'I suppose it was she who set fire to your house?' asked Fritz.
'No one else but she.'
Fritz was silent for a moment.
'It would be better for you to sell us the land.'
The peasant hung his head….
The barn could not be saved, but the walls of the cottage were still standing; some of the people were busy putting out the fire, others surrounded the sick woman.
'What are you going to do?' Fritz began again.
'We will live in the stable.'
The women whispered that they had better be taken to the settlement, but the men shook their heads, saying the woman might be infectious. Fritz inclined to this opinion and ordered her to be well wrapped up and taken into the stable.
'We will send you what you need,' he said.