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 myself against them. But just bear in mind, once for all, that I wouldn’t take anyone else than Barka for all of Jerusalem. I wouldn’t have left her even if brides owning seven castles had sent word to me from Prague itself.”

“And what if you’d become a widower?”

“Get out of here!” Matýsek, red with anger, shouted at the pert young thing, stamping his foot and brandishing the hatchet at her. The girl laughed all the more, but had to run away to escape his wrath.

Barka, lying in tears on the bed, felt as if all the nightingales which were preparing to welcome spring in the mountains had begun to sing in her bosom, all the violets which wished to pour out their fragrance in the groves bloomed in her heart. As Matýsek loved her no other man had ever loved a woman. As happy as they two were, no other husband and wife had ever been, even though one were to seek the whole world over.

She bowed her head meekly and owned that here on this earth she had lived long enough in enjoyment, abundance and happiness and that it was just that her portion should now pass cver to another.

“It would be useless to think of marriage for him. He would have no other, no matter what happened. I must arrange it some other way so that all would go on without me,” she said, wiping her eyes. “If only he would not be here when they carry me out. I would have to turn over in my coffin, before they put me in