CHAPTER V.

Jurand awoke from his long sleep in the presence of the priest; he forgot

what had happened to him and where he was; he began to feel around in bed

and at the wall. The priest caught him in his arms and wept, tenderly

kissing him, and said:

"It is I! You are at Spychow! Brother Jurand!... God tried you.... But

you are now among your own.... Good people brought you here. Brother,

dear brother, Jurand."

Then he repeatedly pressed him to his breast, kissed his brow and his

hollow eyes; but Jurand appeared to be stupefied and unconscious. At last

he moved his left hand toward his head and brow as though wishing to

dispel the cloud of sleep and stupor from his mind.

"Do you hear and understand me?" asked Father Kaleb.

Jurand moved his head affirmatively. Then he stretched his hand toward

the silver crucifix on the wall which he had once taken from the neck of

a powerful German knight, pressed it to his lips and heart and then gave

it to Father Kaleb.

"I understand you, brother!" said the priest. "He remained with you. He

is able to restore to you all you lost, just as He delivered you from

captivity."

Jurand pointed with his hand heavenward, a sign that all will there be

returned to him. Then his hollow eyes were filled with tears, and an

indescribable pain was depicted upon his tortured face.

Father Kaleb having observed his painful emotion concluded that Danuska

was dead. He therefore knelt at the bedside and said:

"O Lord! Grant her eternal rest in peace, and everlasting bliss be hers.

Amen."

Then Jurand lifted himself up and began to twist his head and move his

hand as though wishing to check the priest, but the priest did not

understand. At that moment old Tolima entered, and with him were the

garrison of the town, the former and present elders of the peasants of

Spychow, foresters, fishermen, etc., because the news of Jurand's return

had rapidly spread throughout Spychow. They embraced his feet, kissed his

hand and bitterly wept when they saw the old and maimed cripple who

looked like another being, not in the least the once invincible knight,

the terror of the Knights of the Cross. But some of them, especially

those who used to accompany him on his expeditions, were enraged; their

faces grew pale and determined. After a while they crowded together and

whispered, pulled, and pushed each other. Finally, a certain Sucharz, a

member of the garrison and village blacksmith, approached Jurand, clasped

his feet and said:

"We intended to go to Szczytno, as soon as they brought you here, but

that knight, who brought you, hindered us. Permit us, sir, now. We cannot

leave them unpunished. Let it be now as it was long ago. They shall not

disgrace us and remain scathless. We used to fight them under your

command. Now we will march under Tolima, or without him. We must conquer

Szczytno and shed the dog-blood. So help us God!"

"So help us God!" repeated several voices.

"To Szczytno!"

"We must have blood!"

Forthwith a burning fire took hold of the inflammable Mazur hearts, their

brows began to wrinkle, their eyes to glisten. Here and there was heard

the sound of gnashing teeth. But in a moment the noise ceased, and all

eyes were turned toward Jurand, whose cheeks reddened and he assumed his

wonted warlike appearance. He rose and again felt for the crucifix upon

the wall. The people thought that he was looking for a sword. He found it

and took it down. His face paled, he turned toward the people, lifted his

hollow eyes heavenward and moved the crucifix in front of him.

Silence reigned. It was beginning to get dark; the twittering of birds

retiring upon the roofs and trees of the village, penetrated through the

open windows. The last red rays of the setting sun penetrated into the

room and fell upon the raised cross and upon Jurand's white hair.

Sucharz, the blacksmith, looked at Jurand, glanced at his comrades and

looked again at Jurand. Finally, he bid them good-bye and left the room

on tiptoe. The others followed suit. When they reached the courtyard they

halted, and the following whispered conversation ensued:

"What now?"

"We are not going. How then?"

"He did not permit."

"Leave vengeance with God. It is obvious that even his soul has undergone

a change."

It was so indeed.

Those who remained were Father Kaleb and old Tolima. Jagienka with

Sieciechowa, who were attracted by the armed crowd in the courtyard, came

to learn what was the matter.

Jagienka, who was more daring and sure of herself than her companion,

approached Jurand.

"God help you, Knight Jurand," she said. "We are those who brought you

here from Prussia."

His face brightened at the sound of her young voice. It was obvious that

it brought back to his mind in proper order all the events which had

happened upon the road from Szczytno, because he showed his thankfulness

by inclining his head and placing his hand upon his chest several times.

Then she related to him how they first met him, how Hlawa, the Bohemian,

who was Zbyszko's armor-bearer, recognized him, and finally how they

brought him to Spychow. She also told him about herself, that she and her

companion bore a sword, helmet and shield for the knight Macko of

Bogdaniec, the uncle of Zbyszko, who left Bogdaniec to find his nephew,

and now he had left for Szczytno and would return to Spychow within three

or four days.

At the mention of Szczytno, Jurand did not fall down nor was he overcome

as he was when upon the road to that place, but great trouble was

depicted upon his face. But Jagienka assured him that Macko was as clever

as he was manly, and would not let himself be fooled by anybody. Besides

that, he possessed letters from Lichtenstein, which enabled him to travel

in safety everywhere.

These words quieted him considerably. It was obvious that he wished to

get information about many other things. But as he was unable to do it,

he suffered in his soul. This the clever girl at once observed and said;

"We shall often, talk about things. Then everything will be told."

Then he smiled and stretched out his hand and placed it upon her head for

a while; it seemed he was blessing her. He thanked her indeed very much,

but as a matter of fact he was touched by the youthful voice like the

warbling of a bird.

When he was not engaged in prayer, as he was almost all day, or asleep,

he wished to have her near him, and when she was not there, he yearned to

hear her speak, and endeavored by all means in his power to call the

attention of the priest and Tolima that he wished to have that delightful

boy near him.

She came often, because her tender heart sincerely pitied him. Besides

that, she passed the time in waiting for Macko, whose stay at Szcytno

seemed to her uncommonly long.

He was to return within three days, and now the fourth and fifth have

passed by and it is already the evening of the sixth, and he has not yet

returned. The alarmed girl was ready to ask Tolima to send a searching

party, when suddenly the guard upon the watch-oak signalled the approach

of some horsemen, and in a few moments was heard the tramp of the horses

upon the drawbridge, and Hlawa accompanied by a courier appeared in the

courtyard. Jagienka who had left her room, to watch in the courtyard

before their arrival, rushed toward Hlawa before he dismounted.

"Where is Macko?" she asked, with beating heart and alarmed.

"He went to Prince Witold, and he ordered you to stay here."