'Oh, it's Slimak.' The lady raised her glasses. 'Well, my good man, my brother wants me to do something for you. Have you got a daughter?' 'I haven't, my lady,' said Slimak, kissing the hem of her dress. 'That's a pity, I might have taught her to do beadwork. Perhaps I could teach the boys to read?' 'They are wanted at home, my lady; the elder one is useful already, and the younger one looks after the pigs in the fields.' 'Do something for them yourself,' she said to her brother in French. 'What are they plotting against me?' thought Slimak. The squire now came out and joined the group. Slimak began bowing again, Stasiek's eyes filled with tears, even Jendrek lost his self-assurance. The conversation reverted into French, and the democrat warmly supported Slimak's cause. 'All right, I'll let him have the field,' said the squire; 'then there will be an end to the trespassing; besides, he is the most honest man in the village.' When Slimak's suspense had become so acute that he had thoughts of returning home without having settled the business, the squire said: 'So you want me to let you have the field by the river?' 'If you will be so kind, sir.' 'And if you will kindly take off three roubles,' Jendrek added quickly. Slimak's blood ran cold; the squire exchanged glances with his wife. 'What does that mean?' he asked. 'From what am I to take off three roubles?' Involuntarily Slimak's hand reached for his belt, but he recollected himself; he made up his mind in despair to tell the truth. 'If you please, sir, don't take any notice of that puppy; my wife has been at me for not bargaining well, and she told me to get you to take three roubles off the rent, and now this young scoundrel puts me to shame.' 'Mother told me to look after you.' Slimak became absolutely tongue-tied, and the party on the other side of the railing were convulsed with laughter. 'Look,' said the squire in French, 'that is the peasant all over. He won't allow you to speak a word to his wife, but he can't do anything without her, and doesn't understand any business whatsoever without her explanations.' 'Lovely!' laughed his wife, 'now, if you did as I tell you, we should have left this dull place long ago and gone to Warsaw.' 'Don't make the peasant out to be an idiot,' remonstrated his brother-in-law. 'No need for me to do that; he _is_ an idiot. Our peasants are all muscle and stomach; they leave reason and energy to their wives. Slimak is one of the most intelligent, yet I will bet you anything that I can immediately give you a proof of his being a donkey. Josef,' he said, turning to Slimak, 'your wife told you to drive a good bargain?' 'Certainly, sir, what is true is true.' 'Do you know what Lukasiak pays me yearly?' 'They say ten roubles.' 'Then you ought to pay twenty roubles for the two acres.' 'If you will be lenient, sir,' began Slimak. '... and let me off three roubles,' completed the squire. Slimak looked confused.