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Hamer sat down in the doorway, smoking his pipe and watching Slimak; he nodded contentedly to himself. 'I've been down to the village to ask Gryb and the other gospodarze to come and help you, for that is a Christian duty.... He waited for the peasant's thanks, but Slimak went on eating and did not look at him.

'He has brought a cow and wants to sell her to Gryb for thirty-five paper roubles and a silver rouble for the halter. She is a lovely cow. 'Let him sell her; what's that to do with me? 'This much: that you are going to buy her, said the woman firmly. Slimak dropped his hand with the whip, bent his head forward, and looked at his wife. The proposal seemed monstrous.

'And you can tell him from me that I have rented the field by the river from Midsummer Day, Hamer called after him. 'But dad rented it from the squire! Hamer laughed...'The squire! We are the squires now, and the field is mine. As Jendrek neared the road he came upon a peasant, hidden behind a bush, who had been watching. It was Gryb. 'Be praised, said Jendrek.

And here, you see, all of us in the village are sending you some victuals. Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Grochowski. 'I wouldn't believe Jonah, when he came to tell me all this, he said, 'and you here, Gryb, too? Where is the defunct? They approached to the stable and knelt down in the snow. Only the murmuring of their prayers and Slimak's sobs were audible for a while.

It's something that he will sell her to us at all; he keeps on saying he promised her to Gryb. Slimak scratched his head. 'Come, Josef, be friendly and drink vodka with him, then perhaps the Lord Jesus will give him reflection. But keep looking at me, and don't talk too much; you will see, it will turn out all right.

'If the Germans leave, continued the peasant, 'I shall be up against old Gryb, and he will do me as much harm as the Germans, or more. 'I am a good shepherd! the priest reflected bitterly. 'My sheep are fighting each other like wolves, go to the Jews for advice, are persecuted by the Germans, and I am going to entertainments! He got up.

Maciek was also given to understand why Jasiek Gryb had entertained the gospodarz and his family so liberally, and Grochowski even seemed to know the man who had presented Maciek with the monks' cordial and said that the woman in the sledge was not a woman at all. 'I will do whatever you tell me, Soltys, said Maciek, embracing his knees, 'even if you should send me to my death.

I said I was taking the cow to Gryb...but I was bringing her to you...for you are my brother.... They linked arms and made for the window. Maciek opened the door into the passage, and after several false starts they reached the courtyard. The gospodyni took a lantern, rug and pillow, and followed them.

'Why, that's certainly worth while, said Grochowski, 'and not a bad wife! 'Aye, a good, hefty woman, cried Gryb. 'You'll be quite a gentleman, Slimak, added Grochowski. Slimak sighed. 'I'm sorry, he said, 'that Jagna did not live to see this. The agreement was carried out, and before Holy Week both Slimak and Gryb's son were married.

Jendrek slowly walked home, puzzled and sad. When he returned to the cottage, he found Stasiek lying ill. He told his father what Gryb had said. 'He's an old fool, replied Slimak. 'What! should a man stand like a beast when others are praying, even if they are Swabians? 'But their praying has bewitched Stasiek. Slimak looked gloomy. 'Why should it have been their prayers?