Pagina 411 van 788

"The penknife bows to the switch. Brothers, gentlemen of Dobrzyn,

I will give you no advice. Not at all; I will only tell you why I

have assembled you; but what to do and how to do it, decide for

yourselves. You know the rumour has long been current among the

hamlets that great things are preparing in the world. Father

Robak has been talking of this; do not you all know this?" ("We

know it," they shouted.) "Well, so for a wise head," continued

the orator, looking sharply at them, "two words are enough. Is

not that true?" ("It is," they said.) "Since the French Emperor

is coming from one direction," said the Warden, "and the Russian

Tsar from the other, there will be war; the Tsar and the Emperor,

kings and kings, will start to pummel one another as monarchs

usually do-and shall we sit quiet? When the great begin to choke

the great, let us choke the smaller, each his own man.