- Now it will hurt more!

  And again she spun the roller. Indeed, the pain intensified. It squeezed a lot harder.

  Julius resolutely replied:

  - So, you won't get anything from me!

  The female executioner looked the boy in the eyes and remarked:

  - Maybe! - and added with a smile. "You know, I think you probably know how to fight pretty well.

  The boy nodded.

  - There is a concept.

  Red suggested:

  - Come on, I'll offer you a fight with the same kid as you. If you win, you won't be tortured today.

  Julius chuckled.

  - That's all!?

  The woman replied, baring her teeth:

  - What else did you want? Well, you'll get a piece of meat for dinner and you'll sleep in a separate cell, which is very good for a boy. Only in this case, you will already fight every day. And not only with jerks like himself, but also with adults!

  The boy said with a smile:

  - Do you want to make a gladiator out of a marquis?

  The redhead smiled wickedly.

  - Do you want to be put on the rack? And roasted your heels? And yet, they raised it to the ceiling and abruptly dropped it down, such a shake-up is very painful.

  Julius calmly asked:

  - Can you let me go?

  The female executioner replied with a carnivorous smile:

  - If you earn a lot of money for me, then maybe I will give you freedom. In the meantime, fight to the bitter end.

  The executioner remarked:

  - Until the time is up, you must torture him. Perhaps hot iron should be applied to the soles?

  The redhead smirked and remarked:

  - That's an idea! But you can hurt your child's foot. I'd rather try another, not so much dangerous to health, but no less effective.

  The executioner woman unscrewed the roller. And Julius felt a certain freedom and relief in himself. Then the executioners rolled aside the Spanish boots.

  The redhead took an ostrich feather from the basket and remarked:

  - Now I'll tickle your heels.

  And she carefully ran the boys along the slightly dusty soles. Julius felt a pleasant tickle. The woman began to move the ostrich feather over the child's hardened foot. She did it very cleverly, and the boy giggled. Yes, it's cool. Such is the torture.

  The woman, smiling slyly, asked:

  - Can you sleep?

  Julius, giggling, replied:

  - It was, ha, ha, ha, very cool! But it's not so easy!

  The redhead nodded, took away her feather and growled:

  - Sing!

  The marquis boy sang;

  I was born free, believe me

  He was a boy with great aplomb ...

  We frolicked, because small children,

  And I wanted to become very cool!

  But suddenly the horde came running,

  They put a lasso on the lad ...

  They seem to have little territory.

  Like a terrible hurricane roars!

  What should I do in a harsh world

  Where now the boy has become a slave ...

  shackled with steel,

  And they drove to the ground barefoot!

  I walked on the sharpest stones,

  Either they prick, then they beat with a whip ...

  I wanted to have many women

  And now I see, soon kaput!

  Baskets were laid on me

  There are heavy stones in them ...

  The overseer's whip smacks my back,

  It would be better if they gave me a machine gun!

  But the Lord, he certainly does not sleep,

  The boy was given an unthinkable chance ...

  The boy was not born in the village,