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happen? I asked.
 Why, almost at the beginning, more than two hundred years ago. At the time it was a wise political
move, since we were being invaded by the Germans and it gave us a certain moral force against them that
we lacked up until then. Now it has become more of a tradition than anything else, although I reaffirmed
our status with Rome a few years ago for much the same reasons that my ancestors had. It gives us moral
support against the Germans. In theory, Poland is a member of the Holy Roman Empire as well, though
neither my father nor I have ever paid taxes to Frederick II. I suppose that he could crown me as easily as
the Pope, but talking Gregory IX into it will be an easier job. It is better politically as well, what with all
the troubles that Frederick has been having. I would prefer to be associated with him as little as possible,
even though I married one of his nieces. He has been excommunicated more than once, you know.
 I guess I don t know. I ve never paid much attention to world politics. 
 By our agreement, it is all more my worry than yours, Conrad. If you really want an education in it, talk
to that wife of yours.
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Lord Conrad's Lady
 Whether we ever talk again remains to be seen. I never thought that she d react to our agreement the
way she has. 
 And that is all more your worry than mine. But if I may make bold a suggestion about your domestic
life, I would say that you should leave your wife at home, as I customarily do and as my father did before
me. That way, when you do get back, you will be warmly welcomed, and when you are away, you will be
unencumbered with emotional baggage that you do not need.
 I m afraid that Francine will never make a contented housewife. She d rather be a world power.
 Again, my friend, it is your problem, though it might solve itself once she has a child in her arms. It
often has a calming effect on them. If that does not work, I remind you that the Church allows you to beat
her so long as you do not use too big a stick.
 I don t think that I could do that. The customs were a little different in my time. Back to this business of
your coronation. Do you really think it s wise to let the Pope, or any other power, for that matter, crown
you? If he can make you a king, can t he unmake you as well? And as to your paying this Peter s pence-
that s in addition to the tithing you do, isn t it? Well, Poland has just saved all of Christendom from the
greatest danger that ever threatened it! It seems to me that our military services should be taken in place
of that money. We saved France and the rest of the wealthy countries to the west from total destruction.
Let them pay Rome s bills!
 Those are two very interesting suggestions, Conrad. I particularly like the idea of getting out from under
the taxes. They would double on me, you know, since our agreement has you paying no taxes to me and
someone would have to pay the Peter s pence on the eastern duchies. I think I will do it! At the worst,
Gregory will scream too loudly, and I might have to back down. But it is certainly worth a try.
 If you did get off that hook, you could afford to pay for the new legal system, couldn t you?
 I suppose I could, but first let us see if it can be done.
 And what about my other suggestion? What if I were to crown you? I said.
 Now, that would require more thought, Conrad. Politically, it might be dangerous. Yet I must say I like
the concept.
The boat had made the usual U-turn and was coming upstream to the landing at Sandomierz. Doing it any
other way was just about impossible with a stem-wheeler.
 Well, you think on it, Henryk. For now we just have time to visit the battlefields west of here if we are
still to get to the palace for supper.
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Lord Conrad's Lady
I went with Henryk and his three guards to the battlefield, since we were the only ones on Big People.
Everybody else went directly to the palace.
A city of round Mongol felt tents had sprung up on the old battlefield, housing not only the remaining
sick and wounded and the troops attending them, but also the arms and property of the Christian knights
who had fallen there. So far not much of it had been retrieved by the heirs of the dead.
By accident, I came across the gold-plated armor that I had once given to my former liege lord, Count
Lambert. Since I was his heir, I gave orders that the armor should be sent to my jeweler for repair and
then on to Baron Vladimir. Vladimir had worn that armor as my best man at my wedding a half year ago,
and it had fit him well. It seemed proper that he should have it now.
Back in Sandomierz, Baron Wojciech still had everything well in hand, and Yawalda was glorying in her
role as vice duchess. Watching my old lover preside made it one of the least boring banquets I d ever
attended, almost worth the time it wasted. The former peasant girl was doing her new situation up proud!
Yet the burghers of the city treated Henryk with a certain aloofness and seemed not totally pleased with
my subordination to him. It wasn t as strong as it had been at Cracow, where more than one citizen had
thrown garbage and dead cats at the duke, but you could tell that at best they had a wait-and-see attitude.
The next morning was spent going over the killing fields opposite of Sandomierz, and I pointed out the
place where my stupidity had earned me an arrow in my right eye. But by this time the huge squares of
human heads, the massive piles of rusting arms, and the vast stacks of salted-down horsehides were
getting a little boring, and I was glad that our grisly tour was over.
Baron Gregor and Natalia were eager to push on to their new post in Plock, and aside from the wreckage
of a few more Mongol bridges, the rest of the journey was uneventful.
The people of Plock had been warned of our coming, and they had the city decked out with flags,
banners, and colored bunting. Some of Francine s annoying political posters had found their way here as
well. Plock had been bypassed by the Mongols, and the city itself was entirely unharmed. Yet every
fighting man in the entire duchy who could afford a horse had ridden south under the banners of young
Duke Boleslaw, and most of them had died with him when he had foolishly stayed on the battlefield
instead of leaving the enemy to my army, as had been planned. It was a city of women, children, and old
men, and they were truly glad of our coming.
A battalion of army troops had arrived a week before, and they were cheering us, too. Judging from the
color of their eyeballs, it looked as though they had spent their time and half of their back pay on drink
and in the comforting of too many young widows. But I suppose that they each deserved a hero s
traditional welcome. They d certainly earned it.
I really don t like having people cheer at me, although I try to act the part. Henryk, however, seemed to
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Lord Conrad's Lady
be enjoying it immensely. Good. That was part of being king, and he was welcome to it. I let him make [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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