"'I think it was a good trick, but I don't want to do it a second time.'
"'You're right,' he said. 'Have you ever seen the cook draw the veins out of the meat when he's getting the inspector's cutlets ready?'
"'Oh yes! Rather!' I said.
"'Now, you see, if you stop here, they'll draw all the veins and all the strength out of you. You've saved a little money; go away from here, and don't look back.'
"I left the hospital, and went to get my 'time.' But it was a difficult business. 'Stop here,' they said to me, 'stop here, and we'll raise your wages.' And so on. But I didn't agree. 'Your money is good, but dear,' I answered. The inspector got very angry, and shouted, 'Ass!' And they counted it out to me: I had got a round sum of a thousand roubles, all but a hundred and fifty."
"Did you really drink that stuff, Maciej?"
"A-ah! It was the first medicine I ever took," he answered.
But the shoemaker, understanding my incredulity, set it aside by an excellent explanation:
"No fear! Even two bottles of toadstools wouldn't hurt a machine like that!"