'What is the matter? A nice question for a clever woman to ask! Don't you understand that the Germans will take the field away from us if the squire has sold it to them?'
'Why should they? We could pay the rent to them.'
The woman tried to talk confidently, but her voice was unsteady.
'You don't know what you're talking about! Germans keep cattle and are sharp after grazing land. Besides, they will want to get rid of me.'
'We shall see who gets rid of whom!' Slimakowa said sharply.
She came and stood in front of her husband, with her arms akimbo, gradually raising her voice.
'Lord, what a man! He has only just looked at the Swabian[1] vermin, and he has lost heart already. They will take away the field? Well, what of that? we will drive the cattle into it all the same.'
[Footnote 1: The Polish peasants call all Germans 'Swabians'.]
'They will shoot the cattle.'
'That isn't allowed.'