listen to my peasant talk," prayed the seventh simeon. "our old russian saying is: 'he is no thief who is not caught, and neither is he who steals, but the one who instigates the theft.' if my wish had been to steal, i should have done it long ago. i should have stolen thy treasures and thy judges would not have objected to take a small share of them, and i could have built a white-walled stone palace and have been rich. but, mark this: i am a stupid peasant of low origin. i know well enough how to steal, but will not. if thy wish were to learn my trade, how could i keep it from thee? and if thou, for this sincere acknowledgment, wilt have me put to death, then what is the value of thy royal word?"