"Our young knights are glad that this war is coming, but the older and prudent ones speak thus: 'We are not afraid of the Germans, although their pride and power are great, but we are afraid of their relics, because against those all human might is powerless.'" Here Anna Danuta looked at the abbot with fear and added in a softer voice: "They say they have a true piece of the holy cross; how then can one fight against them?" "The French king sent it to them," answered the abbot. There was a moment of silence, then Mikolaj of Dlugolas, called Obuch, a man of great experience, said: "I was in captivity among the Knights of the Cross; I saw a procession in which they carried this great relic. But beside this, there are many other relics in the monastery in Oliva without which the order would not have acquired such power." The Benedictines stretched their necks toward the speaker, and began to ask with great curiosity: "Tell us, what are they?" "There is a piece of the dress of the Most Holy Virgin," answered the _wlodyka_ of Dlugolas; "there is a molar tooth of Marya from Magdala and branches from the bush in which God the Father revealed himself to Moses; there is a hand of Saint Liberjus, and as for the bones of other saints, I cannot count them on the fingers of both hands and the toes of both feet." "How can one fight them?" repeated the princess, sighing. The abbot frowned, and having thought for awhile, said: "It is difficult to fight them, for this reason; they are monks and they wear the cross on their mantles; but if they have exceeded the measure of their sins, then even those relics will refuse to remain with them; in that case they will not strengthen the knights, but will take their strength away, so that the relics can pass into more pious hands. May God spare Christian blood; but, if a great war should come, there are some relics in our kingdom also which will succor us." "May God help us!" exclaimed Zbyszko. The abbot turned toward the princess and said: "Therefore have confidence in God, gracious lady, because their days are numbered rather than yours. In the meanwhile, accept with grateful heart this box, in which there is a finger of Saint Ptolomeus, one of our patrons." The princess extended her hand and kneeling, accepted the box, which she immediately pressed to her lips. The courtiers shared the joy of the lady. Zbyszko was happy because it seemed to him that war would come immediately after the Krakowian festivals. CHAPTER IV.