Page:Czechoslovak stories.pdf/219

 “Oh, the godless, ungrateful girl!” exclaimed Pepinka in shocked amazement. “Just wait! She’ll catch it from me! I’ll read the gospel to her properly! Where have you got her?” she demanded.

“Who knows where she is? She disappeared in the middle of the bridge, just as if the earth had opened and swallowed her.”

“Did she jump in the river?” questioned the priest.

“We heard no splash nor did we see anyone in the water. But then, reverend father, that is no trick for such a bewitched being! She can make herself invisible and is as much at home in fire as in water, up in the air as on earth, everywhere the same!” asserted one of the neighbors.

“Don’t believe such nonsensical tales, my people!” the priest rebuked.

“Bára is a venturesome girl and has been carrying on mischief, but that is all, and for that she must be reprimanded. She must come to me to-morrow.”

“Severely reprimanded, much respected sir!” exclaimed the steward, trembling with anger combined with the terror which had shaken his bones. “Very severely. It is a punishable offense to make a fool of the entire community.”

“Oh, it wasn’t as bad as that, precious sir,” interrupted the peasants. “It was only the women who were frightened.”

“My poor wife will have such a sick spell from the whole affair! It is unforgivable godlessness!” Vlček