Strona 243 z 788

"That is false!" interrupted Birbarz; "now I spring from the

blood of Tatar counts, and yet my coat bears crosses above a

ship."

"The white rose of five petals," cried Mickiewicz, "with a cap in

a golden field: it is a princely coat; Stryjkowski writes

frequently of it."80

After this a mighty hubbub arose all over the room. The

Bernardine had recourse to his snuffbox; he offered a pinch to

each of the orators in turn, and the wrangling immediately

subsided: each accepted for courtesy's sake, and sneezed several

times. The Bernardine, taking advantage of the intermission,

continued:-

"Ah! this tobacco has made great men sneeze! Will you believe me

that four times General Dombrowski has taken a pinch from this

snuffbox?"

"Dombrowski!" they shouted.