THE STEEL FLEA
declare that? All is here, before your eyes—and you can look."
Platoff shrugged his shoulders and shouted: "Where is the key to the flea?"
"Here, also," they answered. "Where the flea is, there, also, is the key, in one and the same walnut."
Platoff tried to grasp the key, but his fingers were blunt; he fumbled and fumbled, but could not manage to get hold either of the flea, or of the key which projected from the machinery in its belly, and all at once he flew into a rage, and began to curse in words after the Cossack fashion. He shouted: "What do you mean, you rascals? You have made nothing, and have spoiled the whole thing, to boot! I'll cut your heads off!"
But the men of Tula made reply: "Without cause do you thus abuse us. We must suffer all insults from you, as
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