"Which of you not only acted contrary to the decree of the Diet, that the peasants should extirpate the sparrows, but even mocked the officers charged to collect sparrows' heads?"
The magistrate humbly approached the Patrol-officer.
"Believe me, worshipful sir; by reason of the great drought and the bad season, the sparrows have all departed from our district. Tell his Highness that we have been unable to lay our hands upon a single one all through the summer."
"That's a lie!" cried Clement the Clerk fiercely.
"I speak the truth," persisted the magistrate, seizing Clement by the hand, and dexterously insinuating two silver marias into his clenched fist.
"Well, it is not impossible," said the Patrol-officer, somewhat mollified.
Last of all came the question—
"Has any among you seen foreign beasts of prey, or other strange animals, straying about in these regions?"
"Of a truth, sir, we have seen lots of them."
"And what sort of beasts were they?" asked Clement, with joyful curiosity.