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Drinking is no sin; it is a sin, sure enough, to swill like a pig or to sit without talking when good folk are gossiping, but not to drink the gift of God to the bottom. You just drink my health, he whispered resolutely. He drank himself from the bottle with a long gurgle in his throat; then handing it to Jasiek, said merrily: 'Drink, orphan.

If I should be absent there would be peace, but if I remained in Zgorzelice, God only knows what ill luck might happen. There would be outrages and fights; and Jasiek is already fourteen years old, and nobody, not even myself, can detain him. Upon the last occasion when you came to our assistance he flew to the front, and when Cztan used his club upon the crowd he nearly hit him on the head.

Jasiek awoke completely, and with his shoulders pressed to the now cooling fireplace, looked round curiously at the people as far as he could make them out. 'Where are they going? he asked the beggar. 'To Brazil. 'Is it far? 'Ho! ho! it's the end of the world, beyond the tenth sea. 'And why? 'First because they are fools, and second because they are unfortunate.

Jasiek drank a few glasses one after the other, gnawed half-consciously some mouldy rolls as tough as leather, which he seasoned with a herring, and looked now at the door, now at the window, or listened to the murmur of the voices.

'God repay you for feeding me! said Jasiek, and squeezed the beggar's hand; the other did not at once let him go, but felt his hand carefully. 'For a few years you have not worked with your hands, he murmured; but Jan tore his hand away in a fright. 'Sit down, continued the beggar, 'don't be afraid. The Lord Jesus said: "All are just men who fear God and help the poor orphan." Fearnot, man.

'Oh, daddy, don't, wailed the boy, although he had been prepared for the last two hours. 'You won't escape it this time; lie down on the bench. You've been laughing at the young gentleman and even making fun of the squire. Stasiek, in tears, embraced his father's knees, Magda ran out of the room, Jendrek howled. 'I tell you, lie down! I'll teach you to run about with that scoundrel of a Jasiek!

They drank healths to one another several times, then began kissing, then fell silent, for a child was crying in a corner, and a movement began among the quiet timid crowd. A tall dried-up peasant appeared out of the darkness and walked out of the inn. Jasiek moved up to the fire, for the cold was in his bones, and putting his herring on a stick began to toast it over the coals.

From the bag she drew out a piece of brown bread and put it in the soup unnoticed; then as he moved up to eat and she saw his worn grey face, mere skin and bone, pity so moved her that she took out a piece of sausage and laid it on the bread. Jasiek could not resist but ate greedily, from time to time throwing a bone to the dog, who had crept up with entreating eyes.

Then the men got up and praised the dead woman's virtues. 'I am bringing you a bird, then said Grochowski, turning to Gryb; 'he is slightly wounded. 'What do you mean? 'It's your Jasiek. He attempted to steal my horses last night, and I treated him to a little lead. 'Where is he? 'In the sledge outside. Gryb ran off at a heavy trot.

'And do they know the way? Jasiek asked again, hugely astonished. But the beggar was no longer answering him; pushing on the woman with a stick, he came forward into the middle of the room, fell on his knees, and began in a sort of plaintive chant: 'You are going beyond the seas, the mountains, the forests to the end of the world. The Lord Jesus bless you, orphans!