Page:Czechoslovak stories.pdf/80

 tance where in imagination she saw tall buildings, beautifully dressed people, and splendid equipages. Frequently she would bury her head in her hands and lose herself in deep thought. The baron would sit idly in the easy-chair, smoking and yawning. The steward and his wife rid themselves of all fears of their eminent guests. Beruška made friends with the purple footman playing “Twenty-six” with him in the office behind closed doors when they lighted their pipes.

Once towards evening the baroness, with her beautifully bound “Burns,” stepped out into the flowercovered arbor in the park from which place there was a distant and varied view and where she hoped to await the nightingale concert which for several evenings had echoed in the neighborhood of the castle. The baron rebuked the footman for his fatness and ordered him to begin reducing by taking a walk out into the fields. The steward and his wife were putting up fruit behind closed doors. Melanie had a toothache.

In this idyllic, peaceful moment it occurred to old Foltýn that Marianka was lingering an unusually long time in the apartments of the nobility. He disposed of the thought, but it returned soon again. The thought became every moment more and more obtrusive.

“What is she doing there so long?” he growled into his moustaches. “The mistress is not in the house.” Involuntarily he went into the gallery and walked about a while, listening intently to sounds from above.