The Earl released his grip and the man, caught off guard, fell on his buttocks, crying out in pain as he sat on the ground, "Ouch, ouch, ouch," and then covered his backside, feeling the real ache.
"You dare hit someone?" The older beggar, who dared only use words and not lay a hand, said, knowing he could not defeat the middle-aged man, and even less so himself.
"I'm not here to take over your spot. I just need a place to stay for the night and I'll leave in the morning," he added.
After saying that, the Earl paid no more attention to the two of them.
They exchanged looks. If, as the Earl said, he was just passing through and staying one night, not to steal their turf, and since they had no power to trouble him, they could only quietly sit in another corner and eat their leftovers.
The Earl could smell that the food in their bowls was a bit spoiled, but they could eat it without getting sick, which meant they had strong stomachs.
