"Yes, it is so!"

Hearing this the knights began to shout: "Shame! Shame! The earth will
devour such a man!" Because of this disgrace some of them began to strike
their chests with their hands, and others to rap the silver dishes, not
knowing what to do.

"Why did you not kill him?" shouted the king.

"Because his head belongs to the court," answered Powala.

"Have you put him in prison?" asked the castellan, Topor of Tenczyn.

"No. He is a _wlodyka_, who swore on his knightly honor, that he would
appear."

"But he will not appear!" ironically exclaimed Kuno, raising his head.

At that moment a young voice resounded behind the Krzyzak:

"I did it; I, Zbyszko of Bogdaniec!"

After these words the knights rushed toward the unhappy Zbyszko; but they
were stopped by a threatening nod from the king who began to shout in an
angry voice, similar to the rattling of a carriage rolling over the
stones:

"Cut his head off! Cut his head off! Let the Krzyzak send it to Malborg
to the grand master!"