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Think, pious brother, what an uproar will arise." But Hugo von Danveld began to laugh: "You said yourself, that Shomberg poisoned or strangled Witold's whelps, and what happened to him? They will raise an uproar about anything we do; but if we sent Jurand in chains to the grand master, then it is certain that we could expect reward rather than punishment."
"Your daughter is in the power of the brethren, and under the care of Shomberg and Markward," replied the sister, meaningly. "Robbers, poisoners, hangmen!" burst forth Jurand. "Who are able to avenge us and who said at our departure: 'Should he not comply with all our orders, it would be far better that the girl should die, as Witold's children died. Choose!"
But the most interest was excited among the knights by Witold's affairs. They told marvelous tales about the magnificence of that cradle, made of sterling silver, which the Lithuanian princes and bojars had brought as a present from Witold and his wife, Anna. Macko told about the proposed enormous expedition against the Tartars.
Through her they wished to capture Jurand, and then murder him, and together with him, in order to hide the fraud and the crime must assuredly murder the girl also. They had threatened her already with the same fate that Witold's children met, in case Jurand should dare to complain.
We will tell him: 'Your daughter is watched by Brother Shomberg; if you say a word, remember what happened to Witold's children!" "And then?" "Then von Bergow will be free and the Order also will be free from Jurand." "No!" exclaimed Brother Rotgier; "everything is planned so cleverly that God ought to bless our enterprise."
"Bah! even ten Knights of the Cross were killed, because they were obliged to serve in Witold's army. Many of our people perished, because they, you know, never run away. Kniaz Witold had the greatest confidence in our knights and he wanted a guard of them round him during the battle, exclusively Poles. Hi! Hi! Great havoc was made among them; but he was not touched!
"Ah!" said Brother Rotgier, "if we had Markward Salzbach with us, or Shomberg who killed Witold's whelps, he would find some remedy against Jurand. Witold was the king's viceroy and a grand duke! Notwithstanding that, Shomberg was not punished. He killed Witold's children, and went scot-free! Verily, there is great lack among us of people who can find a remedy for everything."
Therefore now, after Zbyszko's lucky deliverance, they were discussing this matter at the house of the merchant, Amylej. They had money enough to redeem the land they possessed quite a fortune gathered from the booty, from the ransoms paid by the knights captured by them, and from Witold's presents. They had received great benefit from that fight with the two Fryzjan knights.
If he were a prisoner, he could pay his ransom himself, because his riches were enormous, and he also held in fief the whole Podole from King Wladyslaw. But the defeat of Witold's army might prove ruinous to the whole of Jagiello's empire. Nobody knew when the Tartars, encouraged by the victory over Witold, might now invade the lands and cities belonging to the grand dukedom.
"There are some beautiful ones," he said. "Ryngalla was charming." "Who is Ryngalla? Quick!" "What? you haven't heard about Ryngalla?" asked Macko. "We have not heard a word." "She was Witold's sister, and the wife of Henryk, Prince Mazowiecki." "You don't say! Which Prince Henryk? There was only one Prince Mazowiecki, elect of Plock, but he died." "The same one.
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