"Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen challenges Your Majesty Lord, and Duke Witold to mortal battle" "And in order to rouse your courage, which seems to fail you sends you these two naked swords" "THE KNIGHTS OF THE TEUTONIC ORDER" " Whom are you carrying with you?" " Who are you?" "Out of the way!" "Lower your lance, knave" " This is Count Jurand of Spychow" " Save us, oh Lord" "We are merchants from Plock." "We carried grain from the mill" "They broke the Order's laws" "Traffic is allowed here only upon the consent of Commander Zygfryd de Lowe" "I am the master here." "Let them go" "Out of the way!" "Out of the way!" "Out of the way!" "Pious Commander." "We detained the Polish carts loaded with grain" "But we were attacked later on" " By whom?" " By Jurand of Spychow" "Father, give us your permission" "Danusia." "Danusia" "Danusia!" "Close the gates." "The gates" "It's raining." "It's raining" "Thank you, oh Lord, for saving us" "Open the gates" "Teutonic Knights" " Are you Jurand's woman?" " I am master of Spychow's wife" "Mother." "O, my mother" "Mother!" "I will take vengeance over you, my wife." "I will" " You there, innkeeper" " Yes, sir?" "Clear the tables and bring in the candles Duchess Anna Danuta is stopping here for a rest" "Magda, Magda, clear the tables." "Out with you, beggars." "Go away!" "This company is too distinguished for us" "Let us go" "Be seated, young boar" "It is not too distinguished for us." "We are gentle-folk" "Hey, Danusia rejoice our hearts with the same song you sang at Zator" " Who is that?" " A maiden from the duchess' court" "I thought she was an angel." "What do they call her?" "Danusia." "Her father is Jurand of Spychow." "She is an orphan" "Why, Jurand is still alive" "The Knights of the Teutonic Order killed her mother" "Jurand was out hunting when they came to Spychow" "A German with a peacock feather on his helmet tied her to his saddle" "She turned pale and died on the rope" "There is Danusia's knight" "Thank you" "Worshipful lady, I wish to make my vow to that maiden" "Do you wish her to be your lady?" "But who are you?" "That is my nephew, worshipful lady, Zbyszko of Bogdaniec" " And you, sir?" " I am Macko of Bogdaniec" "We were in Lithuania, fighting under the command of your brother, Duke Witold" " Were you wounded?" " No." "But we took splendid booty" "Are you not boasting by any chance?" "Let us see that booty" "Fighting the knights from the Frisian country we made an agreement" "Whoever wins should take the wagons and cuirass of the defeated there were few suits of armour and costly garments for my nephew" "Do you want him to be your knight, Danusia?" "I do" "I vow to tear some peacocks crests from the German helmets like those of the knight who killed your mother had, and lay them at your feet" " Foolish you are, young boar" " I have vowed" "The only way to get booty is to fight under Duke Witold against the Tartars" "I have to get German crests." "Where shall I find them among the Tartars?" "You will find captives there" "Who will cultivate the land in Bogdaniec?" " I have vowed" " Because you are stupid" "Duchess Ryngalla poisoned the duke and she was absolved" " We have enough money" " I have vowed" "Where will you find the German crests?" "Where?" "Lower your lance..." "Madman." "It is Grand Master's envoy to our majesty the king" " Who are you?" " I am Powala of Taczewo, you fool" "You insulted our king." "You'll pay for that with your head" "I welcome thee, dear Duke and Duchess of Mazovia" "I welcome thee, dear brother Lingwen, Duke of Mscislaw and Nowogrod" "I welcome thee, noble envoys of the Grand Master" "I welcome thee gracious fathers and all the guests at our court in Cracow the Ruthenian boyars and the Polish Knights" "Try to win the king's heart." "It is up to him to pardon you or cut your head off" "That wild Lithuanian drinks only mare's milk" " Don't you drink, Gracious Lord?" " No." "Springwater only" "Thus, you give a good example, Gracious Lord" "A still better one is given by those who act nobly" "That is you, Gracious Lord" "His most worshipful Majesty, the Grand Master of the Blessed Virgin order aimed to let Your Majesty know gracious King, with all due respect and esteem that not only the Lithuanians but also many Poles help the rebelling pagans in Samogitia" "Our people and the people from Ruthenia..." "We have privileges from the Holy Father" "His Holiness Urban IV gave his consent to the Order of the Blessed Virgin to sell agricultural products, but not for profit" "We vowed poverty as monks but our Order is compelled to fight with pagans" "The Order builds castles, mills" "Who can say there is no order and fear of God in the lands belonging to us?" "Order and fear of God?" "And on the border, steady confusion and fires" "But in our land we hold Christian laws in esteem." "We do not insult the envoys" "Whom are you referring to, noble knight?" "Has somebody insulted you in Poland?" "I did, Gracious Lord" "If the Teutonic Knight demands punishment, let there be punishment" "But Zbyszko is the last in our line." "If he is no more, we shall be no more" "Allow me, sir, to give my head for his" "Law crushes the guilty, but it is not a dragon which laps the blood of a man without looking whose it is" "What about the Teutonic Knights' justice?" "Samogitia." "Swords, robbery" " They have privileges granted" " Let's fight them!" "It is the booty you are after" "We will not expose Poland to a conflict with the Order of the Blessed Virgin" "Thus you will cut off my nephews' head?" "We will." "We shall act according to the law" "Ask Lichtenstein for mercy." "Only he can withdraw his complaint" "That is true." "I was wearing my suit of armour" "Thus, you could have defended yourself, sir" "It is a suit of armour one wears only when paying solemn visits" "Piercing this metal plate with a blade would surely deprive one of his life" "Was it your intention to kill Squire von Lichtenstein?" "It was." "As long as he was alive I could not get the crest" "But I called to him from a distance to lower his lance" "If he had called that he was an envoy, I would have left him in peace" "True." "Why did he not call out?" "Can you swear on the Passion of our Lord that you did not see his cloak and the cross?" "I cannot." "I should certainly not have attacked our knight" "I knew it was a Knight of the Teutonic Order" "How could there be any other Teutonic Knight in the vicinity of Cracow, except for an envoy or one of his colour?" "Commander von Lichtenstein" " Pardon him" " I do pardon him" "From the bottom of my heart, as a servant of Christ and a monk" " Praise be to him" " But I am here as an envoy" "So he who has wronged an envoy, has insulted the Order and insulted Christ Himself" "And such a wrongdoing I cannot forgive" "Kneel down" "God... be merciful to me" "The noble Zbyszko of Bogdaniec is condemned by the Castellan's sentence to be beheaded with the sword" " Danusia" " Don't be mournful." "The Castellan agreed to postpone the execution" " What good will it do?" " Isn't it hard for you?" "One week sooner, one later..." " What is the weather like outside?" " The sun is shining" "Almighty God!" "If I could mount a horse and ride through the vast fields!" "It is hard for you..." "Sing me a song" "If I could be saved, my maiden..." "We have to go, my lady" "The duchess wrote a letter to the Grand Master" "The king will pardon you if the Grand Master intercedes in your favour" "Macko went to Malbork with the letter." "May he only arrive in time" "Stop." "It is not a Saracen." "Are you a Christian?" "I am." "Honestly like a knight and you are like a robber" "I am Fulko de Lorche from Lorraine and I joined the Order to fight the Saracens" "I thought there are no fools in Lorraine." "Saracens here?" "You stupid man." "We have been Christians for ages" "What about the Mazurians?" "Don't make a fool out of me" "I have been shown wooden Mazurian idols in Malbork" "Let me give him the last blow." "He is a Mazurian" "To arms!" "Jurand!" "Kill them" "Help me." "Jesus Christ" "Jesus Christ, please help me" " Spare him." "He's not a Teutonic Knight" " He fought against us" "Who are you?" "Macko of Bogdaniec." "Whom have I to thank for the rescue?" "I am Jurand of Spychow" "Jesus..." " Who are you?" " De Bergow." "You must know about me" "The pious Commander of Szczytno will offer a ransom for me" " We are in Spychow" " You are Jurand" "I don't take ransoms" "No Teutonic Knight will leave this place on his own feet" "Bind him in chains and put him in the dungeon" " And what about him, sir?" " I am Count de Lorche" "He is not a Teutonic Knight." "He is a knight from Lorraine" "They came here to fight Saracens." "You offered him to me, sir" "What will you do with him?" "My nephew's life is in the hands of the Grand Master" "I was on my way to Malbork with a letter from the Duchess of Mazovia and he wounded me" "Let him pay for it now" "A splinter is sticking between your ribs." "There's not much time left for you" "I cannot help it..." "I must go to Cracow" "Now I shall not escape death." "They'll cut off my head" "Most certainly." "But don't be mournful" "I will have such an oak coffin made for you that even the lords of the crown have no better" "I won't even allow them to behead you on the same cloth they use for the townsfolk" "I have already agreed with the merchant Amyley to give you a quite new one, scarlet good enough for the king to use to line his fur coat with" "And I won't grudge you masses." "Never fear" "God reward you, uncle" " Uncle?" " Yes, Zbyszko?" " I want you to make me a promise" " A promise?" "When they cut my head off, take a mighty woman for yourself" "What?" "Are you mad?" "You said it yourself." "Our line must not die out" " Look." "Do you see?" " Do you spit blood like that all the time?" "A splinter two inches long is sticking between my ribs" "I am going to die before winter comes" " Only you yourself can save your life" " What?" "Have you heard about Duke Witold?" "How he was imprisoned in Krewa and escaped disguised in women's clothes?" "Now, take my leather jacket, take my hood and go, understand?" "Here you have the ransom the Teutons paid for this de Lorche from Lorraine..." "Then they'll cut off your head instead of mine" "Good for them." "I'll die anyway in two or three weeks' time" " Take it" " I won't do that" "I wish you had never been born" "Listen it was not a shame for Duke Witold to escape in that way it will not be a shame for you" "Duke Witold is a grand duke" "He has received a crown from the king's hands, he has wealth and lordship" "And I, poor nobleman, have nothing but my honour" "Don't you understand that I love you and won't give your head for mine?" "May the cross-wolves perish if children are to be executed through them" "Shame, shame..." "Stop!" "Stop!" "He doesn't belong to the headman." "He's mine, he's mine" "She threw her veil over him." "It's an old custom." "He is hers" "Let's go to the castle." "To the Castellan" "Pagan country, pagan customs" "It is true." "Such ancient customs exist" "But it is more suited to the robbers of the Carpathian foothills and to the simple folk" "Ask Father Stanislaw, he knows everything about laws and customs" "One should have asked the Grand Master" "It was his envoy who was insulted" "The ancient, folk customs became law" "Gracious Duchess." "The betrothal must take place at once if I am to honour this custom" "Gracious Duke, we offer these humble gifts to you, the truly Christian lord and our Order's friend" "Don't bear a grudge because of the petty conflicts and quarrels and the inconsiderate and passionate deeds committed by youngsters" "You may assure the Grand Master we are his true friends and defenders of our common faith" "The pious Grand Commander Zygfryd de Lowe of Szczytno wants to lodge a complaint to be considered by your Serene Highness not because of "youngsters"" "Jurand of Spychow, your Serene Highness, attacked our people" "He slaughtered and wounded many." "He took brother de Bergow captive" "We have here the noble witness, Lord Fulko de Lorche from Lorraine who is the Order's guest" "He has also been cruelly injured by Jurand..." "Who is this most beautiful maiden in the world?" "Fascinating indeed" "She is the daughter of Jurand, the man who aimed to kill you" "Hot paternal blood" "Against a girl like that I'll fight most gladly" "Border disputes... the pious knight de Love accuses the Count of Spychow while the noble Jurand accuses the Grand Commander of Szczytno" "It is not only this complaint we ask you to consider, your Serene Highness" "The Grand Master would like to get acquainted with your opinion concerning the alliance of King Jagiello with the heathens" "And with the schismatics from Ruthenia as well" "The Grand Master sends you this holy relic the same the gracious Duchess asked for the forefinger of St. Onufry who died a glorious death, killed by the pagans" "I told you to go with this mission to Cracow and to negotiate there" " The Duke of Mazovia is benevolent" " But he will not give us Jurand" " Jurand will beg at our gates, my father" " What have you said, my son?" "I said, my father, Jurand will come to us on his knees to get his daughter back" " I do not understand" " Do you want to kidnap his daughter?" "She is the daughter of the most rancorous enemy of the Order" "You barely escaped him with your own life" "It does not agree with the knightly gospel and honour" "We are destined to live on the borders, in forests" "Doomed is the one who is not able to repay a blow with a blow" "Listen." "She is still a child." "Don't force me to warn them" " You will not do it, sir" " I will, so help me God..." "You won't..." "Give him the last blow..." "It is not necessary after I worked upon him" "Proceed, sir, I will join you" "Forgive him, Lord Jesus, his sins and grant him everlasting rest" "Why, oh Lord, to spread Thy rule to defend Thy home, we have to make so much injustice" "You will certainly not bring me alive to Bogda..." " Water..." " Stampeding horses!" "To the woods!" "To the woods!" "You intruded unnecessarily, I would have managed" " Hlawa." "Take the horse" " Zych" "Zych..." "At last..." "Good gracious" "Thus, you returned to your Bogdaniec" " I did, didn't I, just to die here" " What is wrong?" "Jagna, it's our neighbour Macko of Bogdaniec" "Come here" " Who is that?" " Did you not recognise Zbyszko?" "Zbyszko?" "Jagna, come here" "Quickly." "Give him a kiss, for old times' sake" "Am I already at death's door, Father?" "I tried to pull out the splinter, but I failed" " He failed." "Zych?" " Yes, brother?" "Do you have much land of your own?" "Thanks to good husbandry three malets and about 50 men" "And Jagna?" "Jagna, how old is she?" "She is now so attracted to boys that when she sees them she rubs one knee against the other" "Zych, you lied, you have 70 men" " What is that to you?" " If Zbyszko takes your Jagna..." "Well, well." "Let me hear your confession, it may be too late later" "Tell me the truth, as in the face of God." "How many men have you?" " Will he live, sir?" " God willing" "But the priest advised to try to heal him with bear's fat" "Hlawa." "Have you brought bear's fat?" " No, my lady." "The dogs ate it all up" " I will look for some in the tree-hives" "I've been told I could easily find one there" "It's dangerous." "Take our Hlawa with you" "To frighten the bear away?" "No" "God have mercy..." "Use your axe" " Who are you?" " Jagienka" "I don't know what would have happened if it was not for you" "Leave me alone." "Will you?" "A lad of ours also went with a fork and an axe and the bear tore him to pieces" "Thus, I went after you" " Then it was you there under the pines?" " Yes" "There cannot be another girl like you in the world" " You ought to go to the war" " Don't laugh at me" "Wait." "We'd better get a beaver at once because when the wound opens you have to stop it with beaver's fat and the sickness will leave him" " Where are the beaver's lodges?" " Come" "Did you heard me sing, when you laid in wait for the bear?" " It was you?" " Yes" "These woods belong to Cztan of Rogow" " The man who would like to marry you?" " If only I would let him!" "I've been told that Cztan grinds his teeth at Wolf your other neighbour who would like to marry you too" "Oh, yes" " Foolish lads" " Why?" "When your father was away one of them should have taken you from Zgorzelice" "What if your father had come back and found you with a child?" "Let them try." "You think I don't know how to grasp a spear or a crossbow?" "I would have driven each of them home again and raided their villages" "If I were Cztan or Wolf, I would not be afraid of your father or you" " But I would have taken you" " You would have?" "Why should a girl fight with lads when she ought to marry" "Don't be stupid." "Be quiet" "There are the beavers, in the warm spring" " I've got it, I've got it" " I am going for it" "Don't." "The mud is deep." "Anyone unfamiliar with it will certainly drown" " Then how will you get it?" " Don't worry about it." "Let's go" "I've left my arrows in the willow." "Wait" " Hey, what a cunning girl you are" " Oh, go away" "Squeeze out the water from my plait" " And I was waiting for you like a fool" " Was I to undress in front of you?" " That would be something to marvel at" " Be quiet." "Take the beaver" "Give it" " Zbyszko" " Yes?" "I will marry neither Cztan nor Wolf" "God will give you the best man possible." "You will be worthy of him" "In a couple of weeks, Macko will be able to mount a horse" "I am waiting for that as for salvation." "It is hard for me to stay here" " Why?" " Were you told about Danusia?" "I heard something." "I know she covered you with a veil" "I know every knight vows some deed, even the married ones" " But this Danusia, who is she?" " I will tell you, as I would my own sister" "For her sake I would cross the ninth river and the ninth sea" "I will fulfil what I have vowed to her, unless I die first" " Is it true?" " It is" "I did not realise that." "Hlawa..." "May God reward you for everything, my girl" "Hlawa will help you to get the beavers." "I am going back home" "What the deuce!" "Who has killed him?" "Wait..." "He is still breathing." " It's not worth it." "He'll die in no time" " Let's help him" "Leave him." "If he recovers, it will bring us trouble" "And so his purse and sword..." "He'll reward us happily with the purse when he recovers, and besides we gain merit in heaven for rescuing a Christian." "Let's take him" "You fool." "It's a mere loss of time" "Go on." "Take him" "Perhaps he'll survive" "An urgent message for the gracious Duchess from the Count of Spychow" "Nothing but bad news." "A part of the fortalice had been burned in Spychow" "Jesus" "Father Kaleb writes, the Count of Spychow may recover but the sparks and coals so burned his only eye that little light was left in it and he is threatened with blindness" "That is why the Count of Spychow..." "summons Danusia to come to him for he wants to see her again before darkness overwhelms him" "He also humbly thanks the Duchess for raising the girl like a daughter and he promises that he would come to Ciechanow for Christmas to fall at the lady's feet and beg her favour and support for Danusia for the future" "Come nearer" "I do not know you." "Why hasn't Tolima come?" "He was injured in a recent fight with the Germans" "The Count begs for the swift return of his daughter since he may be blind soon" "Gracious lady, we have to go back as soon as the horses have rested" "We shall meet your neighbours, Cztan and Wolf, at Krzesnia" " Show them to me from a distance" " I will, Zbyszko" "They will meet you in front of the church." "What will they do?" "Attend me as best they know" "They will not attend to you today, understand?" "That's them" " What now?" " Well, what?" " Shall we at once..." " How can you fall on him in church?" "Not in church but after Mass" "That's her father." "Do you remember what he said?" "If we started a fight he would banish us from Zgorzelice" "If it were not for that, I would have broken your ribs long ago" "Or I yours" "Let's better break his together" " Let's do it" " After Mass" "Hurry up" " Woe is me" " To the inn" "I have to pay for the mass for my uncle's health." "I'll go back" " We'll send money from Zgorzelice" " I have to go back" "Go." "God be with you" "If either of you two denies that the most beautiful and virtuous girl in the world is Danusia Jurand of Spychow's daughter I will challenge him to fight on horseback or on foot, until death" "What?" "You dog's brother." "Jagienka is not the most beautiful" "He is mocking" "That's what you knights are like?" " Jesus Christ be praised" " For ever and ever" "Where is Zbyszko?" "He went back to the church." "He forgot to pay for the Mass" "Daddy." "Perhaps we will send a couple of lads to Krzesnia?" " What for?" " The quarrel has broken out there" "What quarrel?" "Whom is he to fight with?" "Cztan and Wolf, he'll fight for me" "If so, let them fight" " You've done it quickly, how was it?" " I just paid for the Mass" " Haven't you been in the inn?" " I have" " Well, and what happened?" " Nothing" "Now my uncle feels better, I shall go to Mazovia" " To Danusia?" " I have vowed" "You vowed to get a peacock's crest" "I vowed to take her for my wife." "God grant you health and all the best" " Jesus Christ be praised" " For ever and ever" " I am your servant, my Lord" " My servant?" "Lady Jagienka of Zgorzelice gave me to you" " Go back home." "I don't want you" " I will not go back, sir" "I am a prisoner of war from Boleslawice." "I was given to you" " Thus, you are mine?" " Yours, my Lord" "Then, I order you to go back" "Lady Jagienka sent you this too" "Go away." "Do you want me to break your bones?" " What is your name?" " In Czech, Hlawa." "In Polish, Big Head" "Give me the cape" "Christians, save a servant of God" "Whoever you are, sir, help a servant of God" "Who are you?" "Sanderus." "My horse ran away, I was left alone without weapons" "A wild beast may appear any moment in the forest" "I shall perish if you do not save me" "Give him a horse" "May God multiply your victories, valiant knight" "Hey, innkeeper." "We want to wait until the snowstorm is over" "Welcome travellers from far away" "Get out of here" "I am dead-cold." "Order a flask of wine for me" "For two or three gulps, I shall excuse you a month in purgatory" "He looks like a drunkard" "Beware of everlasting damnation." "You are speaking to a man who ate hard-boiled eggs with the Holy Father last Easter" "How can you write me off a month of purgatory if you are not ordained?" "I have obtained permission to sell pardons and relics" " Where are you from?" " Under the Prussian lords, from Malbork" "You speak our language well What do they call you?" "I am a German and my name is Sanderus" "I was born at Torun, where all folk speak like that" "Even the brothers of the Order understand your language" "Innkeeper." "Bring warm beer" " Is it long since you left Malbork?" " Long enough" "I have been in the Holy Land then I returned to Malbork and now I carry the holy relics and pardons which pious Christians buy for their soul's salvation" "Where have you got those holy wares from?" "I have plenary pardons, pardons for 500 years, for 300 and cheaper ones, so that even poor people can buy them and thus shorten the pains of purgatory for themselves..." "I have pardons for past sins and for the future ones but I don't keep the money I get for them" "A piece of black bread and a drink of water is enough for me" "The remainder of what I get I take to Rome to help them to collect in time for a new crusade" "And these relics?" "Are they important ones?" "Such that it is not fitting even to talk of them without taking your hat off" "I have a shoe of the ass ridden on by the Holy Family on their flight into Egypt" "I have a feather from archangel Gabriel's wing which he lost during the Annunciation" "I have some of the oil in which the pagans boiled St. John" "I have a rung of the ladder Jacob saw in his dreams and a phial containing wind, which was blowing in the Bethlehem stable" "Is the storm over?" "Why, no, I suppose we will have to spend Christmas Eve here" "Saddle the horses." "Let's go" "It's very dangerous now, my Lord, the roads are buried in snow" "I have to reach the Duke of Mazovia before Christmas Eve" "They will wait, my Lord, and here we may lose our way and perish" "You can stay here, you drunkard" "I can't." "Who will defend my holy goods?" "Don't go, my Lord" " We rode off the highway" " I warned you" " Let's go" " The horses will not go on" "Everything is going wrong, my Lord." "One can't see the highway any more" "There is a man under the snow" "It will snow us over too, my Lord" "It will snow us over too, it will snow us over" "My Lord!" "My Lord!" "My Lord!" "My Lord!" "It will snow us over!" "Some men..." "light..." "There are some men there" " Hey!" " You there!" "Hey!" "Hey!" "Is anybody there?" "Who are you?" "The Duke of Mazovia's men." "We have been sent to help travellers" "Follow me, there are some people buried there" "It is Jurand" "Give me a torch" "Rub him with snow" "Gracious Lord." "Jurand of Spychow has been found under the snow" "You found him?" "Bring him here" "Danusia?" "We tried to find her." "Have you left her back at Spychow?" "I was going to her, to Ciechanow..." "Why, you have sent men with a letter for her." "Wake up!" "By God's mercy, where is my child?" "Listen." "There came an armed troop with a letter from you saying that you were injured during a fire" "Woe to me." "They have seized my child and they will destroy her" "Who?" "The Teutonic Knights... de Lowe Godfryd..." "Rotgier..." " Was it you who dug me out?" " With the others" " Are you going to help me now?" " Your daughter saved me from death" " Do you love her?" " I belong to her forever..." "Even if I have to bite Prussian castles with my teeth, I'll get her" "Do you know what the vengeance of the brothers of the Order is?" "And now to Spychow" "My Lord." "Some monks are waiting for you here" "They were bustling about Spychow." "They want to speak with you" " Who are you?" " Pilgrims" " Where from?" " From Szczytno" "Where is my child?" "He who sent us ordered us not to speak with you in the presence of witnesses" "I have no secrets before these men" "But we have." "If you bid them to stay we will have to depart" "Since it has to be so, you remain alone" "Your daughter was kidnapped by robbers" "With crosses on their cloaks?" "No." "But God blessed the brethren, they rescued her and now she is with them" "Where?" "Under the protection of the pious brother Szomberg" "Szomberg." "The one who strangled Witold's children" "He takes good care of her and she will not be harmed" "What have I to do to get her back?" " Humble yourself before the Order" " Silence!" " Have you a letter?" " No" "We say what we have to say" "Nothing evil will happen to your daughter." "The brethren will repay you good for evil if you satisfy their just demands" " What do they want?" " Brother de Bergow released" "I will release him" "And all the other prisoners you still have at Spychow" "I will not bargain for my child" "But that is not all" "To protect the good name of the Order, the brethren add another condition" "You will declare to the Duke and to the whole knighthood that it was robbers who kidnapped your daughter and that you had to pay a ransom to get her back" "It is true that robbers kidnapped my child and that I must pay a ransom to them to get her back" "You will say that you took a ransom from de Bergow to pay the robbers" "I have never taken a ransom" "For it was never a question of your child" "Or do something else" "You may come to Szczytno yourself for your daughter" "I?" "To Szczytno?" "For robbers may again kidnap her on the way and the suspicion will fall on the pious brethren" "Who will guarantee my return from Szczytno?" "The virtue of the brethren, their justice and piety" "I will come to Szczytno." "But both of you will stay here until my return and then you will go with Bergow and the prisoners" "You don't want to trust the monks so why should they trust you?" "Whoever you are, do not test my patience" "Say what you were ordered to say" "The brethren told us you have to go to Szczytno without saying a word" "Did they not tell you I would break you with a wheel in Spychow?" "Your daughter is in the hands of the brethren" "What did they want?" "Tell us" "Are you sick, my Lord?" "What news of Danusia?" "With what proposal have they come?" "With a ransom." "For de Bergow" "Where is Danusia?" "She is not with the Teutonic Knights" "Come closer" "He is destined for my daughter and thus he is to be lord here after my death" "You will serve him faithfully in peace and in war" "Have you heard?" "Dear God." "Why are you giving me Spychow already?" "I am giving you Danusia" "The hour of death is unknown" "Where is the master?" " What are your grace's commands?" " I ask you where the master is?" " He is gone" " Where to?" "I do not know." "He went heavily armed" "The highway will be on the right, beyond the woods and from the knoll you'll see the castle at once" "From the knoll, you say?" "The castle?" "You are not a German, sir, are you?" "They did not pay their taxes" "The brethren need a lot of money for the war with Samogitis" "After the war against the Samogitians is over, they will start another one" "Fishing is forbidden hunting too..." "The tax on milling if very high and if they find a quern in a hut, they don't even spare children or women" " Now you will find the way yourself" " I will" " God reward you, worshipful master" " God be with you" " Who is there?" " Jurand of Spychow" " Are you Jurand of Spychow?" " I am" "The pious Commander Zygfryd de Lowe bids me to say to you that as long as you do not dismount the gates will not be opened" "And your weapons are to be given up" "Now, by Order of the Commander you have to put on this horse sack to hang the scabbard of your sword from your neck by a rope... and to wait in humility at the gate until the Commander orders it to be opened" "My child" "On your feet, dog." "The Commander orders you to appear before him" " Are you Jurand of Spychow?" " I am" "The pious Commander bade me to bring you in." "Follow me" " Have you no weapons on you?" " I gave them all up" "Beware of bursting into anger." "You are under the force of the Commander" "See how the power of the Order conquers malice and pride" " God grants it may always do so" " You bit the Order like a dog" "God has caused you to stand before us like a dog with a rope round your neck" "Do not compare me with a dog, for you deprive of honour those who have fought with me and perished by my hand" "You still spit in pride" "I am deprived of pride" "By shaming my knighthood, you have shamed yourself" "Do not complain that you have been shamed" "Though you have been made a kennel man it is better to be the Order's kennel man than one of your knights" "By the Passion of the Redeemer and everlasting Salvation, give me back my child as you promised" " Who promised you?" " You did" "Commander" "The word of a Knight of the Order is to be esteemed as the word of God" "How so?" "Will you not only let the girl go but also this mad dog to bite us anew?" "I trusted Godfryd with this matter." "Be calm, my son" "Well, you wolf." "You lapped our blood and now we pay you good for evil" "I was hard on you but I was never treacherous" "Here you have your child" "This is not my daughter." "It is not her" "It is not your daughter?" "By St. Liborius of Paderborn it means it wasn't your child we rescued from the robbers for there is no other in Szczytno" "There is." "I heard her sing" "We are all witnesses that we are giving back the girl the robbers thought was Jurand of Spychow's daughter." "If that is not your daughter it is no fault of ours but the will of our Lord" "God looks upon your treachery" "By the wound of the Redeemer, by the hour of our death, ...give me back my child" "If we give her back to you it will be with a bastard of mine" "Spare him!" " On what are we taking counsel?" " On our defeat" "On what the Grand Master and the Chapter will say and on the means of preventing our actions from harming our Order" " It still smells of blood here" " I ordered the floor to be washed" "Where is brother Godfryd's body?" "In the chapel." "The brethren are chanting litanies" " Where are the other corpses?" " In the snow to get them stiffened" " Is Jurand alive?" " He is alive" "The soldiers wanted to finish him off but the Chaplain did not let them" "It was a fatal idea to kidnap Jurand's daughter" "Nobody will accuse us if the girl disappears" "Pure reason speaks through brother Rotgier's mouth" "Then even the Pope or the Roman emperor can take us to court" " What shall we do with the girl?" " Give her to me" "No, my son." "When the Order is in question, renounce pleasure" "Harden your hearts" "Godfryd was reached by the hand of God for he desired not only to avenge the wrongs of the Order, but also to satisfy his own lust" "The time is near when the Order will be put to severe test" "That is an evil night" "You, brother de Bergow, will go to the Grand Master of Malbork" "You have groaned in captivity with Jurand so they will more readily believe you" "Say that before we entangled this madman in a net he managed to kill nine men and among them brother Godfryd" " God grant him everlasting rest" " Amen" "And tell him that although we wanted to subdue an enemy of the Order yet none here was the first to draw sword against Jurand" "I shall tell everything my eyes have seen" "Are you quite certain Rotgier that nobody will learn the truth about Jurand's daughter?" "Besides Godfryd, the both of us and the woman servant who watches her nobody knows we have her here" "Godfryd ordered the men who brought her here to be hanged" "Good" "What will you do with Jurand's daughter?" "I shall do whatever the good of the Order may require" "Have you courage in your heart, my son?" "Can you doubt it?" "I do not doubt it" "For your valiancy, I love you more than anyone in the world" "Go then to Duke of Mazovia's court and tell him what happened here as we agreed between us" "That's dangerous" "It's for the good of the Order" "But what if Jurand survives and regains his freedom?" "Even though he regains his freedom he will never utter a word of complaint against the Order" "Mindful of the Divine command we did not want to slay him although he slew many of our men, first of all brother Godfryd" "At last we had to entangle him in a net then he raised the weapon and injured himself terribly" "That night people in Szczytno heard laughter and voices calling in the air the enemy of the Cross, the shedder of innocent blood, our Jurand" "You say you summoned Jurand to Szczytno?" "Yes, gracious lady, when we rescued the crippled girl from the robbers we thought it was Jurand's daughter" "How could you think that when you had seen Jurand's real daughter with me in Cracow?" "We monks do not raise our eyes to women" "Also, there were many maids with the gracious Duchess in Cracow" "How did you know about the kidnapping of Jurand's daughter?" "The audacity and godlessness of this deed made it known also among us" "It is strange you would take the idiot-girl for Jurand's daughter" "Perhaps Satan changed her" "But robbers could not imitate Jurand's seal or the writing of his priest." "Who could do that?" "An evil spirit." "These questions are like swords in my breast for suspicion is concealed behind them" "I ask you, did Jurand himself accuse us of this deed?" "His letter is available" "That is true, there is Jurand's letter concerning robbers" "See how the light of truth vanquishes darkness" "Reward our losses and our blood, my Lord." "He was your subject" "What do you want?" "Jurand attacked you in madness." "Have I to be responsible for it?" "My Lord, his land and fort in which he imprisoned servants of the Order, lie in your duchy" "Let at least that become, henceforth, the Order's property" "That payment will not bring our dead brothers to life but perhaps it will appease the divine anger and wipe out the disgrace" "Haven't you got enough?" "All these countries Eastern Pommerania, Prussia, the Chelmno county which belonged to us and are yours today" "Jurand's daughter is still alive" "For no-one has told us of her death and you want to rob her dowry" "Jurand shed the blood of the brethren of the Order" "You admitted the wrong, my Lord" "So recompense us as your ducal conscience and your spirit of justice bids you" "I come here as the Knight of the Most Holy Virgin ready to defend the honour of the Order with my own blood" "If there is anyone, despite what Jurand said who dares to suspect the Order of kidnapping his daughter let him take up this knightly gage and venture on the wager of God's judgement" "Is there anyone who will pick up that glove?" "I will" "Zbyszko of Bogdaniec" "I take God as my witness, you, my distinguished Lord and the whole knighthood of this land that I am innocent of this blood that will be shed" "They were men in combat according to law and custom in a knightly and proper manner" " Is he back?" " Not yet" "But don't trouble yourself, commander for it is a judgement of God" " Judgement of God?" " Brother Rotgier is a famous knight" " But he should already be here" " He will return covered in new glory" "Go and see who that is" "Take the body to the chapel" "Thus, they have sent him back" "Is brother Rotgier already in the chapel?" "Yes" "Tell Diederich to come here with the keys and the lantern..." "My coat" "Let him also bring a brazier with charcoal" "Dear son..." "And you wrote to me that he was almost a child..." "The whole arm" "Many times you raised it for the Order's glory and now a Polish axe has hewn it off" "The Lord did not bless you" "Perhaps he does not care anymore for our Order" "He has abandoned me also, although I have served Him my whole life" "No, no, this is not possible, for we are in the right" "Ours is the just cause" "I do love you my son, and you will never speak again" "Wait." "I will make you happy" "Ready?" "Once you told what brother Godfryd had ordered you to do and you lost your tongue" "So, I tell you, that if with a single movement you show what you have done by my order, I will have you hanged" "Do you understand?" "Go on" "On your knees, you dog" "Get out" "Light" "You were promised that you would go free but the tongue with which you blasphemed will be torn out" "Brother Rotgier is waiting." "I promised him to lay your right hand in his coffin" "You still have one eye left" "I only had you and now I have no-one" "Listen, dear son, I vow to you I will lay the hand which slew you on your grave or perish myself" "But before I get him I will make him suffer worse" "He will not see that girl again" "Who is there?" "Who is it?" "Who is it?" "Once I knelt under the headman's axe for I raised my sword against the Knights of the Order" "Let the headsman cut off my head because I am going to raise it again" "The Knights of the Order kidnapped Danusia" "They drew Jurand into a trap" "I will go alone and perish under their walls" "Let the world know about the wrongs done by them" "Order my head cut off but defend them, intercede for them with the Grand Master" "Stop it." "Have you proved Jurand and his daughter were lured into a trap?" " Who else could have done it, my lord?" " Have you any witnesses?" "Gracious lord, I have been informed that in the woods in Carpathia in a hut belonging to simple charcoal-burners Fulko de Lorche from Lorraine was lying wounded" "I sincerely apologise, worshipful king, I am not able to make due homage" "They stabbed me in my back and the wound has not healed" "What has this to do with kidnapping of Jurand's daughter?" "I testify, gracious lord, that the monks from Szczytno discussed the kidnapping of Jurand's daughter" "They stabbed me on the road like a wild boar because I wanted to prevent that mean trick" "Will you repeat it in the presence of the Grand Master?" "I witnessed here in Cracow against Jurand and now when the justice demands it I will witness against the monks from Szczytno..." "Gracious lord..." "Sir, accept my homage and my deep gratitude" "Are you Zbyszko of Bogdaniec?" "The most humble homage to the knight of the most beautiful girl in the world" "If you deny it I will have to challenge you to combat on foot or on horse" "Duchess Anna Danuta" "Who is she, that most beautiful lady in the world?" "Jagienka." "I can hardly believe my own eyes you look so beautiful." "How come you are in court?" "My father has died." "The duchess agreed most kindly to protect me but I am always longing for Zgorzelice" "Uncle, you are also here?" "I have always told you, young boar, that she is like a deer, haven't I?" "Noble Lord, the king asks you to come" "Excuse me, sir" "I have one more piece of bad news for you, my Lords" "The Knights of the Teutonic Order robbed the ships loaded with grain which we sent to Lithuania" "They spread rumours we supplied the Samogitians with arms" "What does Jungingen want?" "To sell our grain to the Lithuanians or start the war?" "Is war inevitable?" "Can we let them conquer Samogitia, Lithuania?" "Will they stop after that?" "The Order is an unconquered power" "True, we will perish if we allow them to surprise us in a single battle" "In alliance with Lithuania, Ruthenia and other peoples, we will win" "Gracious Lord have I to speak truly or beautifully?" "Do tell the truth, Castellan" "Do you bid us, my king, to enter into an alliance with pagans and eastern schismatics against the Order?" "Such plans do not correspond with a Christian leader" "To weaken the Order means to weaken Christianity" "You were to tell the truth, Castellan." "Do I want war?" "Who blocks the way to overseas countries for our grain?" "Who annexed Eastern Pommeranie?" "If war breaks out, it will be a most cruel one and that is why we already think about the necessary preparations" "But first we shall try to mitigate the matter" "Castellans, Gracious Lords we shall summon the Order to give us back the ships with grain" "Our envoys shall go to Malbork" "How you have changed..." "Sieur de Lorche would like to ask you, sir, whether that young lady is a mortal being or is she perhaps and angel?" "Tell Sieur de Lorche it is an angel who chose a devilishly beautiful bodily cover for the time it stay among the mortals" "Please, don't Zbyszko" "What about Danusia?" "Are there any news?" "I do not know..." "We are going to Malbork" "The Gracious Lord agreed that you join us" "Thank you, sir" " Uncle" " Yes..." " Jurand burdened me with Spychow" " Yes" "In case I did not come back from Malbork please go to Spychow and defend the castle..." "And who will dwell in Bogdaniec?" "Just look at him." "He has a girl, who would crush all the nuts spread on the bench if she sat on them!" "And he goes away into the world!" "I beg you to do me this favour" "If I am not back soon, go to Spychow" "The envoys of the Polish King to the Grand Master" "Welcome Polish Knights" "The envoys of the Polish King to the Grand Master" "The envoys of the Polish King to the Grand Master" "Brother, lead the noble Polish lords and conceal nothing" "Are these prisoners of war?" "These are wretched rebels, heretics and pagans" "They work here for the glory of God" "The envoys of the Polish King to the Grand Master" "My heart is full of joy, Gracious Lords that we sit together at one table, as it is fitting for good Christians..." "Let us not allow the Samogitians to incite war between the Order and your king..." "There is proof of all sorts of cruel outrages done by the brethren of the Order in Samogitia" "I have already said in Cracow, the imperial privileges are not outrages" "The charter says The Order of the Blessed Virgin is granted Lithuania, Prussia, Ruthenia and, in general all lands of the schismatics, which it can reach with its flags" "That emperor was very generous indeed where the property of others was involved" "May God forgive you this mockery" "The emperor on earth is God's deputy where secular power is involved" "His concern is to widen the areas of Christianity" "We pray for the soul and eternal peace for your queen Jadwiga." "As long as she was alive there was harmony between us" "The laws of the Holy Father were recognised and those of the emperors and their faithful servant, the Order, as well" "Let us pray for peace for those living on earth" "We are aware you prepare yourselves for war against the Order" "We know your king ordered big hunting to take place further, that salted meat in barrels be prepared for the army" "We ask you frankly, which side will you take when we proceed to Lithuania to defend our affairs to punish Samogitia for the godless rebellions" "It is the Order that is a menace to Samogitia and Lithuania" "Will you enter into an alliance with pagans?" "Pax, pax among Christians" "You are our guests" "We have good will to listen to your complaints and to consider them" "And it is our desire to entertain you with due respect" "We want to entertain you as neighbours and friends" "We have two infallible means to meet our enemies with a tower full of gold upstairs and iron which is forged downstairs" "Just look..." "The iron is excellent indeed..." "But you do a lot of harm with this iron" " The Order is pious and just" " You said just, right?" "And what fate met Jurand's daughter and that young knight?" "What about the outrage done to Sieur de Lorche?" "Does the Order have means to prevent it?" "Sir, proceed to the Grand Master and lodge your complaint" "And you also, sir" "Welcome, Sieur de Lorche" "How is that possible that we see you alive?" "We have been told by the Commander of Szczytno that you have been attacked on the way to Cracow and killed" "Brothers Rotgier and Godfryd attacked me because I wanted to warn the Duke of Mazovia and this knight of Bogdaniec that they were going to kidnap the daughter of Jurand of Spychow" "Brothers Rotgier and Godfryd are dead" "If they have done this crime against a guest of the Order Heaven has punished them justly" "But neither the maid nor her father have been found" "Jurand shed the knights' blood in Szczytno" "He must suffer the punishment he deserves" "Defenceless, he rushed upon people who kidnapped his daughter just as they once killed his wife" "Your people deprived him of everything dearest to him" "Various and wrong things happen on the borders" "There is plenty of wickedness on both sides" "I cannot believe that brothers from Szczytno acted in a way that did not conform to the vocation of monks and with the honour of German knights" "This matter has to be thoroughly investigated" "What about the annexation of ships for Lithuania." "You can't believe it either?" "These vessels shipped arms for Witold." "Weapons against the Order" " There were no arms there" " There were." "You can see it" "One weapon is like another" "You say the Order is lying?" "And do you believe your own words?" "We shall return to this problem tomorrow" "Concerning this girl, I shall give you a safe conduct letter to Szczytno and a monastery clerk, to accompany you" "Thank you, sir" " What is the matter with you, sir?" " I can't breathe" "I'm suffocating." "Take me out of here" "Have you heard the complaint of this young knight and Sieur de Lorche's testimony?" "Why do those who are posted on the border commanderies bring only shame upon the Order?" "Jagiello requests the return of the ships and the exchange of prisoners" "Jagiello enters into an alliance with the pagans" "Whoever raises to destroy the Poles, deserves salvation" "Christ, our Lord converted with words and not with swords" "I warn you, brethren, the Order proceeds in an unjust manner far too often" "There are rumours that the Prussians are rebelling" "German towns are rising against us" "Are we to wait till paganism and heresy absorb Christianity?" "Idleness means perdition" "Sometimes I think that war means perdition" "Because you are ill and weak, Gracious Brother" "We shall summon the most distinguished knights from all over Europe" "We shall make known that those who will destroy the Poles and their king will deserve eternal life" "What do you want?" "In God's name, war!" " War!" " War!" "War!" "I tell you once more in the last hour of my life if the good of the Order is the concern of yours, be patient" "Do not make war now" "Poland, Lithuania, Ruthenia, Samogitia will overthrow us" "Give them back the ships..." "What does that mean?" "Sanderus" "What are you doing here?" "Be quiet, Gracious Lord." "The brethren should not learn we know each other" "I've been to Szczytno." "Your damsel is there" "How do you know?" "From the chaplain, who is an honest man" "She is watched now by Commander Zygfryd de Love" "He did her no harm, for once." "When he wanted to do her wrong something pushed him down the staircase, he fainted and almost died" "And now he is afraid of her" "Do you hear, my Lord, the Grand Master died" "What did you say?" "The Grand Master died?" "Yes, sir." "People say that now they will elect Ulrich the late Master's brother, God grant him everlasting rest" "Thus, war is inevitable" "I wish you, my Lord, that you may rule with justice, reason and in peace" "We are here not for peace's sake but to fight for the faith against pagans and heathens" "You have none to fight with, Gracious Lord for you are surrounded by Christian peoples only" "True Christians do not support the faithless" "What answer have we to take back to our king?" "Will the ships with grain be given back to us?" "Ships with weapons will become our legal booty" "May I remind you, Gracious Lord about the promise made by your late brother and ask you for the safe-conduct letter to Szczytno?" "The crew of Szczytno, with de Love set out to fight the rebellious Samogitia" "You will find nobody there." "Wait until quieter times" "Are you leaving, sir?" "Perhaps it is better this way, for I can smell war here" "That's true." "Zygfryd de Love and his crew set out for Samogitia" " I will search for him there" " You, for him, and I, for your damsel" "He certainly hid her somewhere, to leave no trace" "Give me, sir, one purse more and I will proceed from castle to castle and although this is dangerous, maybe I will learn something" "Take it and go" "It is time for us to bid farewell, sir" "I wish you success in your noble search" "If you have no objections, sir I would like to announce that Jagienka of Zgorzelice is the fairest and most virtuous lady in the world" "Announce it wherever you wish, my Lord." "Perhaps it is even true" "Jagienka" "Back from Cracow already?" "Have you heard something about Zbyszko?" "I feel so restless." "The king's deputies came back without him from Malbork" " We were among the Teutonic Knights" " To look for something he'll never find" "I have hardly begun to administer here and now I have to go" "Among these scoundrels, the fate of Jurand or Danusia may befall him" " Take me with you." "I will help you" " You will help me indeed" "You think when you cast off your skirt you will grow wiser" "Wisdom is in the head." "Do you want Cztan or Wolf to take me?" "They will not take you." "I made them both swear it Cztan, that he will defend you against Wolf and Wolf, that he will not give you to Cztan" "Lord Jesus did not spare your cunningness" "Everything will always be as you wish" "If it were so, you would have long since been mistress of Bogdaniec" "Why do you kiss me?" "I am only saying goodnight." "We must start at dawn tomorrow" " Are you not afraid to go there?" " I am not." "I want to be near Zbyszko" "If Danusia is lost, Zbyszko will be so grieved that he will not look at you" "I do not want him to look at me." "I only want to be near him" "Look at this giant" " That is no knight for he is going on foot" " He must be blind" "He does not even have a dog." "We cannot leave him without help" "Do you understand Christian language, old man?" " Get up" " What is the matter with you?" "Can you speak?" "He is trying to show that they have torn his tongue out" "Who did that to you?" "The Knights of the Teutonic Order" "Are you from here?" "From Mazovia?" "What were you doing among the Teutonic Knights?" "Do you come from Szczytno?" "Were you not seeking your child there?" "Then, you are Jurand of Spychow" "The lord?" "Teutonic Knights?" "Let's go against the dog's brothers!" "Will you fight against the peasants?" "They are not the guilty ones" "The Knights sit in their fortalices now" "We will catch the Germans and throw them at our lord's feet" "I am the uncle of Zbyszko of Bogdaniec and until he returns I give the orders here" " The lord went away two days ago" " Where to?" "To the Samogitian frontier to search for the young lady" " The war is raging there." " Then we missed one another" "Hlawa?" "Where is the lord?" " He keeps on discussing..." " Good..." "Uncle." "What are you doing here?" "I have been looking for you all over the world and at last I've found you" "You thought I will sit in Bogdaniec till the end of my days" "Jurand is in Spychow" "The Teutonic Knights blinded him, tore out his tongue and cut off his right hand" "Dreadful" "And you?" "Did you accomplish anything?" "Have you found Danusia?" " No" " No?" "This is my uncle, a knight from Bogdaniec" "He has no equal on the battlefield" " Welcome, sir, be seated..." " Welcome" "We want to attack the Germans" "Two days ago we were near the castle at Nowe Kowno and they defeated us" " Defeated?" " Defeated..." "We consider if it would be better to wait near Nowe Kowno, or go to Regneta" " Where is Nowe Kowno?" " About two miles from here" " And Regneta?" " Far northwards" "It is good that it is far." "The Germans are not expecting us there" "He is right" "Exactly." "In the vicinity of Nowe Kowno they already defeated us" "Because of that, they do not expect any attack" "But Regneta is certainly less well-guarded" " He is right" " Where shall we make the ambush?" "Here, near Nowe Kowno" "You shall take position in the thickets above the highway and wait for the reinforcements on their way to the castle" "200 people will not take part in the battle." "They will retreat" " I will attack from behind" " Cunning" "The Teutonic Knights march and hide in a column" "You can't destroy the columns with your bellies, can you?" "You are wrong, uncle" "It is the most courageous nation in the world" "They are joyful, the accursed dogs" " At them!" " Attack!" "Bind him." "Bind him" "It's an important knight..." "De Lorche" "I recognised you" "By the holy bones of St. Laurence." "I implore you, where is de Love?" " He escaped" " Is Jurand's daughter with him?" "Jurand's daughter?" "There is only an idiot-girl they had shown Jurand in Szczytno" "How do you know it is an idiot-girl?" "I heard her only, for she is ill and does not leave her wicker litter" "Zygfryd had nothing to do with the kidnapping" " Right, yes!" " He is a faithful servant of the Order" "And he was not aware of Rotgier and Godfryd's crimes" " Where have they escaped to?" " I do not know" "It was agreed, in case we were attacked by somebody Zygfryd and his men will withdraw into a safe place till the battle ends" " Hear this?" " My Lord!" "My Lord and defender, save me" "But for you, the wolves would have devoured me or I would have fallen into the hands of those sons of Satan" "My Lord, tell them to give me something to drink else you will be burdened with my innocent soul" "Here, you drunkard" " Christ, our Lord, that is but mare's milk" " Then don't drink it" "Thank you for taking me under your protection" "You never refuse me any money or drink better than this mare's milk, which disgusts me but of which I will drink some more just to show that a pious pilgrim drinks from no mortification" "Stop fooling around and tell me, do you know about Danusia?" "Just a moment..." "I have come to love you, Lord" "When misfortune came upon you, I told myself I have to help you" "Suffice to say that I found her and from that moment I have stuck to commander Zygfryd de Love as a bur sticks to a dog's tail..." " Is Danusia still alive?" " She is" "He carries her in a wicker litter, fastened between two horses" "That's the idiot-girl." "I told you de Love became odd after his son's death" "What idiot-girl?" "You told yourself, my Lord that your damsel has a lute" " Where are they?" " Certainly somewhere in the vicinity" "De Love led the reinforcements which were marching towards Nowe Kowno" "When he saw he fell into an ambush, he ordered a withdrawal" " Where could they find shelter?" " I do not know..." "Perhaps by the potter deep in the woods, where we recently stopped" " To horses!" " Wait!" "Wait!" "Give me a horse I will ride ahead and will tell them I escaped from captivity" "It will be safer this way." "I might be of some use to your damsel when you will attack Zygfryd de Love's men" "Sir, don't believe that drunkard" "Give him a horse." "He didn't betray me before, he will not betray me now" "Sanderus" "He purposely took their swords and cuirasses" " You take Zygfryd, he must be in the hut" " Good" " And I'll take that knight" " Yes" "Hlawa..." "You watch Danusia" " Forward" " Help" "Bind him!" "Bind him!" " What is the matter with you?" " Help me to my feet" "Hold this" "Danusia." "Danusia" " I am afraid" " Danusia." "It is me, Zbyszko" " I am afraid" " Danusia" "It is me, Zbyszko." "Danusia" "Danusia." "Danusia." "Danusia..." "Let go of me." "I'll kill him like a dog" "Scoundrel." "Would you stab a bound captive?" "Danusia." "Do you recognise me?" "Danusia" "I am frightened" "Listen, bitch, you'll dress the lady in clean garments and you will dress yourself in the rags which you have made her wear hitherto" "Then we will choose a branch for you" " Danusia!" "Defend me, help me!" " Get out!" "Leave her alone!" "They brought her to this state by torment" "There you have the nobility of your Zygfryd" "Let Jagienka know Danusia is ill and we have to ride slowly." "Go on" "True, my Lord, your life in Poland is more difficult and complicated than I imagined living in Lorraine" "Oh, yes." "You'll have to make the choice, my Lord" "We can give you a guide to Cracow if you want to stay with us if not, the way to Malbork stays open" "Farewell, my Lord, God willing, I will see you sometime again" "Hey!" "Take him" "I was asked, Gracious Lord, to bring you Zygfryd de Love" "Before you, my Lord, stands that hellhound, that Teutonic werewolf who tortured you and destroyed your child" "Let me know what I am to do with him and how I am to punish him" "To your knees, dog" "What are you doing, sir?" "You will not let this Beelzebub go, sir?" "Do you want to give the captive his freedom?" "Do you want him to go without vengeance and punishment?" "For this purpose we chased him all over the world" "He belongs to him." "He can do with him whatever he wants" "Lord, if your will is to be fulfilled the captive must be conducted to the border" "Here is our border and it is not far to yours" "If the divine thunderbolt does not choke and blast you there is no danger to you from men" "Go free" "Stop!" " The flowers smell sweet" " Danusia" " Where am I?" " Near Spychow" "Danusia, wait." "Oh merciful Jesus, wait, wait!" "Danusia!" "I sought her until I found her and rescued her but she preferred to go to God rather than to Spychow" "War!" "War!" "The dawn is not far off" "The battle is about to begin" "Repeat once more my orders!" "You, Grand Duke!" "The Lithuanian forces are on the right wing near Stebark" "You, brother Ligngwan" "The Smolensk companies are to be situated near the Polish wing the Mscislaw one in the middle of the Lithuanian forces and the Nowogrod regiment stays with me" "And your men, Khan Dzelal-Eddin?" "My men will go together with the Lithuanians" "What about you, Jan of Lamberk?" "The Czech companies will proceed with the Smolensk ones the rest of them together with Poles" "And you, Lord Marshall?" "According to your orders, Gracious King 60 men form your guard" "The Cracow company will go in the middle of the left wing near Lodwigowe followed by companies from Sieradz and Poznan" "I ordered to dig loop holes in front of our lines and to conceal them thoroughly" "When the Polish heavy cavalry falls into these holes then our archers and our cannons will easily hit them for the bodies will make an excellent mark" "Further, the knights' cavalry will attack from both sides" "And what if the Poles will not advance first?" "Jagiello is a reasonable leader" "Jagiello and Witold are cunning and shrewd" "But they are totally lacking the European knightly arts and customs" "Their people lack the soldiers discipline they get excited easily, they will certainly first attack us" "No." "The heavy armed knights will enter the battle at last" "As first the Tartars and the light Lithuanian cavalry will proceed" "The Lithuanians and Tartars, with their skins and wooden shields will not resist the pressure of the Teutonic Knight clad in steel armour" "But the Lithuanians and Tartars will make a reconnaissance to check if no ambush was prepared." "I know this is dangerous" "We conquered in all battles using our stratagem" "We shall crush them at once with our heavy horses and equipment" "We shall take every precaution" "First the loop holes, then cannons and archers and at the end, I shall lead 16 squadrons myself" "I shall fight together with you" "As it is fitting for a true knight" "The leader should not go into the fighting crowd because he will not be able to command" "According to eastern customs, the leader commands on a hill in order to see the whole battlefield" "Right you are, Grand Duke" "True, in the East they use to fight like this" "The sun is already up..." "It's time to take our positions." "Lead out the men-at-arms" "No." "They will wait in the woods." "Do not hurry" "It will be easier to form the rank and bear the heavy armour in the shadow" "You want us to hide in the bushes" "We want to fight openly, as it befits true knights" " I will not stop my warriors" " You will wait!" "Even you will not stop them, Gracious Lord." "What do you bid us to do?" "You will obey my orders." "Wait!" "Let Father Bartosz prepare for Mass." "Two Masses" "And you will wait in the woods!" "Let us greet the sun" "How many of the pagans are hiding in the woods?" "I suppose about one hundred thousand" "Thus, it will be the biggest battle of our times" "We do not know how big their forces are" "But they had never before brought together such power" "Perhaps about one hundred thousand" "What is the name of the village in front of the camp of the Teutonic Knights?" "Grunwald..." "Before these barbarians form ranks, we will occupy the best positions" "And there look there, brethren, the guests of the Order occupy their positions" "The flower of the European knighthood" "The rest is in God's hands" "He will support His faithful servants" "The rest is in God's hands." "He will support His faithful servants" "Gracious Lord, the Germans are marching" "To arms, brethren!" "The task will be bloody but we will secure the rule of Christianity in the East for a millennium" "The Grand Master of the Order" "My Lords, let us go to Mass" "Gracious Lord." "With the Knights of the Teutonic Order" "The knights from Bavaria, Swabia and France" "Cancel the Mass." "Give me a horse" "My king, the knights from Rhineland, from Frisian England" "They hide in the woods" "They are better at handling spoons than swords..." "You do not know them." "The Poles do not lack courage but their king is hoping to receive the offer of peace at the last minute" "Shame." "The whole power of the Order is afraid of the Poles" "I prefer death and so I will be quite alone" "I will charge the Polish army with these swords" "This is contrary to discipline" "Advise me how to draw the enemy out of the woods" "King." "The heralds of the Teutonic Order are riding towards our camp" "Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen challenges Your Majesty Lord, and Duke Witold, to mortal battle" "And in order to rouse your courage which seems to fail you sends you these two naked swords" "Grand Master Ulrich bids us also to inform you that if the field of battle seems too small for you he will withdraw his armies somewhat so that you need not loiter in the thickets" "We have enough swords, but we will take these as an omen of victory" "Couriers..." "Withdraw the heavy squadrons, they are not the first to enter." "Stop!" "Stop!" "It is the king's order, turn back" "Stop!" "You do not enter first." "Stop!" "Turn back!" "It is the king's order." "Turn back, turn back!" "Couriers to Duke Witold, to Dzebal Eddin" "Lithuania!" "Lucifer swallow them, they managed to get out" "It's Witold's light cavalry..." "Wallendrod!" "Now begin, in God's name" "We will trample our archers!" "Begin" " Our knights will trample us down!" " They will trample us down!" "King." "Come to the rescue." "Save our army" "Lichtenstein..." "Attack!" "Attack!" "The Kalisz and Sieradz companies, proceed to support the right wing" "Proceed immediately to support Mazovia" "The company is in peril" "Powala, three companies proceed around through Ludwikowo and attack" "Turn back and follow me" "We will make a circuit and charge in a flank" "Zyndram, let the infantry attack" " At them!" "Attack!" " At the enemy!" " Forward!" " At them!" "Kuno Lichtenstein, do you recognise me?" "Yes, I do" "I vowed that I would find you and meet you" "Stand!" " To the death, with no quarter" " Stand!" "Take off the helmet" "Stand your ground, you dog!" "That is he, who this very morning thought himself superior to all the powers of the earth" "Jagna?" "Jagna!" "Jagna" "THE END"