It was a small place indeed, so crammed with the beds of the Jewish brats that it was hard to find room at the table. A single tallow candle, stuck in a brass chandelier that hung from the rafters, burned with a smoky flame. Gregory passed the bottle twice, and they drank, but no one referred to the talk they had broken off, till Matthew cried tartly: “Now, Gregory, let’s hear you: we all sit here like crows expecting rain!” But before the latter could begin, the blacksmith entered, greeted them, and looked around for a seat. “Pah! Here comes Sooty-Face, always springing up where he has not been sown!” Matthew blurted out; but, stifling his annoyance, he at once added: “Michael, here’s to you!” The smith tossed the liquor off and, trying to put a good face on the matter, remarked as if in jest: “I care not to learn the secrets of other folk, and perhaps I am not wanted here?” “As you say!” Ploshka returned. “Being so friendly with the Germans—eating bacon on Friday and drinking coffee with them—would you not rather be still with them on a holiday like this?” “You speak as one of the drunkards speaks!” “I say but what all men know: you are ever in converse with them.” “I work for them that give me work: I do not pick and choose.” “Work!” hinted Vahnik; “there’s more than work between them and you!” “Of such work,” Prychek added significantly, “as you did with the Squire and our forest.” “Oho! It seems I have met my judges here!—Much ye all know of the affair!” “Let him be,” said Gregory, staring sternly into the smith’s shifty eyes. “He is free to do his business by himself ... as we too to do ours by ourselves.” “Should a gendarme look through the window here,” said the smith with a poor attempt at mockery, while his lips were twitching with rage, “he would take you for conspirators.” “And perchance we are, but not against you, Michael: you’re not worth it.” At that he pulled his cap on, and made his exit, slamming the door. “He scented something in the wind, and came here to find out all about it.” “He might even play the eavesdropper outside.” “Let him: he will hear something about himself that he will not like!” “Now hark to me, boys!” Gregory said, gravely. “As I told you, the Germans have not purchased Podlesie yet, but the deed of sale may be signed any day. They talk of next Thursday.” “That we know: the question is, what’s to be done!” Matthew cried impatiently. “Advise us, Gregory, you who can, who are book-learned and read the papers.” “You see, if the Germans buy it and settle next to us, it will be like Gorka over again: we shall not have room to breathe in Lipka.” “Our fathers sigh, and scratch their heads, and cannot make out what to do.” “Yet they will not give up their farms to us!” several voices exclaimed at once.