as only when the boy made a
grimace at him, that it occurred to Nikolai that he was the subject of
the conversation, and instantly the large file became quite light in his
hand, and he had suddenly eyes and ears only for what was going on
around him.

They were standing talking and nodding over there by the vices; Jan
Peter ran and repeated what this one said and what the other one said.
It was easy to see what the meaning of it all was, and that he now stood
there like any show animal; no, like something much worse--like one who
was capable of going to the pockets of any one of them!

There was not one of the apprentices who would share his night's lodging
with him now. He could see that.

He stood straining his ears, with a feeling that they were killing him
in all the work-yards round--they were filing him down at the vices,
hammering him flat with the small hammers, and crushing him with the
sledge-hammers. He guessed and understood glances and looks.

"Well, you know, Matthias," he heard from away there by the nails which
the man was now gathering into his apron, "there are many easier trades
than standing in a smithy: make a good pick out of your fists, lad!"

"He-he-he!" laughed the boy addressed.

"Or make yourself pincers that you can get down into skirt-pockets
with--all the lassies in the town, lad, that have any pence."

Nikolai heard every word and the hoarse laughter that followed; he was
very pale.

Coarse merriment shone in the man's sooty face, and, as their eyes met,
he made a contemptuous grimace.

Soon after he came past with his apron full of nails. Their eyes met
again; the scornful ones grew more scornful; Nikolai seemed to see them
in a haze, and then the journeyman received a blow full in the face
which laid him on his back, scattering the nails as he fell.

There was a short pause of surprise before they all rushed upon him.

But Nikolai swung the big file about him like a madman. He felt with
frenzied pleasure, how he would strike--strike down the whole smithy one
by one until justice was done him. Wait a little, he had only begun
yet--a hammer was lying on the block.

But the men in the smithy did not wait, and the next moment it was he
who lay on his back, his eyes blinded by blue and yellow sparks, and as
many of his adversaries around and upon him as there was room for; he
should be held fast and sent about his business now--he had used a
weapon!

He felt a powerful grasp o