The news of the old man's death spread rapidly throughout the village. People soon began to assemble in little groups to look at the corpse. They murmured a prayer, shook their heads, and went off to talk it over. It was not till towards evening that Tomek, the other son-in-law, under pressure of public opinion, declared himself willing to pay for the funeral. On the third day, shortly before this was to take place, Tomek's wife made her appearance at Antek's cottage. In the passage she almost came nose to nose with her sister, who was just taking a pail of dishwater out to the cowshed. 'Blessed be Jesus Christ,' she murmured, and kept her hand on the door-handle. 'Now: look at that... soul of a Judas!' Antkowa put the pail down hard. 'She's come to spy about here. Got rid of the old one somehow, didn't you? Hasn't he given everything to you... and you dare show yourself here, you trull! Have you come for the rest of the rags he left here, what?' 'I bought him a new sukmana at Whitsuntide, he can keep that on, of course, but I must have the sheepskin back, because it has been bought with money I have earned in the sweat of my brow,' Tomekowa replied calmly. 'Have it back, you mangy dog, have it back?' screamed Antkowa. 'I'll give it you, you'll see what you will have...' and she looked round for an object that would serve her purpose. 'Take it away? You dare! You have crawled to him and lickspittled till he became the idiot he was and made everything over to you and wronged me, and then...' 'Everybody knows that we bought the land from him, there are witnesses...' 'Bought it? Look at her! You mean to say you're not afraid to lie like that under God's living eyes? Bought it! Cheats, that's what you are, thieves, dogs! You stole the money from him first, and then.... Didn't you make him eat out of the pig-pail? Adam is a witness that he had to pick the potatoes out of the pig-pail, ha! You've let him sleep in the cowshed, because, you said, he stank so that you couldn't eat. Fifteen acres of land and a dower-life like that... for so much property! And you've beaten him too, you swine, you monkey!' 'Hold your snout, or I'll shut it for you and make you remember, you sow, you trull!' 'Come on then, come on, you destitute creature!' 'I... destitute?' 'Yes, you! You would have rotted in a ditch, the vermin would have eaten you up, if Tomek hadn't married you.' 'I, destitute? Oh you carrion!' They sprang at each other, clutching at each other's hair; they fought in the narrow passage, screaming themselves hoarse all the time. 'You street-walker, you loafer... there! that's one for you! There's one for my fifteen acres, and for all the wrong you have done me, you dirty dog!' 'For the love of God, you women, leave off, leave off! It's a sin and a shame!' cried the neighbours. 'Let me go, you leper, will you let go?' 'I'll beat you to death, I will tear you to pieces, you filth!'