the Crusaders had arrived in Krakow, and that an envoy from Poland had also gone to Marburg.It is said that the Hungarian and Czech kings, and even the Pope, came out to mediate.But so far away from Krakow, no one can tell.Hence all sorts of rumors, often eccentric ones, circulated.But when it comes to war, there is not even the slightest sign of it. In the end, even Macko, who had heard threats of war and signed agreements many times, didn't know what to think.So he decided to go to Krakow himself to find out the real news.He lingered there for a short time, returning about the sixth week.He was in high spirits, and when he arrived at Kirsisnia, he was surrounded by inquisitive nobles, and he answered their countless questions with a single question:

"Have you sharpened your spearheads and axes yet?" "What? Now! My God! What's the news? Who have you seen?" came the shouts from all directions. "Who did I see? Of course I saw Sentram of Masikowitz! Any news? Any news like that, and you'll probably have to saddle up right away." "My God! What's the matter? Tell me!" "And have you heard of Drezdenko?" "Yes, we've heard, but it's a small castle, and the area is no bigger than your Bogdaniets." "This little thing isn't going to be cause for war, is it?"

"Of course this is a small matter. There are many more important issues that have been debated. Anyway, it will not start a war." "Did you know that Centram told me a fable about Drezdenko?" "Speak quickly, we can't wait to hear the news." "He said to me thus: 'The blind man stumbled over a stone while walking. He fell because he was blind, but the real cause of his fall was the stone.' Such was Drezdenko. Stone." "Then why? You must know that the Knights are still standing firmly." "Don't you understand? Then let me make another analogy. A bowl filled with water is too full, and if you add another drop, it will overflow."

The knights were so excited that they wanted to mount at once and go to Shiraz, Macko had to stop them. "Be prepared," he told them, "but be patient. They won't forget us." So the knights went back to their preparations, but they waited so long that many doubted again.Macko did not doubt that, just as a man can tell from the flight of a bird that spring is coming, so experienced Macko can deduce from all the signs that war is imminent—and it is a battle. The first was the order from above to carry out a great hunt in all the forests and wilds of the kingdom.The hunt was so large that even the oldest resident could not remember if it had been done in the past.Thousands of inhabitants took part in the hunt, killing large herds of bison, stag, wild boar, and various small animals.For weeks, months, the woods were haunted by internal worries.After the meat was smoked, it was sent to the various towns, and from there to the warehouses in Plotsk.Evidently this store was intended for large armies.Macko knew exactly what this meant, because whenever Witout was preparing a large-scale expedition to Lithuania, he always ordered a large-scale hunting.

There are other signs as well.For example: From the Germans a large number of peasants have fled across the frontier to Poland and Masovia.The subjects of the Germanic knights from Silesia who appeared in the vicinity of Bogdaniec were mainly.This flight situation occurs everywhere, especially to Mazovia. The Czechs, who were going to run a business in Spychov, Masovia, sent a dozen or so Majurs who had fled to him from Prussia.One they begged to join the "infantry" to go to war.Because "they were persecuted by the knights of the crusaders, hated to make the knights of the crusaders, and they must avenge this".They also told of a certain village on the frontier in Prussia that had almost been deserted because the peasants had fled across the border with their families to the Duchy of Masovia.The Crusader knights hanged the fugitives they hunted, but they couldn't stop the unfortunate people from continuing to flee.Many would rather die than live under the terrible German servitude.The whole country was filled with "old beggars and slaves" from Prussia.Everyone flocked to Krakow.They poured in from all directions, not only from Gdańsk, Marburg, and Toloń, but also from as far away as Krolevza (Königsberg) and all the ten towns of Prussia, and all the garrisons of the Knights. .Among them were not only beggars, but also churchmen, clerks, organists, and other church workers, and even priests and priests.

Everyone thinks that these beggars and others are disseminators of news, and they can learn everything about Pru from them, such as news about the preparations for war, the fortifications of the castle, the defenders, mercenaries, and guests. They were all talking in secret, how the "Voyevda" of the provincial capital and the Privy Councilors of Cracow had been with them for hours in the back room, listening to their conversations and taking notes of what they said.Some of them also sneaked back to Prussia, and then came to the kingdom again. Rumors spread in Krakow that the king and his ministers had received information from these refugees about every step taken by the Knights of the Crusaders.

In Marburg it was the opposite.A priest who fled from the capital stayed for a while with the lords of Konniezpol and told them that Grand Master Ulrich and the other knights of the Crusader Order were in no hurry to get news from Poland. , because they believed that the whole kingdom could not withstand a single blow, and would forever succumb and perish, "leaving no trace."The fugitive then repeated what the grand master had said at the banquet in Marburg: "The more there are of them, the cheaper the Prussian sheepskin coats are." They were preparing, sure of their own strength, and sure that distant kingdoms would come to their aid. But despite these signs, preparations and efforts.The war still did not come as quickly as people hoped.Bogdaniec's young master is also eager for war.He has already prepared everything.He craves fame and battle.The day-to-day delays became a burden for him.He often scolded his uncle, as if war or peace depended on the old knight. "You said there was bound to be a war," he said. "But now, there's not even a shadow." Macko replied: "Although you are a smart man, you are not smart enough! Don't you see the development of the situation?" "But what if the king makes a deal with them at the last minute? I'm told he doesn't want war." "He didn't want war, but who said these words, not his own: 'I would not be king if I had allowed Drezdenko to be occupied by others,' but the Germans have always occupied Germany. Ryzdenko, still occupies that place to this day. Hey! The king is not willing to shed the blood of the Catholics. But those nobles who are very wise and know that the Polish kingdom is superior in power are driving the Germans to the corner. I I tell you, there would have been other excuses if it hadn't been for Drezdenko." "As far as I know, Drezdenko is still occupied by Grand Commander Konrad, but he is afraid of the king." "He was afraid because he knew the power of the Poles better than anyone else. But that was because he could not check the greed of the Knights. In Krakow, I was told: Lord of Drezdenko Old Von Oster , when the crusader knights occupied the new mark, they took an oath of submission to the king as a servant, because that property had belonged to Poland since ancient times. Therefore, he hoped that this land would remain in the territory of Poland. But the crusader knights Invited him to Marburg. They bought him a drink, and then defrauded him of a letter of betrayal of Drezdenko. So the deal was too much for the King." "Really, that's more than enough for him!" cried Zbyszko. But Macko said: "But it is as Sentram of Mashikovic said: 'Drezdenko is nothing but a stumbling block on which the blind man stumbles.'" "But what if the Germans are going to give up Drezdenko?" "That would be another stumbling block. But no Crusader knight will give up what he has swallowed unless you take it out of his entrails, and God bless us before long." "No!" Zbyszko exclaimed enthusiastically. "Conrad might give up, but Ulrichs never does. He's a true, flawless knight, but he's very hot-tempered." They talked like this, and the development of various events was like a stone being kicked by a passer-by, rolling down a hillside along a path, and as soon as it fell off a cliff, the momentum increased. The news spread like thunder through the country that the crusading knights had attacked and occupied the castle of Shantok in old Poland, which had been mortgaged to the Knights of John. When the Polish envoys came to congratulate Ulrich on his appointment as Grand Master, he deliberately left Marburg and instructed his court officials that all dealings with the king and Poland must be in Germanic. , not in Latin.That says a lot about what kind of person he is. The nobles of Krakow secretly prepared for war.They knew that Ulrich would declare war openly, and would start it rashly and recklessly; The predecessors did not act rashly like him. But some of the less impatient prelates of the order, more cunning than Ulrich, and knowing Wittort well, tried to win him over to their side with gifts and flattery.They exhausted all means that existed in the days of Caesars in Rome, when churches and altars were built in honor of the living Caesars. The emissaries of the Knights of the Crusaders said humbly to the governor of Achaean: ① refers to Witout. "The Knights have two benefactors. The first is God, and the second is Witout. Therefore, every word and every wish of Witout is sacred and inviolable to the Crusader knights." They asked Witout to put an end to the Drezdenko affair; Witout's counsel to the king, they thought, would cause them to be at odds with each other, and would break their friendship, if not permanently, at least for a long time. .But the king's ministers knew what Marlborough was up to.So the king also chose Witout as mediator. The Knights regretted choosing him.Those senior priests in the Knights of the Crusader Order thought they knew the character of the Grand Duke, but they really didn't know him enough.Witout not only awarded Drezdenko to Poland, but he also knew and guessed what was going on.He caused the Zmuds to rebel again, and his face towards the Knights became more and more ugly. He also brought soldiers, horses and food from the rich Polish land to make preparations. As soon as this situation appeared, everyone in this great empire knew that the decisive moment had finally arrived. Once old Macko.Zbyszko and Jagienka were sitting in front of the castle gates in Bogdaniec, enjoying the fresh air and warm sunshine, when a stranger appeared suddenly on a warhorse that was foaming at the mouth.He threw a garland of poplars and willows at the knight's feet, shouted: "Vitch! Vitch!" and galloped on. ①According to the note in the Russian translation, "Vitch" is a kind of garland, which is used as a symbol of the general mobilization order to call up the reserve army.After receiving the third "Vitch", they should gather at the designated place.From then on, the corresponding instruments of the Kingdom of Poland were called "vich". Both knights jumped up with great excitement.Matsko's face had an expression both majestic and terrifying.Zbyszko ran to the castle and ordered the squires to pass "Vitch" on.Then he came back to the door, his eyes sparkling, and he cried: "War! God finally gave war! War!" "We have never experienced such a desirable war," Macko added solemnly. He called the servants, and in the blink of an eye they were all round the master: "Go to the watchtower and blow the horn in all directions, and send some men to gather the chiefs. Go to the stables and bring out the horses; hitch the wagons to the horses! Quick!!" As soon as he had finished speaking, the servants ran about to carry out his orders; which was not difficult, for everything had been prepared for some time.Men, horses, weapons, and provisions were ready to mount and set off, but Zbyszko asked Macko before setting off: "Aren't you going to stay at home?" "Me? What's going on in your head?" "According to Fazin, you can stay at home; you already have someone in your house to take your place, and Jagienka and the children will also be taken care of by someone." "Well, listen then. I've been waiting till my hair turns gray." It was evident from his icy but determined countenance that there was nothing to dissuade him.Besides, though he was past seventy, he was as strong as an oak, and his limbs were so nimble that a hard axe would have hurt him to pinch it.But as a matter of fact, once he had put on his full armor, he could no longer jump on a horse without stepping on the stirrups, although many young men, especially western knights, could not do it.He also has outstanding chivalry skills, and no one in the vicinity has such rich combat experience as him. Jagienka was obviously not afraid of being alone at home either.When she heard what her husband had said, she came up and kissed his hand, and said: "Don't worry about me, my dear Zbyszko, our castle is very comfortable; you know I'm not a coward, and I've seen crossbows and spears. You should serve your country and not think about us for now. private matters. God will take care of us here." Tears suddenly welled up in her eye sockets and flowed down her beautiful and white face in big drops.Pointing to the children, she continued in a voice trembling with excitement: "Hey! If it weren't for these cute little guys, I would fall at your feet, and you must promise to take me to fight with you." "Jagienka, dear Luzbyszko cried, taking her in his arms. She also hugged his head and neck, cuddled him tightly, and said affectionately: "I wish you would come back to me, my darling, my only one, my dearest!" "But you must thank God every day for giving you such a wife!" Macko added in a low voice. After about an hour, the flag on the watchtower was lowered, indicating that the master had gone out.Zbyszko and Macko agreed that Jagienka and the children should be sent all the way to Shiraz.So after a sumptuous meal, the whole force and all the convoys set out on the road. It was a clear and quiet day, with no wind.The trees in the forest were motionless.The herds of cattle and sheep in the valleys on the hills are also enjoying their afternoon rest, lazily chewing their cuds, and they are also meditating.But because of the drought, there were large expanses of golden dust everywhere on the road; on top of this dust, countless sparks shone in the sunlight.Zbyszko beckons his wife and children to look at these sparks. "Do you know what these shining sparks are? They are the points of spears and javelins. The heralds seem to be all over the place mobilizing for war, and the people are all off to fight the Germans." Then they met Zhijinka's brother on the border of Bogdaniec.The rich heir of Zgotrilici, the young Jasco, set out with two lancers, bringing twenty men with him.Going further, at the crossroads, the fluffy head of Rogoff's Qidan emerged from the dust.Although he was not on friendly terms with Bogdaniec's knights, now he shouted from afar: "Go and fight the German dogs." Then he bowed to salute them, wished them well, and disappeared into the gray dust mist inside.They also met old Welker of Borzodova.He was nodding and shaking his head because of his old age, but he also went to avenge his son who had been killed by the Germans in Silesia. The closer they got to Shiraz, the thicker the dust cloud became.When the towers of the place were seen in the distance, the whole road was crowded with knights, chieftains, and armed soldiers, all flocking to the assembly point.Old Macko saw so many people, all strong and strong men, with high morale, willing to endure the heat, cold and difficulties.He was greatly encouraged, because he felt that this was a harbinger of victory.