Slimak dropped his hand with the whip, bent his head forward, and
looked at his wife. The proposal seemed monstrous.

'What's wrong with you?' he asked.

'Wrong with me?' She raised her voice. 'Can't I afford the cow? Gryb
has bought his wife a new cart, and you grudge me the beasts? There are
two cows in the shed; do you ever trouble about them? You wouldn't have
a shirt to your back if it weren't for them.'

'Good Lord,' groaned the man, who was getting muddled by his wife's
eloquence,' how am I to feed her? they won't sell me fodder from the
manor.'

'Rent that field, and you will have fodder.'

'Fear God, Jagna! what are you saying? How am I to rent that field?'

'Go to the manor and ask the square; say you will pay up the rent in a
year's time.'

'As God lives, the woman is mad! our beasts pull a little from that
field now for nothing; I should be worse off, because I should have to
pay both for the cow and for the field. I won't go to the squire.'

His wife came close up to him and looked into his eyes. 'You won't go?'

'I won't go.'