"They have stolen a great many horses and cows from people, and a lot of money."
"It was easy for them to do all that, for the Starszy gave them the go-by, and went shares with them...."
"They had a gay time at our expense; let them pay for it now...."
"If everyone talks, I'll have my say, too," someone exclaimed. "I know that the Gajdas betrayed the priest for having married the young couple from Podlasia."[20]
"What!... They even betrayed the priest?"
"And the postmaster's daughters who taught the children[21]—it must have been they who betrayed them?"
"So it was! So it was! We know that!" the miller asserted rancorously.
"Then it's they who robbed and killed the Jews in the forest!"
"Sure enough, it's the Gajdas! It's they!... The carrion!... The mean wretches! The scoundrels!" The peasants began to curse, thumping their sticks on the ground and stamping. Their eyes shot fire, and they raised their clenched fists.