'Which one is it? Let's see her.'
Slimak said nothing, and Maciek had to take up the conversation.
'If one is to be sold, it may as well be Lysa.'
'Lead her out,' urged the butchers.
Maciek led the unfortunate cow into the yard; she seemed astonished at being taken out at such an unusual hour.
The butchers looked her over, chattered in Yiddish and asked the price.
'How do I know?' Slimak said, still irresolute.
'What's the good of talking like that, you know as well as we do that she's an old beast. We will give you fifteen roubles.'
Slimak relapsed into silence, and Maciek had to do the bargaining; after much shouting and pulling about of the cow, they agreed on eighteen roubles. A rope was laid on her horns and the stick about her shoulders, and they started.
The cow, scenting mischief, would not go; first she turned back to the cowshed and was dragged towards the highroad, then she lowed so miserably that Maciek went pale and Magda was heard to sob loudly: the gospodyni would not look out of the window.