The Knights of the Cross | Page 2

And it is remarkable that the author of this book, Henryk Sienkiewicz,
should of late have attained such prominence in the public eye and
found a place in the heart of mankind. It is of good omen. Thus, Poland,
in spite of her fetters, is keeping step in the very van of the most
progressive nations.
The romance of Sienkiewicz in this volume is perhaps the most
interesting and fascinating he has yet produced. It is in the very first
rank of imaginative and historical romance. The time and scene of the
noble story are laid in the middle ages during the conquest of Pagan
Lithuania by the military and priestly order of the "Krzyzacy" Knights
of the Cross. And the story exhibits with splendid force the collision of
race passions and fierce, violent individualities which accompanied that
struggle. Those who read it will, in addition to their thrilling interest in
the tragical and varied incidents, gain no little insight into the origin
and working of the inextinguishable race hatred between Teuton and
Slav. It was an unfortunate thing surely, that the conversion of the
heathen Lithuanians and Zmudzians was committed so largely to that
curious variety of the missionary, the armed knight, banded in
brotherhood, sacred and military. To say the least, his sword was a
weapon dangerous to his evangelizing purpose. He was always in doubt
whether to present to the heathen the one end of it, as a cross for
adoration, or the other, as a point to kill with. And so, if Poland was
made a Catholic nation, she was also made an undying and unalterable
hater of the German, the Teutonic name and person.
And so this noble, historical tale, surpassed perhaps by none in
literature, is commended to the thoughtful attention and appreciation of
the reader.
SAMUEL A. BINION.
NEW YORK, May 9, 1899.

KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

PART FIRST


CHAPTER I
.
In Tyniec,[1] in the inn under "Dreadful Urus," which belonged to the
abbey, a few people were sitting, listening to the talk of a military man
who had come from afar, and was telling them of the adventures which
he had experienced during the war and his journey.
He had a large beard but he was not yet old, and he was almost gigantic
but thin, with broad shoulders; he wore his hair in a net ornamented
with beads; he was dressed in a leather jacket, which was marked by
the cuirass, and he wore a belt composed of brass buckles; in the belt he
had a knife in a horn scabbard, and at his side a short traveling sword.
Near by him at the table, was sitting a youth with long hair and joyful
look, evidently his comrade, or perhaps a shield-bearer, because he also
was dressed as for a journey in a similar leather jacket. The rest of the
company was composed of two noblemen from the vicinity of Krakow
and of three townsmen with red folding caps, the thin tops of which
were hanging down their sides to their elbows.
The host, a German, dressed in a faded cowl with large, white collar,
was pouring beer for them from a bucket into earthen mugs, and in the
meanwhile he was listening with great curiosity to the military
adventures.
The burghers were listening with still greater curiosity. In these times,
the hatred, which during the time of King Lokietek had separated the
city and the knighthood, had been very much quenched, and the
burghers were prouder than in the following centuries. They called
them still des allerdurchluchtigsten Kuniges und Herren and they
appreciated their readiness _ad concessionem pecuniarum_; therefore
one would very often see in the inns, the merchants drinking with the
noblemen like brothers. They were even welcome, because having
plenty of money, usually they paid for those who had coats of arms.
Therefore they were sitting there and talking, from time to time
winking at the host to fill up the mugs.

"Noble knight, you have seen a good piece of the world!" said one of
the merchants.
"Not many of those who are now coming to Krakow from all parts,
have seen as much," answered the knight.
"There will be plenty of them," said the merchant. "There is to be a
great feast and great pleasure for the king and the queen! The king has
ordered the queen's chamber to be upholstered with golden brocade,
embroidered with pearls, and a canopy of the same material over her.
There will be such entertainments and tournaments, as the world has
never seen before."
"Uncle Gamroth, don't interrupt the knight," said the second merchant.
"Friend Eyertreter, I am not interrupting; only I think that he also will
be glad to know about what they are talking, because I