"That is true! A man sells a horse, he drinks; the same if he sells an ox, a pig too. That's the custom."
"That's it; we drink, but according to custom," put in the mayor.
Then the councilmen turned more boldly to Repa,—
"Well, if thou hast brewed beer, drink it."
"Or, art thou six years old, or knowest not what thou art doing?"
"Besides they will not take off thy head."
"And when thou goest to the army, thou canst hire a man; he will take thy place in the house, and with the woman."
Joyfulness began to possess the whole assembly.
All at once the secretary opened his mouth again; all was still.
"But ye do not know," said he, "where to interfere, and what ye shouldn't touch. That Repa threatened his wife and child, that he promised to burn his own house, with that ye can meddle, and not let such a thing go unpunished. Since the woman has come with a complaint, let her not go away from this court without justice."