"Why?"

"The Waiwode has a beautiful daughter. Holy Father! what a beauty!"
Here the Jew tried his utmost to express beauty by extending his
hands, screwing up his eyes, and twisting his mouth to one side as
though tasting something on trial.

"Well, what of that?"

"He did it all for her, he went there for her sake. When a man is in
love, then all things are the same to him; like the sole of a shoe
which you can bend in any direction if you soak it in water."

Bulba reflected deeply. He remembered the power of weak woman--how she
had ruined many a strong man, and that this was the weak point in
Andrii's nature--and stood for some time in one spot, as though rooted
there. "Listen, my lord, I will tell my lord all," said the Jew. "As
soon as I heard the uproar, and saw them going through the city gate,
I seized a string of pearls, in case of any emergency. For there are
beauties and noble-women there; 'and if there are beauties and
noble-women,' I said to myself, 'they will buy pearls, even if they
have nothing to eat.' And, as soon as ever the cornet's servants had
set me at liberty, I hastened to the Waiwode's residence to sell my
pearls. I asked all manner of questions of the lady's Tatar maid; the
wedding is to take place immediately, as soon as they have driven off
the Zaporozhtzi. Lord Andrii has promised to drive off the
Zaporovians."

"And you did not kill him on the spot, you devil's brat?" shouted
Bulba.