CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND GIVEN IN 1891 BY HENP.Y WILLIAMS SAGE Cornell University Library PG 7158.S57K92 1899 Knights of the cross / 3 1924 026 811 947 Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://archive.org/details/cu31 92402681 1 947 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS AN HISTORICAL ROMANCE By Henryk Sienkiewicz Author of ''(:i^O VADIS" BY special arrangement with Henryk Sienkiewicz, autlior of "Quo Vadis," we publisli his new and powerful historical romance, " The Knights of the Cross," now running as a serial in Poland. It is translated with the author's sanction and approval by Jeremiah Curtin, whose wonderful translations of " Quo Vadis," " With Fire and Sword," " The Deluge," " Pan Michael," etc., have made the name of Sienkiewicz famous throughout the English-speak- ing world. The first half of the story is now ready, and we have received from Mr. Curtin the larger part of the second half, upon which, however, the author is still at work. The concluding portion and the complete story will be published exclusively by us as soon as the author has finished the work, and in advance of any other publication. LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY PUBLISHERS The Novels and Historical Romances of HENRYK SIENKIEWICZ Author of "QVO VADIS." Jeremiah Curtin's Standard Unabridged Translations, Issued with the Author's Approval LIBRARY EDITION WITH FIRE AND SWORD - An Historical Novel of Poland and Russia. Illustrated. Crown 8vo. Cloth. $1.50. THE DELUGE. An Historical Novel of Poland, Sweden, and Russia. A sequel to "With Fire and Sword." •', vols. Crown 8vo. Cloth, jfj.oo. PAN MICHAEL. An Historical Novel of Poland, Russia, and the Ukraine. A sequel to " The Deluge." Crown 8 vo. Cloth. I1.50. " QUO VADIS." A Narrative of Rome in the Time of Nero. Illus- trated. Crown 8vo. Cloth. J1.50. CHILDREN OF THE SOIL. Crown 8vo. Cloth. $1.50. HANIA, AND OTHER STORIES. With Portrait. Crown 8vo. Cloth. Si. 50. SIELANKA, AND OTHER STORIES. With Frontispiece. Crown 8vo. Cloth. §1.50. WITHOUT DOGMA. Translated by Iza Young. Crown 8vo. Cloth. $1.50. In all g vols. Crown 8vo, cloth, $13.50; half calf or half morocco, gilt top, $29.25. POPULAR EDITION " QUO VADIS." With illustrations. t vol. 75 cents. WITH FIRE AND SWORD. Illustrated, i vol. 75 cents. THE DELUGE, z vols. I1.50. PAN MICHAEL, i vol. 75 cents. The above five volumes, izmo, cloth, extra, in box, $3.75. WITHOUT DOGMA. Popular Edition. izmo. Cloth. $1.00. IN VAIN. i6mo. Cloth. $1.15. LET US FOLLOW HIM. i8mo. Cloth. 30 cents. YANKO THE MUSICIAN, AND OTHER STORIES. i6mo. Cloth. $1.25. LILLIAN MORRIS, AND OTHER STORIES. i6mo. Cloth. j!i.25. ON THE BRIGHT SHORE. i6mo. Cloth. 50 cents. "QUO VADIS." With 27 photogravure plates. 2 vols. Cloth. $6.00. THE KNIGHTS OF THE CEOSS. THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. BY HENRYK SIENKIEWICZ, AUTHOR OP "quo VADIS," "WITH FIEE AND SWOK0,' " CHILDEEN OP THE SOIL," ETC. AUTHORIZED AND UNABRIDGED TRANSLATION FROM THE POLISH BY JEEEMIAH CURTIN. FIRST HALF. BOSTON: LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY. 1900. Copyright, 1899, By Jeeemiah Cdetin. All rights reserved. SSuifattsitg Press: JoHH Wilson and Son, Camekidge, U.S.A. THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. CHAPTEE I. In Tynets, at the Savage Bull, an inn which belonged to the monastery, were sitting a number of persons, listening to the tales of a veteran warrior, who had come from distant parts, and was relating adventures through which he had passed in war and on the road. He was a bearded man, in the vigor of life, broad shoul- dered, almost immense, but spare of flesh ; his hair was caught up in a net ornamented with beads ; he wore a leathern coat with impressions made on it by armor; his belt was formed entirely of bronze squares ; under this belt was a knife in a horn sheath ; at his side hung a short travelling- sword. Right there near him, behind the table, sat a youth with long hair and a gladsome expression of eye, evidently the man's comrade, or perhaps his armor-bearer, for he was also in travelling-apparel, and wore a similar coat, on which were impressions of armor. The rest of the society was composed of two country people from the neighborhood of Cracow and three citizens in red folding caps, the sharp- pointed tops of which hung down on one side a whole yard. The innkeeper, a German wearing a yellow cowl and collar with indented edge, was pouring to them from a pitcher into earthen tankards substantial beer, and listening with interest to the narrative of warlike adventures. But with still greater interest did the citizens listen. In those days the hatred which, during the time of Lokietek, distinguished citizens from knightly landowners, had de- creased notably; citizens held their heads higher than in later centuries. They were still called at that time " des aller durchluchtigsten Kuniges und Herren " ^ and their readi- ' See note at the end of Volume II. VOL. I. — 1 " 2 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. ' " ness ' ad concessionem pecuniarum (to pay money) was esteemed; hence it happened frequently that merchants were seen drinking in inns on the footing of lord brother with nobles. Nobles were even glad to see tbem, for mer- chants, as persons who possessed ready coin, paid usually for men with escutcheons. So this time they sat and conversed, winking from moment to moment at the innkeeper to replenish the tankards. "Then, noble knights," said one of the merchants, "ye have examijpd a piece of the world?" " Not man/ of those now assembling in Cracow from all parts have seen as much," answered the knight. "And not a few will assemble," continued the citizen. " Great feasts, and great happiness for the kingdom! They say, too, and it is certain, that the king has ordered for the queen a brocade bed embroidered with pearls, and above it a canopy. There will be festivals and tournaments within barriers, such as the world has not seen to this day." " Interrupt not the knight, Gossip Gamroth," said a second merchant. " I am not interrupting him, Gossip Eyertreter, but I think that he himself will be glad to know what people are saying, for surely he is going to Cracow. As it is, we shall not re- turn to the city to-day, for the gates would be closed before us ; and at night insects, hatched among chips, do not let people sleep, so we have time for everything." " But you answer one word with twenty. You are growing old, Gamroth." " Still I can carry a piece of damp cloth uuder my arm." " Oh, indeed ! but such cloth that light passes through it, as through a sieve." Further conversation was iuterrupted by the warrior. " It is sure," said he, " that I shall stop in Cracow, for 1 have heard of the tournaments, and shall be glad to try my strength in the lists, — and this nephew of mine here also, who, though young and beardless, has seen more than one coat of mail on the ground." The guests looked at the youth, who smiled joyously, and, when he had put his loug hair behind his ears with both hands, raised the tankard of beer to his lips. " Even if we wished to return," added the old knight, " we have no place to which we could go." "How is that ? " asked one of the nobles. "Whence are ye, and what are your names? THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 3 " I am called Matsko of Bogdanets, and this stripling is the son of my brother ; his name is Zb3'shko. Our shield is " the Blunted Horseshoe, with watchword Hail ! " " Where is your Bogdanets? " Oh, better ask me, lord brother, wliere it was, for it exists no longer. Even during the wars of the Grymaliti and Nalentchi our Bogdanets was burned to its foundations, and what we had there people took from us ; our serving-men fled. The place was left naked, for neighboring land-tillers went farther into the wilderness. I with my brother, the father of this stripling, built up our castle anew, but the next year water swept it away from us. After that my brother died, and then I was alone with his orphan. ' 1 shall not stay here,' thought I. At that time people were talking of war, and of this, that Yasko of Olesnitsa, whom King Vladislav sent to Vilno to succeed Mikolai of Moskorzov, was seeking knights diligently throughout Poland. As I knew Yanko, the worthy abbot of Tulcha, I pledged my land to him, and with borrowed money bought arms and horses. I found for myself the out- fit usual in war, this lad, who was twelve then, I seated on a pony, and away to Yasko of Olesnitsa." "With this stripling?" " My dear, he was not even a stripling at that time, but he was a sturdy little fellow. At twelve he could put his cross- bow on the ground, press with his stomach, and so turn the bow crank that no Englishman whom we saw at Vilno could do better." " " Was he so strong? " He carried my helmet at twelve, and when thirteen win- ters old he carried my shield." " " Then there was no lack of wars there? " Thanks to Vitold, there was not. The prince was im- prisoned by the Knights of the Cross, and every year they sent expeditions to Lithuania against Vilno.