"What's the use of being mum?" continued the voice. "Take it easy! People who live together ought to be cronies! Besides, we are much better off here than you or anybody would think—ain't we, boys?"
"Yes! yes!" replied two voices, which evidently proceeded from a man and a boy.
"We're snug and comfortable! There are some drawbacks, you know. My poor Imri here has a whipping on every quarter day, and Pishta is going to lose his head—that's all. It's a bore, you know."
"What the devil makes you talk of it?" said the man's voice, trembling.
"Never you mind! Who knows but you'll get off for all that? Why, you were not even twenty when you did for that Slowak; by the same token, you were a jackass to kill that fellow of all others for the miserable booty of ninepence which you found in his pockets. As for me, I've twice been under sentence of death, and you see I'm none the worse for it. But if they will chop your head off, why, it's some comfort to think that they hanged your father before you. Never mind, boy, you're as likely to dance on my grave as I am on yours! When a man has lived up to ninety-three years——"
"Three and ninety years!" sighed the notary, with a shudder.
"Three and ninety years!" continued the old man, with his usual cough. "It's a good old age, you know; and fifty-four years of that time I've lived in gaol, and I'm none the worse for it; if the Lord keeps me alive, they'll discharge me on St. Stephen's day that's coming."
"Fifty-four years?" cried the notary.
"Ay! it's a good long time, ain't it? I've been in gaol for stealing horses and other cattle, and I was a party to a murder. Twice they locked me up for arson, but, d—n me, I had no hand in it in either case; and this time I'm caged because people will have it that I was the head man in the Pasht robbery—you know three men happened to be killed on the occasion. Never mind, I'm to be a free man on St. Stephen's day; and, after all, though I say it who should not, their worships were not far out when they brought that business home to me!"
"I say, father, you're an out-and-outer!" said the boyish voice. "Come, tell us of the Jew that lost his life!"