Page:Zakhar Berkut(1944).djvu/83

 “I must remind you, Boyarin, that you are on trial by the people’s court and not parrying in debate,” Zakhar brought him up sharply.

“Tell me, if after settling on the Tukholian lands would you want to become a citizen of our community?”

“I was sent here by the king as a warlord.”

“We have told you that we do not accept you as our overlord and particularly as the overlord of our lands. Do not disparage our lands and our people, then perhaps we’ll accept you in our community as an equal among equals.”

“Oh, so that’s it!” exploded Tuhar Wolf angrily. “So this is your brand of justice! Do you mean to tell me that you expect me to give up the good will and kindness of my king to beg favors from peasant louts?”

“Of course, Boyarin, otherwise you cannot become one of us. The township will not tolerate a nonconforming alien among its citizens.”

“Will not tolerate?” laughed Tuhar sarcastically.

“Our predecessors told us that a harmful and useless member of a community such as a murderer, horse thief or an alien who wants to take possession of their lands, without the consent of the people, should be driven out together with his family beyond the confines of the municipality and his house torn down.”

“Ha, ha, ha!” the boyar laughed forcibly. “You dare to compare me, the king’s boyar, favored by the king’s graciousness for my services, to murderers and horse-thieves?”

“What else, Boyarin? Let your own conscience tell you whether you have acted any better towards us than a murderer. You take away our lands, our greatest and only wealth; you drive our people away from what is theirs, beat them to death when you catch them and you kill our herds! Is that how respectable citizens behave?”