"What else did Zbyszko say? Where did he go to?" asked Macko.
"He said: 'I know that Danuska was at Szczytno, but they have carried her off, or starved her. Old von Löve did it, and so help me God, I will not rest until I get him.'"
"Did he say so? Then it is sure that the comthur left for the east, but now there is war."
"He knew that there was a war, and that is the cause why he left for the camp of Prince Witold. He also said, he would succeed sooner in scoring a point against the Knights of the Cross through him, than through the king."
"So, to Prince Witold!" exclaimed Macko.
Then he turned to Jagienka.
"Did I not tell you the very same thing. As I live, I said: 'that we should also have to go to Witold.' ..."
"Zbyszko hoped," said Father Kaleb, "that Prince Witold would make an inroad into Prussia and take some of the castles there."
"If time were given to him, he would not delay," replied Macko. "Praise God now, we know at least where to look for Zbyszko."
"We must press on at once," said Jagienka.
"Silence!" said Macko. "It is not becoming for a boy to interrupt the council."
Then he stared at her, as though to remind her that she was a boy; she remembered and was silent.
Macko thought for awhile, and said: "Now we shall surely find Zbyszko, for he is not moving aimlessly; he is at the side of Prince Witold. But it is necessary to know whether he is still searching for something in this world, besides the heads of the Knights of the Cross which he vowed to get."
"How can that be ascertained?" asked Father Kaleb.
"If we knew that the priest of Szczytno had already returned from the synod. I should like to see him," said Macko. "I have letters from Lichtenstein to Szczytno and I can go there without fear."
"It was not a synod gathering, but a congress," replied Father Kaleb, "and the chaplain must have returned long ago."
"Very well. Everything is upon my own shoulders. I shall take Hlawa with me, and two servants, with proper horses and go."
"Then to Zbyszko?" asked Jagienka.
"Then to Zbyszko," replied Macko. "But you must wait for me here until I return. I also think that I shall not be detained there for more than three or four days. I am accustomed to mosquitoes and fatigue. Therefore, I ask you, Father Kaleb, to give me a letter to the chaplain of Szczytno. He will believe me without hesitation if I show your letter, for there is always great confidence among the clergy."