And he began to ask about the knights whom he had seen at the king's
court; about Zawisza, Farurej, Powala of Taczew, about Lis of Targowisko
and about all the others; what they were doing; how they amused
themselves; in what honest exercises they passed the time? And he
listened with avidity to Macko who told him that in the morning, the
knights dressed in their armor, jumped over horses, broke ropes, tried
one another's skill with swords and with axes having sharp ends made of
lead; finally, he told how they feasted and what songs they sang. Zbyszko
longed with heart and soul to be with them, and when he learned that
Zawisza, immediately after the christening, intended to go somewhere
beyond Hungary, against the Turks, he could not refrain from exclaiming:

"If they would only let me go! It would be better to perish among the
pagans!"

But this could not be done. In the meanwhile something else happened.
Both princesses of Mazowsze had not ceased to think about Zbyszko, who
had captivated them by his youth and beauty. Finally the Princess
Alexandra Ziemowitowna decided to send a letter to the grand master. It
was true that the grand master could not alter the sentence, pronounced
by the castellan; but he could intercede with the king in favor of the
youth. It was not right for Jagiello to show any clemency, because the
offence was an attempt on the life of the envoy; but if the grand master
besought the king, then the king would pardon the lad. Therefore hope
entered the hearts of both princesses. Princess Alexandra being fond of
the polished monk-knights, was a great favorite with them also. Very
often they sent her from Marienburg, rich presents and letters in which
the master called her venerable, pious benefactress and the particular
protectress of the Order. Her words could do much; it was probable that
her wishes would not be denied. The question now was to find a messenger,