'My name 's Schwartz Thier, and so 's my nature!' said the fellow with a
grin; 'but may I never smack lips with a pretty girl again, if I harm
such a young beauty as this! Friendly dealing's my plan o' life.'

'Clear out of my house, then, fellow, and here's money for you,' said
Gottlieb, displaying a wrathfully-trembling handful of coin.

'Pish! money! forty times that wouldn't cover my bet! And if it did?
Shouldn't I be disgraced? jeered at for a sheep-heart? No, I'm no ninny,
and not to be diddled. I'll talk to the young lady! Silence, out there!
all's going proper': this to his comrades through the door. 'So, my
beautiful maiden! thus it stands: We saw you at the window, looking like
a fresh rose with a gold crown on. Here are we poor fellows come to
welcome the Kaiser. I began to glorify you. "Schwartz Thier!" says
Henker Rothhals to me, "I'll wager you odds you don't have a kiss of that
fine girl within twenty minutes, counting from the hand-smack!" Done!
was my word, and we clapped our fists together. Now, you see, that's
straightforward! All I want is, not to lose my money and be made a fool
of--leaving alone that sugary mouth which makes mine water'; and he drew
the back of his hand along his stubbled jaws: 'So, come! don't hesitate!
no harm to you, my beauty, but a compliment, and Schwartz Thier's your
friend and anything else you like for ever after. Come, time's up,
pretty well.'

Margarita leaned to her father a moment as if mortal sickness had seized
her. Then cramping her hands and feet, she said in his ear, 'Leave me to
my own care; go, get the men to protect thee'; and ordered Schwartz Thier
to open the door wide.