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The guests burst out laughing; the Chamberlain had to break off

again. "My dear Warden," he cried, "or rather screech owl,95 if

you value your beak, quit that hooting."

But Gerwazy was not at all frightened by the threat; with dignity

he put his right hand on the clock and rested the left on his

hip; with both hands thus supported he cried:-

"My precious Chamberlain, a grandee is free to make jokes. The

sparrow is smaller than the owl, but on its own shavings it is

bolder than the owl in a mansion not its own. A Warden is no owl;

whoever comes by night into another man's loft is an owl, and I

will scare him hence."

"Put him out!" shouted the Chamberlain.

"Count, you see what is being done," called the Warden. "Is Your

Honour not yet sufficiently tainted by eating and drinking with

these Soplicas? In addition, must I, the keeper of the castle,

Gerwazy Rembajlo, Warden of the Horeszkos, be insulted in the

house of my lords?-and will you endure it!"

Thereupon Protazy called out three times.-