And he bent slightly, making a movement with his hands as if he wished to seize Jurand by his knees. But Jurand grasped his hand, turned him toward the light and began to look at him.
Zbyszko had already regained his self-possession; therefore he looked with curiosity at Jurand. He beheld before him a gigantic man with fallow hair and moustache, with a face pitted with smallpox and one eye of iron-like color. It seemed to him as if this eye would pierce him, and he again became confused. Finally, not knowing what to say, but wishing to say something to break the embarrassing silence, he asked: "Then you are Jurand of Spychow, Danusia's father?"
But the other only pointed to an oaken bench, standing beside the chair on which he sat himself and continued to look at Zbyszko, who finally became impatient, and said: "It is not pleasant for me to sit as though I were in a court."
Then Jurand said: "You wanted to fight with Lichtenstein?"
"Yes!" answered Zbyszko.
In the eye of the Lord of Spychow shone a strange light and his stern face began to brighten. After awhile he looked at Danusia and asked; "And was it for her?"
"For no other! My uncle told you that I made a vow to her to tear the peacock tufts from German heads. But now there shall be not only three of them, but at least as many as I have fingers on both hands. In that way I will help you to avenge the death of Danusia's mother."
"Woe to them!" answered Jurand.
Then there was silence again. But Zbyszko, having noticed that by showing his hatred of the Germans, he would capture Jurand's heart, said: "I will not forgive them! They nearly caused my death."
Here he turned to Danusia and added: "She saved me."
"I know," said Jurand.
"Are you angry?"
"Since you made a vow to her, you must serve her, because such is the knightly custom."
Zbyszko hesitated; but after awhile, he began to say with evident uneasiness: "Do you know that she covered my head with her veil? All the knights and also the Franciscan who was with me holding the cross, heard her say: 'He is mine!' Therefore I will be loyal to her until death, so help me God!"
Having said this, he kneeled, and wishing to show that he was familiar with the customs of chivalry, he kissed both of Danusia's shoes with great reverence. Then he arose and having turned to Jurand, asked him: "Have you ever seen another as fair as she?"