PART FIVE.
I.
Jurand, having found himself in the castle courtyard, did not at first know where to go, because the servant who had led him through the gate earlier had left him and headed toward the stables. Soldiers stood along the battlements, some alone, others in groups, but their faces were so insolent and their looks so mocking that the knight could easily guess they would not show him the way, and if they answered his questions, it would only be with rudeness or insult.
Some laughed, pointing at him; others began to throw snow at him again, just as the day before. But he, noticing a door larger than the others, above which a stone carving of Christ on the cross was set, headed toward it, thinking that if the Komtur and the elders were in another part of the castle or in different rooms, someone would surely set him back on the right path.
And so it happened. Just as Jurand approached those doors, both halves suddenly swung open, and before him stood a young man with a shaven head like a cleric, but dressed in secular garb, who asked:
"You are Sir Jurand of Spychów?"
"I am."
"The pious Komtur ordered me to guide you. Follow me."
And he began to lead him through a large vaulted hall toward the stairs. However, at the stairs he stopped, and after casting his eyes over Jurand, asked again:
"And you carry no weapon? I was ordered to search you."
Jurand raised both arms so that the guide could see his whole figure, and replied:
"I gave everything up yesterday."
Then the guide lowered his voice and said almost in a whisper:
"Then guard yourself from bursting into anger, for you are under their power and might."
"But also under God's will," replied Jurand.
Having said this, he looked more carefully at the guide, and seeing something like pity and compassion in his face, he said:
"Honesty shines from your eyes, lad. Will you answer me truthfully what I ask?"
"Hurry, sir," said the guide.
"Will they give back the child for me?"
The young man raised his eyebrows in surprise:
"Your child is here?"
"My daughter."
"That girl in the tower by the gate?"
"Yes. They promised to send her back if I gave myself up."
The guide moved his hand as a sign that he knew nothing, but his face expressed anxiety and doubt.
And Jurand asked further:
"Is it true that Szomberg and Markwart are guarding her?"
"Those brothers are not in the castle. However, take her back, sir, before Starosta Danveld recovers."
Hearing this, Jurand shuddered, but there was no time to ask more, for they had reached the hall upstairs where Jurand was to stand before the Starosta of Szczytno. The servant, having opened the door, retreated back toward the stairs.
The knight of Spychów entered and found himself in a spacious chamber, very dark, for the glass panes set in lead admitted little light, and besides, it was a winter day, overcast. At the far end of the chamber a fire burned in a great hearth, but poorly dried logs gave little flame. Only after some time, when Jurand's eyes had grown accustomed to the gloom, did he perceive a table at the back and knights sitting behind it, and further, behind their backs, a whole crowd of armed squires and equally armed men-at-arms, among whom the castle jester held a tame bear on a chain.
Jurand had once fought with Danveld, and later saw him twice at the court of the Prince of Masovia as an envoy, but several years had passed since then; nevertheless, despite the gloom, he recognized him immediately by his obesity and his face, and finally by the fact that he sat at the middle of the table in an armchair, his hand encased in wooden splints resting on the armrest. On his right sat old Siegfried de Loewe of Innsbruck, an implacable enemy of the Polish people in general, and of Jurand of Spychów in particular; on his left, the younger brothers Godfrey and Rotgier.
Danveld had invited them on purpose, so that they could witness his triumph over the dreaded enemy and at the same time enjoy the fruits of the betrayal they had jointly plotted and helped to carry out. So now they sat comfortably, dressed in soft garments of dark cloth, with light swords at their sides, joyful, self-confident, looking at Jurand with pride and with that immense contempt they always held in their hearts for the weaker and the defeated.
Silence lasted a long time, for they wished to feast their eyes on the man whom they had previously simply feared, and who now stood before them with his head bowed to his chest, dressed in a coarse penitential sack, with a rope around his neck from which hung a sword scabbard.
They evidently also wanted as many people as possible to see his humiliation, for through the side doors leading to other rooms, anyone who wished entered, and the hall filled almost halfway with armed men. All looked with immense curiosity at Jurand, talking loudly and making remarks about him. He, seeing them, actually took heart, for he thought to himself: "If Danveld did not intend to keep his promise, he would not have summoned so many witnesses."
Meanwhile, Danveld waved his hand and silenced the conversations, then signaled to one of the squires, who approached Jurand, seized the rope around his neck with his hand, and pulled him a few steps closer to the table.
And Danveld looked around at those present with triumph and said: "See how the power of the Order overcomes malice and pride."
"May God always grant it!" answered those present.
Another moment of silence followed, after which Danveld turned to the prisoner:
"You bit the Order like a foaming dog, so God has brought it about that you stand before us like a dog, with a rope around your neck, begging for grace and mercy."
"Do not compare me to a dog, Komtur," replied Jurand, "for you diminish the honor of those who fought with me and fell by my hand."
At these words a murmur arose among the armed Germans; it was not known whether they were angered by the boldness of the answer or struck by its justice. But the Komtur was not pleased with this turn of the conversation, so he said:
"Look, he still spits in our eyes with insolence and pride!"
And Jurand raised his hands upward, like a man calling heaven to witness, and replied, shaking his head:
"God sees that my pride was left behind this gate. God sees and will judge whether, by dishonoring my knightly estate, you have not dishonored yourselves. There is only one knightly honor, which every man who is belted must respect."
Danveld frowned, but at that moment the castle jester began to rattle the chain on which he held the bear cub, and shouted: "A sermon! A sermon! A preacher has arrived from Masovia! Listen! A sermon!..."
Then he turned to Danveld: "Sir," he said, "Count Rosenheim, when the bell-ringer woke him too early for a sermon by ringing, ordered him to eat the bell-ringer's rope from knot to knot: this preacher also has a rope around his neck — have him eat it before he finishes the sermon."
Having said this, he began to look at the Komtur somewhat anxiously, for he was not sure whether he would laugh or order him to be flogged for his untimely remark. But the monastic brothers, smooth, courteous, even humble when they did not feel themselves in power, knew no restraint toward the conquered; so Danveld not only nodded to the jester to allow the mockery, but also burst out himself with such unheard-of rudeness that surprise showed on the faces of several younger squires.
"Do not complain that you have been dishonored," he said, "for even if I made you a dog-boy, a monastic dog-boy is better than your knight!"
And the jester, emboldened, began to shout: "Bring a currycomb, comb the bear, and he will comb your shaggy hair with his paw in return!"
At this, laughter sounded here and there, a voice called out from behind the backs of the monastic brothers: "In summer you'll cut reeds on the lake!" "And catch crayfish for carrion!" shouted another. And a third added: "And now start driving crows away from the hanged men! There will be no lack of work for you here."
Thus they mocked Jurand, once so terrible to them. Gradually, merriment took over the assembly. Some came out from behind the table and began to approach the prisoner, examine him closely and say: "This is that boar from Spychów whose tusks our Komtur has knocked out; he surely has foam in his mouth; he would like to cut someone, but he cannot!" Danveld and the other monastic brothers, who at first had wanted to give the hearing some solemn appearance of a trial, seeing that things had turned out differently, also rose from their benches and mingled with those who had approached Jurand.
Old Siegfried of Innsbruck was not pleased with this, but the Komtur himself said to him: "Unfrown, there will be even greater fun!" And they also began to examine Jurand, for it was a rare opportunity, since whichever knight or man-at-arms had seen him so close before usually closed his eyes forever after. So some also said: "He is broad-shouldered, even though he has a fur coat under the sack; one could wrap him in pea straw and lead him around at fairs..." Others began to call for beer, to make the day even merrier.
And indeed, after a while, the foaming jugs clinked, and the dark hall filled with the scent of froth spilling from under the lids. The cheerful Komtur said: "That's right, let him not think his humiliation is a great matter!" So they again approached him, nudging him under the chin with tankards, saying: "You'd like to drink, Masurian snout!" — and some, pouring beer into their palms, splashed it in his eyes; he stood among them, cowed, insulted, until finally he moved toward old Siegfried, and evidently feeling that he could not endure much longer, began to shout so loudly as to drown out the noise in the hall:
"By the agony of the Savior and my soul's salvation, give me back my child, as you promised!"
And he wanted to seize the old Komtur's right hand, but he quickly drew back and said: "Stay back, slave, what do you want?"
"I released Bergowa from captivity and came myself, because you promised that for this you would give me back the child who is here."
"Who promised you?" asked Danveld.
"In conscience and faith, you, Komtur!"
"You will find no witnesses, but witnesses count for nothing when honor and word are at stake."
"By your honor! By the honor of the Order!" cried Jurand.
"Then your daughter shall be returned to you!" replied Danveld.
Then he turned to the outsiders and said: "Everything that has befallen him here is an innocent game, not commensurate with his misdeeds and crimes. But since we promised to return his daughter if he presented himself and humbled himself before us, know that the word of a Krzyżak shall be as immovable as the word of God, and that girl, whom we took from robbers, we now grant freedom, and after exemplary penance for his sins against the Order, we will allow him to return home."
Such speech surprised some, for knowing Danveld and his old grudges against Jurand, they had not expected this honesty from him. So old Siegfried, and with him Rotgier and Brother Godfrey, looked at him, raising their eyebrows in astonishment and furrowing their brows, but he pretended not to see those questioning looks and said:
"We will send your daughter back under guard, and you will remain here until our guard returns safely and you pay the ransom."
Jurand himself was somewhat astonished, for he had already lost hope that even for Danusia his sacrifice could be of any use, so he looked at Danveld almost with gratitude and replied:
"God reward you, Komtur!"
"Recognize the knights of Christ," said Danveld.
To this Jurand: "Surely He is great in mercy! But since I have not seen my child for some time, allow me to see the girl and bless her."
"Well, and no otherwise than in front of all of us, so that there may be witnesses of our faith and grace."
Having said this, he ordered his personal squire to bring Danusia, and himself approached de Loewe, Rotgier, and Godfrey, who, surrounding him, began a quick and animated conversation.
"I do not oppose it, although you did not intend it," said old Siegfried.
And the hot-tempered Rotgier, famous for valor and cruelty, said: "What? You will let not only the girl but also that devilish dog go, so that he can bite again?"
"He won't bite that much yet!" cried Godfrey.
"Well!... he will pay a ransom!" replied Danveld carelessly.
"Even if he gives everything, in a year he'll plunder twice as much..."
"I do not oppose concerning the girl," repeated Siegfried, "but this wolf will yet cause the Order's lambs to weep."
"And our word?" asked Danveld, smiling.
"You spoke differently..."
Danveld shrugged.
"Was there not enough amusement for you?" he asked. "Do you want more?"
Others surrounded Jurand again and, in the feeling of glory that from Danveld's honest deed fell upon all the monastic men, began to boast before his eyes.
"Well, what, you bone-breaker!" said the captain of the castle archers: "Your pagan brothers would not have acted thus with our Christian knight!"
"And you drank our blood?"
"And we give you bread for a stone..."
But Jurand no longer paid attention to the pride or contempt in their words: his heart was overflowing, and his eyelashes were moist. He thought that in a moment he would see Danusia, and that he would indeed see her by their grace, so he looked at the speakers almost with contrition and finally replied: