and having with great confidence put her little head on the knight's
shoulder, she fell asleep.

"Does she sleep?" asked the princess. "There you have your 'lady.'"

"She is dearer to me while she sleeps than the others are while they
dance," answered Zbyszko, sitting motionless so as not to awaken the
girl.

But she was awakened neither by the _rybalts_' music nor by the singing.
Some of the courtiers stamped, others rattled the dishes in time to the
music; but the greater the noise, the better she slept.

She awoke only when the roosters, beginning to crow, and the church bell
to ring, the company all rushed from the benches, shouting:

"To matins! To matins!"

"Let us go on foot for God's glory," said the princess.

She took the awakened Danusia by the hand and went out first, followed by
the whole court.

The night was beginning to whiten. In the east one could see a light
glare, green at the top, then pink below, and under all a golden red,
which extended while one looked at it. It seemed as though the moon was
retreating before that glare. The light grew pinker and brighter. Moist
with dew, the rested and joyous world was awakening.

"God has given us fair weather, but there will be great heat," said the