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To be sure, at this time it was no longer the custom in Lithuania

to defend oneself from a summons with the sabre or the whip, and

an apparitor only got cursed now and then for his pains; but

Protazy could not know of that change of customs, for it was long

since he had carried any summons. Though he was always ready,

though he himself had begged the Judge to let him, up till now

the Judge, from a due regard for his advanced age, had refused

his requests; to-day he had accepted his offer because of

pressing need.