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"Well, gentlemen of Dobrzyn, I am nothing but a Jew; the Judge is

no kith or kin of mine; I respect the Soplicas as very good

gentlemen and my landlords; I respect also the Bartek and Maciej

Dobrzynskis, as good neighbours and my benefactors; but I say

thus: if you want to do violence to the Judge, that is very bad;

some of you may get hurt and be killed. But how about the

assessors? and the police-captain? and the prison? For in the

village near Soplica's house there are heaps of soldiers, all

yagers! The Assessor is at the house; he need only whistle, and

they will march right up and stand there ready for action. And

what will happen then? But if you are expecting the French, why

the French are still far off, a long road. I'm a Jew and know

nothing of war, but I have been in Bielica, where I met Jews

straight from the boundary. The report is that the French were

stationed on the river Lososna, and that if there is to be war,

it will not come till spring.