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Let her take somebody else...." Here, the figures of Wills of Brzozowa, and young Cztan of Rogow passed through his mind, and suddenly a disagreeable feeling crept over him, because the girl might fall into the hands of one of them, and he said to himself: "I wish I could find some better man, for those fellows are beer-gulpers and gourmands, and the girl is upright."
Occupied with such thoughts, the road from Brzozowa seemed to be shortened, yet he arrived at Bogdaniec after nightfall, and was surprised to see his windows brightly illuminated. The servants, too, were awake, for he had scarcely entered the courtyard when the stable boy came rushing to him. "Are there some guests?" asked Macko, dismounting.
"He was fighting about them with Wilk of Brzozowa and it seems that the abbot defeated Wilk. A year ago they were going to fight on horseback with spears and long swords for this part of the forest; but I do not know how it ended because I went away." "Well, we are relatives," said Macko, "he will not quarrel with us."
We cannot do it, it is the king's affair. It may be soon or not ... God only knows. But meanwhile I must go to them." "Is it not with ransom for Zbyszko?" As his father mentioned Zbyszko's name young Wilk's face became pale with hatred. But Macko replied quietly: "May be with ransom but not for Zbyszko." These words intensified the curiosity of both lords of Brzozowa.
And the Bohemian flushed, and then turned somewhat pale and replied: "For her, lord!" "And how do you know that she has not got married to Cztan of Rogow, or to Wilk of Brzozowa?" "The lady has not got married at all," firmly answered the warrior. "The abbot may have ordered her." "The abbot obeys the lady, not she him." "What do you wish then? Tell the truth to her as well as to all."
As for me, as soon as the Lord Jesus restores my health, I will try to induce some of the peasants living on the estate of Wilk of Brzozowa, to settle on my land. I will offer them more land, I have plenty of it in Bogdaniec. They can come if they wish to, for they are free. In time, I will build a grodek in Bogdaniec, a worthy castle of oaks with a ditch around it.
I would chase them back home and even attack them in Rogow or Brzozowa. Father knew very well that he could go to the war and leave me home alone." Speaking thus, she frowned, and shook the crossbow threateningly, so that Zbyszko began to laugh, and said: "You ought to have been a knight and not a girl." She becoming calmer, answered: "Cztan guarded me from Wilk and Wilk from Cztan.
But she began to smile through her tears, and to look at the abbot as if she wished to ask him how he knew it. Meanwhile, Zbyszko having returned to Krzesnia, went directly to the priest, because he really wished to have a mass read for Macko's health; after having settled about that, he went to the inn, where he expected to find young Wilk of Brzozowa, and Cztan of Rogow.
But the old experienced Macko, well knowing the people and their customs, did not interfere in the least, he did not even reach his hand to his sword. He only put his hands on his hips, and said quietly in a somewhat sarcastic voice: "How is it? Is this the kind of hospitality which the nobles in Brzozowa practice?"
I know that there are good knights among the Germans; but I think that it will take a very good one to defeat Zbyszko. See how he routed Cztan of Rogow and Wilk of Brzozowa, although they are said to be dreadful boys and as strong as bears. He will bring his crests, but he will not bring Jurandowna." "But when will he return?" "Bah I if you are not willing to wait, then you will not be wronged.
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