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"Show it to me," said General Dombrowski with a laugh. "That is a

lovely penknife, a real headsman's sword!"

He gazed with amazement on the huge blade, and passed it on to

the other officers; all of them tried it, but hardly one of the

officers could lift that blade on high. They said that

Dembinski,209 famous for his strength of arm, could have

brandished the broadsword, but he was not there. Of those present

only the squadron commander Dwernicki,210 and Lieutenant

Rozycki,211 the leader of a platoon, managed to swing the iron

pole: thus the blade was passed for trial from hand to hand along

the line.