'What are you asking me all those questions for?'

'Because it pleases us to do so,' the younger man answered, pushing his
father into the carriage.

'Farewell! we shall meet again!' cried the old man.

The carriage rolled away.

'What a crew they are on the highroad to-day, it's like a fair!' said
Slimak.

'But who are those people, daddy?'

'Those? They must be Germans from Wolka, twelve miles from here.'

'Why did they ask so many questions about your land?'

'They are not the only ones to do that, child. This country pleases
people so much that they come over here from a long way off; they come
as far as the pine hill and then they go away again. That is all I know
about them.'

He turned the horses homeward and was already forgetting the Germans.
The cow and the field were engaging all his thoughts. Supposing he
bought her! he would be able to manure the ground better, and he might
even pay an old man to come to the cottage for the winter and teach his
boys to read and write. What would the other peasants say to that? It
would greatly improve his position; he would have a better place in