'Why didn't you take the offer? I suppose you did not trust him?'
'How can one trust them when one does not know what they are talking among themselves; they jabber like Jews, and when they talked to me they were poking fun at me. Besides, there was some talk of free distribution of land.'
'And you believed that?'
'Why should I not believe it? A man likes to believe what is to his advantage. The Jews knew it wasn't true, but they won't tell.'
'Why didn't you apply for work at the railway?'
'I did, but the Germans kept me out.'
'Why couldn't you have come to me? the chief engineer was living at my house all the time,' said the priest, getting angry.
'I beg your Reverence's pardon; I couldn't have known that, and I shouldn't have dared to apply to your Reverence.'
'Hm! And the Germans annoyed you?'
'Oh dear, oh dear! haven't they been pestering me to sell them my land all along, and when the fire came I gave way….'