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Ah, yes, you said a short time ago that the jay could speak, and that is quite true; you are a wise man, Prepelicza, and the right man for me, for we shall soon come to terms. Yes, the jay can speak, but only if they cut its tongue. That is what you meant, isn't it?" "H'm!" was the answer, and the three hairs on the mason's nose began to move, as though a breath of air had passed through them.
By degrees Gáspár Gregorics got all particulars out of the man; and now the ground seemed to be burning under his feet, so he went straight into the town to look for the man with the three hairs on his nose. It was not difficult to find him, and at the first place he asked at, three voices answered at once: "That must be András Prepelicza.
That sly Prepelicza had easily found out in Besztercebánya that Pál Gregorics had more than one brother living, and he decided that if one of them paid him 250 florins for the secret, the other would perhaps be inclined to pay something too. So he got into the train, travelled to Besztercebánya, and looked up Boldizsár.
"I know of course that they cut the jay's tongue with a knife, but as you are not a bird, Prepelicza ..." "No, no," stammered the man hastily. "Well, instead of a knife I take these two bank-notes to cut your tongue with." And with that he took two hundred-florin bank-notes out of his pocket-book.
"It is disgraceful!" he burst out; "a poor man's honor is only worth two hundred florins, though God created us all equal, and He gave me my honor as well as to the bishop or to Baron Radvánszky. And yet you tax mine at two hundred florins. It's a shame!" Upon that Gáspár decided to play his trump. "Very well, Prepelicza, you needn't be so cross. If your honor is so dear, I'll look for cheaper."
"You were a party to the fraud practised upon us by that good-for-nothing brother of ours, who wanted to rob us in order to benefit that boy. You helped him to fill the caldron with rusty nails and bits of old iron. Now you are here, you may as well have your share." With that they each seized hold of a stick, and began to beat Prepelicza till he was black and blue.
Why, you have had to do with nothing else all your life, you need not cry about having one on your heart! You can't expect me to give you two hundred florins, and then give you a hot roll to carry in your heart. Don't be a fool, man." Prepelicza smiled at this, but he put his big red hands behind his back, a sign that he did not intend to touch the money. "Perhaps you find it too little?"
Now he must be as phlegmatic as possible, and the price of the article would rise in proportion. His heart beat loud and fast, and the white cock framed on the wall above the green table seemed to awake to life before his eyes, and to crow out these words: "Good afternoon, András Prepelicza! Cock-a-doodledo. You have luck before you! Seize hold of it!"
So he decided it would be cheaper if they were to work together, buy the estate, share the contents of the caldron, and pay Prepelicza a certain sum yearly to hold his tongue.
And with that he put back the two bank-notes in his pocket. "I'll look up your companion, the other mason." Then he called the head waiter, in order to pay for the wine. Prepelicza smiled. "Well, well, can't a poor man give his opinion? Of course you can look up the other man, and he won't be as honest as I, probably. But ... well, put another fifty to it, and I'll tell you all." "Very well.
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