LITMIR.BIZ

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seasoned so strongly with eggs, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and saffron, that the fragrance filled the whole room. In the meanwhile the fool Ciaruszek, sitting on a chair in the doorway, began to imitate the singing of a nightingale, of which the king was very fond. Then another jester went around the table, stopped behind the guests and imitated the buzzing of a bee so well, that some of them began to defend their heads. Seeing this, the others burst with laughter. Zbyszko had served the princess and Danusia diligently; but when Lichtenstein began to clap his baldhead, he again forgot about his danger and began to laugh. The young Lithuanian kniaz, Jamut, who was standing beside him, also laughed at this very heartily. The Krzyzak having finally noticed his mistake, put his hand in his pocket, and turning to the bishop, Kropidlo, said a few words to him in German; the bishop immediately repeated them in Polish.

      "The noble lord says to you," said he, turning toward the fool, "that you will receive two skojce; but do not buzz too near, because the bee is driven away, but the drones are killed."

      The fool took the two skojce given to him by the Krzyzak, and taking advantage of the license granted at all courts to the fools, answered:

      "There is plenty of honey in the province of Dobrzyn;[46] that is why it is beset with the drones. Drive them, King Wladyslaw!"

      "Here is a penny from me, because you have said a clever thing," said Kropidlo, "but remember that if the rope break, the beehive keeper break his neck.[47] Those drones from Malborg, by whom Dobrzyn is beset, have stings, and it is dangerous to climb to the beehives."

      "Owa!" exclaimed Zyndram of Maszkow, the sword bearer of Krakow, "one can smoke them out!"

      "With what?"

      "With powder."

      "Or cut the beehive with an axe," added the gigantic Paszko Zlodziej of Biskupice.

      Zbyszko's heart was ready to leap with joy, because he thought that such words betokened war. Kuno von Lichtenstein understood what was said, because during his long sojourn in Torun and Chelmno, he learned the Polish language; but he would not use it on account of pride. But now, being irritated by the words of Zyndram of Maszkow, he looked at him sharply with his grey eyes and said:

      "We shall see."

      "Our fathers saw at Plowce[48] and at Wilno," answered Zyndram.

      "Pax vobiscum!" exclaimed Kropidlo. "Pax, pax! If only the ksiondz[49] Mikolaj of Kurow, will give up his Kujawian bishopric, and the gracious king appoint me in his place, I will preach you such a beautiful sermon about the love between Christian nations, that you will sincerely repent. Hatred is nothing but ignis and ignis infernalis at that; such a dreadful fire that one cannot extinguish it with water, but is obliged to pour wine on it. Give us some wine! We will go on ops,[50] as the late Bishop Zawisza of Kurozwenki used to say!"

      "And from ops to hell, the devil says," added the fool Ciaruszek.

      "Let him take you!"

      "It would be more amusing for him to take you. They have not yet seen the devil with Kropidlo, but I think we shall all have that pleasure."

      "I will sprinkle you first. Give us some wine and may love blossom among the Christians!"

      "Among true Christians!" added Kuno von Lichtenstein, emphatically.

      "What?" exclaimed the Krakowian bishop Wysz, raising his head; "are you not in an old Christian kingdom? Are not our churches older than yours in Malborg?"[51]

      "I don't know," answered the Krzyzak. The king was especially sensitive where any question about Christianity arose. It seemed to him that the Krzyzak wished to make an allusion to him; therefore his cheeks flamed immediately and his eyes began to shine.

      "What!" said he, in a deep voice, "am I not a Christian king?"

      "The kingdom calls itself a Christian one," coolly answered the Krzyzak; "but its customs are pagan."

      At this many angry knights arose; Marcin of Wrocimowice, whose coat of arms was Polkoza, Florian of Korytnica, Bartosz of Wodzinek, Domarat of Kobylany, Zyndram of Maszkow, Powala of Taczew, Paszko Zlodziej of Biskupice, Jaxa of Targowisko, Krzon of Kozieglowy, Zygmunt of Bobowa and Staszko of Charbimowice, powerful and famous knights, victorious in many battles and in many tournaments. Alternately blushing and turning pale from anger, gnashing their teeth, they began to shout:

      "Woe to us! He is a guest and we cannot challenge him!"

      Zawisza Czarny, Sulimczyk, the most famous among the famous, "the model of knighthood," turned to Lichtenstein with a frown on his forehead and said:

      "I do not recognize you, Kuno. How can you, a knight, insult a mighty nation, when you know that, being an envoy, you cannot be punished for it."

      But Kuno quietly sustained the threatening look, and answered slowly and precisely:

      "Our Order, before it came to Prussia, fought in Palestine; even there the Saracens respected the envoys. But you do not respect them; that is the reason I called your customs pagan."

      At these words the uproar increased. Round the table again were heard shouts: "Woe! Woe!"

      But they subsided when the king, who was furious, clasped his hands in the Lithuanian fashion. Then the old Jasko Topor of Tenczyn, castellan of Krakow, venerable, grave and dreaded on account of the importance of his office, arose and said:

      "Noble Knight of Lichtenstein, if you, an envoy, have been insulted, speak, and severe punishment will be given quickly."

      "It would not have happened to me in any other Christian country," answered Kuno. "Yesterday on the road to Tyniec I was attacked by one of your knights, and although he could very easily recognize by the cross on my mantle who I was, he attempted my life."

      Zbyszko, having heard these words, became very pale and involuntarily glanced at the king, whose anger was terrible. Jasko of Tenczyn was surprised, and said:

      "Can it be possible?"

      "Ask the Pan of Taczew, who was a witness of the incident."

      "All eyes turned toward Powala, who stood for a while gloomy, and with lowered eyelids; then he said:

      "Yes, it is so!"

      Hearing this the knights began to shout: "Shame! Shame! The earth will devour such a man!" Because of this disgrace some of them began to strike their chests with their hands, and others to rap the silver dishes, not knowing what to do.

      "Why did you not kill him?" shouted the king.

      "Because his head belongs to the court," answered Powala.

      "Have you put him in prison?" asked the castellan, Topor of Tenczyn.

      "No. He is a wlodyka, who swore on his knightly honor, that he would appear."

      "But he will not appear!" ironically exclaimed Kuno, raising his head.

      At that moment a young voice resounded behind the Krzyzak:

      "I did it; I, Zbyszko of Bogdaniec!"

      After these words the knights rushed toward the unhappy Zbyszko; but they were stopped by a threatening nod from the king who began to shout in an angry voice, similar to the rattling of a carriage rolling over the stones:

      "Cut his head off! Cut his head off! Let the Krzyzak send it to Malborg to the grand master!"

      Then he cried to the young Lithuanian prince standing near.

      "Hold him, Jamont!"

      The frightened Jamont put his trembling hands on Zbyszko's shoulders.

      But the white-bearded castellan of Krakow, Topor of Tenczyn, raised his hand as a sign that he wished to speak; when everybody was quiet, he said:

      "Gracious king! Let this comthur be convinced that not only your impetuous anger, but our laws will punish with death any who insult an envoy. Otherwise he will think that there are no Christian laws in this country. To-morrow I will judge the offender."

      The last words he said quietly and as though no one could change his decision. Then he said to Jamont:

      "Shut

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