Ptolomeus from her bosom, raised it to her lips.

"I am very anxious to see what bones are inside," said she, "but I will
not open it myself, for I do not want to offend the saint; the bishop in
Krakow will open it."

To this the cautious Mikolaj of Dlugolas answered:

"Ej, it will be better not to let this go out of your hands; it is too
precious a thing."

"May be you are right," said the princess, after a moment of reflection;
then she added:

"For a long time nobody has given me such pleasure, as this worthy abbot
has by this present; and he also calmed my fears about the relics of the
Knights of the Cross."

"He spoke wisely and well," said Macko of Bogdaniec. "At Wilno they also
had different relics, and they wanted to persuade the guests that they
were at war with the heathen. And what? Our knights noticed that if they
could only make a blow with an axe, immediately the helmet gave way and
the head fell down. The saints help--it would be a sin to say
differently--but they only help the righteous, who go to war justly in
God's name. Therefore, gracious lady, I think that if there be another
war, even if all Germans help the Knights of the Cross, we will overcome
them, because our nation is greater and the Lord Jesus will give us more
strength in our bones. As for the relics,--have we not a true particle of
the holy cross in the monastery of Holy Cross?"