"Yes, mother," said Jochen, "what shall I do about it? And then this old goose-business here; but Gottlieb and Lining----"
"To be sure," cried Frau Nüssler, "he helped them to their living, and we must not forget it of him."
"Well, but he," said Bräsig, looking like a sly old rascal, "has he no friends? What would the Herr Zamwell Pomuchelskopp say to that?"
"Pomuchelskopp?" said Fritz. "We have nothing more to do with him," bringing out the word with great contempt, and bending down to Bräsig he whispered, "he has sued us, he has sent us notice for the money; I know it from Zodick, from Moses' Zodick. Yes, that pot is broken, and Slusuhr is coming constantly, now by letter, now in person; but we have got one on our side, too, the advocate Rein, do you know him?"
"Oh, yes," whispered Bräsig, "I know him, with his North pole, and Island of Ferro."
"A confoundedly smart fellow, isn't he?" asked Fritz.
"Yes indeed," said Bräsig, "he can lead people by the nose finely. But," he asked aloud, "what has the young Herr decided about the day-laborers?"
"I will tell you," said Fritz. "We have both decided to defend our lives to the last extremity, and he sent me to Rahnstadt, to get these revolvers."
"Well, and if the day-laborers come again?"
"Then we shall shoot," said Fritz.