"That is to say, you have got cold feet over it," said the tailor. All laughed.
"That is a stupid joke," said the shoemaker, "and the whole story is a stupid joke; the old inspector has traded with me all these years, and has always paid his accounts honestly, and is he likely, in his old age, to take to cheating and stealing?"
"Eh, you may talk! But when the whole city says so?"
"Eh, the whole city! Here stands Herr Kurz, ask him if he has'nt always paid honestly! Ask the man what he says to it!"
"What I say to it? I say nothing," said Kurz, "but I don't believe it, and I have my own reasons."
"There, do you hear?"
"Yes, it may possibly be so."
"Yes, I said, all along, the matter looked very strange to me."
"Well," said Wimmersdorf, "he never traded with me, and I don't see why I should'nt believe it."
"Eh, tailor, don't let yourself be laughed at!"