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Updated: May 3, 2025
"None has taken it up," Rotgier continued, "because all saw that in his letter Jurand himself bears testimony for us, moreover they feared God's judgment, but a youth, the same we saw in the forest court, came forward and picked up the gauntlet. Do not wonder then, O pious and wise brother, for that is the cause of my delay in returning. Since I have challenged, I am obliged to stand.
He escaped with great difficulty, and wandered for several days in the forests, where he would have died of hunger or been destroyed by wild beasts, if by chance he had not reached Ciechanow, where he found Brothers Godfried and Rotgier. From the expedition he emerged with a feeling of humiliation and shame, and with a desire for vengeance and a longing after Bergow, who was his dear friend.
But Rotgier succeeded in throwing dust in the eyes of all, so that many were disquieted as to which had the truth on his side, and the prince himself partook of that fear. Therefore, on the evening before the combat, he summoned Zbyszko to a consultation at which was present the princess only, and asked: "Are you positive that God will be with you? How do you know that they captured Danusia?
But after a while Brother Rotgier turned toward Zygfried von Loeve, and said: "Your judgment and experience are equal to your bravery: what do you think about this plan?" "I think that the matter is worthy of consideration." "Because," said Rotgier further, "the girl is a lady-in-waiting with the princess the princess loves her as if she were her own daughter.
They were all amazed, and Rotgier, with the others, because none of them, except the prince and his wife, Father Wyszoniek and de Lorche, knew of Danusia's marriage; the Teutons moreover were confident that Jurand's daughter had no other natural defender besides her father; but at that moment de Lorche stood up and said: "Upon my knightly honor I vouch for the truthfulness of his words; should anybody dare to doubt it, here is my guage."
"Brother Rotgier has been killed...." Zygfried drew near the sleigh, upon which the corpse was stretched on straw and covered with a cloak; he lifted one end of it. "Bring a light," he said, whilst drawing aside the cowl.
For some time he only looked at the drawn yet still handsome face of Rotgier as though he were trying to discover in it traces of life. Then amid the dead silence in the chapel he began to call in suppressed tones: "Dear little son! Dear little son!" Then he remained silent; it seemed as though he were expecting an answer.
He only prevailed upon Rotgier to write a letter to the master and to Zygfried von Loeve, stating that he was the first to throw down the gauntlet to the Mazovian knights, in consequence of which he appeared at a combat with the husband of Jurand's daughter, who had already challenged him once before.
That was a great thing, that knight Rotgier, who conquered the strongest, fell by the hand of a comparative child." "Well, a fine child he is," said the princess, with a smile, "his valor is a safeguard in his travels.
Jurand's girl is yet alive because nobody has informed you of her death, while you already want to seize the orphan's dower, and requite your grievances with an orphan's bread?" "Lord, you admit the wrong," said Rotgier, "consequently right it according to what your princely conscience and your honest soul dictates."
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