"Oho, ho!" said the heyduke. "Well, I know who you are, my friend; you're one of those who are under my charge. So wait, I'll summon our men."
Taras perceived his indiscretion; but vexation and obstinacy prevented his devising a means of remedying it. Fortunately, Yankel managed to interpose at this moment:—"Most illustrious sir, how is it possible that the Count should be a kazák? And if he were a kazák, where could he have obtained such a dress, and such a count-like mien?"
"O, go talk to yourself!" And the heyduke had already opened his wide mouth to shout.
"Your Royal Highness, silence! Silence, for God's sake!" cried Yankel. "Silence! We will pay you for it in a way you have never dreamed of: we will give you two golden ducats."
"Oho! two ducats! I can't do anything with two ducats. I give my barber two ducats for shaving only the half of my beard. Give a hundred ducats, Jew." Here the heyduke twirled his upper moustache. "And if you don't give a hundred ducats, I'll give the alarm on the spot."
"And why so much? " said the Jew sadly, turning pale, and undoing his leather purse; but it was lucky that he had no more in his purse, and that the heyduke could not count above one hundred.
