"They know you still better, you knacker you, I'll be bound," said Dame Zudár to Ivan derisively.
Ivan caught up a knife from the table and would have stuck the woman with it had not Thomas Bodza stayed his hand. He did not like these squabbles at all.
"This is not the time for wrangling," said he.
Only very reluctantly did Ivan allow himself to be pacified and induced to continue the conversation.
"Here in this handkerchief are some pieces of meat, do you think you can get the dogs to take them with soft words?"
"Why not? I have only to call them by name, and they will come to the doors of their kennels and eat it out of my very hands."
"Then look sharp and set about it."
The Leather-bell was such a good fellow that he was never able to resist the slightest command. He accepted the commission, although he knew very well that the dogs would be poisoned. He consoled himself with the reflection, however, that nobody had told him so beforehand.
"But look here, gentlemen, you don't want to do his honour, the squire, any harm?" he inquired of Ivan, with a foolishly smiling face.
"No, old 'un, no."