The blood began to rush to the abbot's face; his ears turned blue, and his eyes bulged; he approached Zbyszko and said, in a voice muffled with anger:
"Your vows are the chaff and I am the wind; understand! Ot!"
And he blew on Zbyszko's head so powerfully, that the net fell off and the hair was scattered on his shoulders. Then Zbyszko frowned, and looking into the abbot's eyes, he said:
"In my vows is my honor, and over my honor, I alone am the guardian!"
At this, the abbot not being accustomed to opposition, lost his breath to such a degree, that for a time he could not speak. There was an ill-omened silence, which finally was broken by Macko:
"Zbyszku!" exclaimed he, "come to your wits again! What is the matter with you?"
Meanwhile the abbot raised his hand and pointing toward the youth, began to shout:
"What is the matter with him? I know what is the matter; he has not the heart of a nobleman, nor of a knight, but of a hare! That is the matter with him; he is afraid of Cztan and Wilk!"
But Zbyszko, who had remained cool and calm, carelessly shrugged his shoulders and answered:
"Owa! I broke their heads when I was in Krzesnia."