draw him away from Gundel by the chain.

Raban laughed heartily, and lame Jungel, chuckling, rapped on the floor
with his right crutch, exclaiming:

"Good for you!"

Kuni was accustomed to such outbursts of merriment. They were almost
always awakened by some trifle, and this time she did not even hear the
laughing. But Cyriax struck his wife so rudely on the hand that she
jerked furiously at the chain and, with a muttered oath, blew on the
bruised spot. Meanwhile Gundel was telling the group how many
distinguished gentlemen had formerly paid court to Kuni. She was as agile
as a squirrel. Her pretty little face, with its sparkling blue eyes,
attracted the men as bacon draws mice. Then, pleased to have listeners,
she related how the girl had lured florins and zecchins from the purse of
many a wealthy ecclesiastic. She might have been as rich as the Fuggers
if she hadn't met with the accident and had understood how to keep what
she earned. But she could not hold on to her gold. She had flung it away
like useless rubbish. So long as she possessed anything there had been no
want in Loni's company. She, Gundel, had caught her arm more than once
when she was going to fling Hungarian ducats, instead of coppers, to
good-for-nothing beggars. She had often urged her, too, to think of old
age, but Kuni--never cared for any one longer than a few weeks, though
there were some whom she might easily have induced to offer her the
wedding ring.

She glanced at Kuni again, but, perceiving that the girl did not yet
vouchsafe her even a single look, she was vexed, and, moving nearer to
Cyriax, she added in a still lower tone: