Just then a rat startles him and he drops the tool on the village, destroying part of it. On his way home, Mr. Hairston waits for him at a closed furniture store in the rain and explains why he wanted the village destroyed: "Because he is a Jew" and to give the old man something to do. Henry then says that he does not want the rewards Mr. Hairston offers. Mr. Hairston insists for Henry to take the rewards saying that they were as important to the deal as Henry smashing the village. This shows that Mr. Hairston had not wanted Henry to smash Mr. the village just because he was a Jew, but to make Henry lose his innocence. Mr. Hairston had been planning this since he hired Henry, which is proven in the quote, "you must obey all orders, even if you do not like them". Henry, now knowing why Mr. Hairston so desperately wants him to take the rewards, refuses and quits his job because of this, Henry keeps his innocence, even though he had destroyed the village.