The beggar man listened a long time; then, when the woman put the pot into his hands, he raised his spoon and said solemnly: 'Eat, man. The Lord Jesus said, give a beggar a farthing and another shall repay thee ten. God be with you!' They ate in silence, till in an interval the beggar rubbed his mouth with his cuff and said: 'Three things are needful for food to do you good--spirit, salt, bread. Give us spirit, woman!' All three drank together and then went on eating. Jasiek had almost forgotten his danger and threw no more timid looks around. He just ate, sated himself with warmth, sated slowly the four-days' hunger that gnawed him, and felt peaceful in the quietness. The two peasants had left the cask, but the crowd in the corner on benches or with their bags under their heads on the wet floor were still quietly dreaming; and still came, but in ever sleepier tones, the sound of singing from the inner room. And the rain was still falling and penetrating the roof in some places; it dripped from the ceiling and formed shining sticky circles of mud on the clay floor. And still at times the wind shook the inn or howled in the fire-place, scattered the burning boughs and drove smoke into the room. 'There is something for you too, vagabond!' whispered the woman, giving the rest of the food to the dog, who flitted about them with beseeching eyes. Then the beggar spoke. 'With food in his belly a man is not badly off, even in hell,' he said, setting down the empty pot. '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. I am no Judas nor Jew, but an honest Christian and a poor orphan myself.' He thought for a moment, then in a quiet voice said: 'Attend to three things: love the Lord Jesus, never be hungry, and give to a man more unfortunate than yourself. All the rest is just nothing, rotten fancies. A wise man should never vex himself uselessly. Ho! we know a dozen things. Eh, what do you say?' He pricked up his ears and waited, but Jasiek remained stubbornly silent, fearing to betray himself; then the beggar brought out his bark snuffbox, tapped it with his finger, took snuff, sneezed, and handed it to the boy. Then, bending his huge blind face over the fire, he began to talk in low monotonous tones.