resence, have you hidden any one?"

"Whether I have stolen away someone on hell's account? No, my dear
fellow, I don't court Satan's acquaintance either: let him catch men for
himself, if he can."

"I have a mandatum for your examination on oath."

"Keep your mandatum in your pocket, and measure out thirty florins'
worth of oats from my granary: that's the fine. For I don't intend to be
examined on oath."

"Indeed?"

"Of course. If you bid me, I will swear: I'm a rare hand at it; I can
swear for half an hour at a stretch without repeating myself."

Again the smiling lawyer intervened:

"Give us your word of honor, then, that besides those produced, there is
no servant in your household who has not yet been baptized."

"Well, I give you my word of honor that there is not 'in my household'
even a living creature who is a pagan."

Topandy's word of honor only just escaped being broken for that
gypsy-girl, whom he had bought in her sixth year from encamping gypsies
for two dollars and a sucking pig, now, ten years later, did not belong
any more to the household, but presided at table when gentlefolk came to
dinner. But she still bore that heathen name, which she had received in
the reedy thicket. She was still called Czipra.

And the godless fellow had snatched her away from the water of
Christianity.

"Has the honorable Court any other complaint to make against me?"

"Yes, indeed. Not merely do you force your household to be pagan, but
you are accused of disturbing in their religious services others who
make no secret of their devout feelings."

"For example?"

"Just opposite you is the courtyard of Mr. Nepomuk John Sarvoelgyi,[29]
who is a very righteous man."

[Footnote 29: Mud-valley.]

"As far as I know, quite the opposite: he is always praying, a fact
which proves that his sins must be very numerous."

"It is not your business to judge him. In our common world it is a
merit, if someone dares to display to the public eye the fact that he
still respects religion, and it is the duty of the law to protect him."

"Well, and how have I scandalized the good fellow?"

"Not long ago Mr. Sarvoelgyi had a large Saint Nepomuk painted on the
facade of his house, in oils on a sheet of bronze, and before the chief
figure he was himself painted, in a kneeling position."

"I know: I saw it."

"From the lips of St. Nepomuk was flowing down in 'lapidarig' letters to
the kneeling figure the following Latin sayi