The Knights of the Cross, or, Krzyzacy: Historical Romance Read online

  THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS

  or, KRZYZACY

  Historical Romance

  By HENRYK SIENKIEWICZ

  Author Of "Quo Vadis," "The Deluge," "With Fire And Sword,""Pan Michael," Etc., Etc.

  Translated From The Original Polish By Samuel A. Binion

  Author Of "Ancient Egypt," Etc. Translator Of "Quo Vadis," Etc.

  BUST OF HENRYK SIENKIEWICZ]

  HON. WILLIAM T. HARRIS, LL.D.

  Commissioner of Education

  My Dear Doctor:--

  This translation, of one of the greatest novels of Poland's foremostmodern writer, Henryk Sienkiewicz, I beg to dedicate to you. Apart for myhigh personal regard for you, my reason for selecting you among all myliterary friends, is: that you are a historian and philosopher, and cantherefore best appreciate works of this kind.

  SAMUEL A. BINION,

  New York City.

  To the Reader.

  Here you have, gentle reader--old writers always called yougentle--something very much more than a novel to amuse an idle hour. Toread it will be enjoyable pastime, no doubt; but the brilliant romance ofthe brilliant author calls upon you for some exercise of the finestsympathy and intelligence; sympathy for a glorious nation which, withonly one exception, has suffered beyond all other nations; intelligence,of the sources of that unspeakable and immeasurable love and of the greatthings that may yet befall before those woes are atoned for and duepunishment for them meted out to their guilty authors.

  Poland! Poland! The very name carries with it sighings and groanings,nation-murder, brilliance, beauty, patriotism, splendors, self-sacrificethrough generations of gallant men and exquisite women; indomitableendurance of bands of noble people carrying through world-wide exile thesacred fire of wrath against the oppressor, and uttering in every clime acry of appeal to Humanity to rescue Poland.

  It was indeed a terrible moment in history, when the three militarymonarchies of Europe, Russia, Austria and Prussia, swooped down upon theglorious but unhappy country, torn by internal trouble, and determined tokill it and divide up its dominions. All were alike guilty, as far asmotive went. But Holy Russia--Holy!--since that horrible time has takenupon herself by far the greatest burden of political crime in herdealings with that noble nation. Every evil passion bred of despotism, oftheological hatred, of rancorous ancient enmities, and the ghastliestofficial corruption, have combined in Russian action for more than onehundred and fifty years, to turn Poland into a hell on earth. Her verylanguage was proscribed.

  This is not the place to give details of that unhappy country's woes. Butsuffice it to say, that Poland, in spite of fatuous prohibitions, has hada great literature since the loss of her independence, and thatliterature has so kept alive the soul of the nation, that with justicePoland sings her great patriotic song:

  "Poland is not yet lost As long as we live...."

  The nation is still alive in its writers and their works, their splendidpoetry and prose.

  It is a pity that so few of these great writers are widely known. Butmost people have heard of Jan Kochanowski, of Mikolaj Rey, of Rubinski,of Szymanowicz, of Poland's great genius in this century, one of thesupreme poets of the world, Adam Mickiewicz, of Joseph Ignac, ofKraszewski, who is as prolific in literary and scientific works asAlexander von Humboldt, and of hundreds of others in all branches ofscience and art, too numerous to mention here.

  And it is remarkable that the author of this book, Henryk Sienkiewicz,should of late have attained such prominence in the public eye and founda place in the heart of mankind. It is of good omen. Thus, Poland, inspite of her fetters, is keeping step in the very van of the mostprogressive nations.

  The romance of Sienkiewicz in this volume is perhaps the most interestingand fascinating he has yet produced. It is in the very first rank ofimaginative and historical romance. The time and scene of the noble storyare laid in the middle ages during the conquest of Pagan Lithuania by themilitary and priestly order of the "Krzyzacy" Knights of the Cross. Andthe story exhibits with splendid force the collision of race passions andfierce, violent individualities which accompanied that struggle. Thosewho read it will, in addition to their thrilling interest in the tragicaland varied incidents, gain no little insight into the origin and workingof the inextinguishable race hatred between Teuton and Slav. It was anunfortunate thing surely, that the conversion of the heathen Lithuaniansand Zmudzians was committed so largely to that curious variety of themissionary, the armed knight, banded in brotherhood, sacred and military.To say the least, his sword was a weapon dangerous to his evangelizingpurpose. He was always in doubt whether to present to the heathen the oneend of it, as a cross for adoration, or the other, as a point _to killwith_. And so, if Poland _was_ made a Catholic nation, she was also madean undying and unalterable hater of the German, the Teutonic name andperson.

  And so this noble, historical tale, surpassed perhaps by none inliterature, is commended to the thoughtful attention and appreciation ofthe reader.

  SAMUEL A. BINION.

  NEW YORK, May 9, 1899.

  KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

  PART FIRST