'He has it because he has it, because he is a gentleman.'

'Pooh! If you wore a coat, and your trousers outside your boots, you
would be a gentleman; but for all that you wouldn't have the land.'

'You are stupid,' said Slimak, getting angry.

'I know I am stupid, that is because I can't read or write, but Jasiek
Gryb can, and therefore he is clever, and he says there must be
equality, and there will be when the peasants have taken the land from
the nobility.'

'Jasiek had better leave off taking money from his father's chest
before he disposes of other people's property! He might give mine to
Maciek and take the squire's for himself, but he would never give his
own away. Let it be as God has ordered.'

'Did God give the land to the squire?'

'God has ordered that there should not be equality in the world. A pine
is tall, a hazel is low, the grass is still lower. Look at sensible
dogs. When a pail of dish-water is brought out to them, the strongest
drinks first, and the others stand by and lick their lips, although
they know that he will take the best part; then they all take their
turn. If they start quarrelling, they upset the pail and the strong get
the better of the weak.

If people were to say to each other: Disgorge what you have swallowed,
the strong would drive off the weak and leave them to starve.'