Page:Halek's Stories and Evensongs.pdf/109

 sobbed aloud. Who understood those words of misery better than Karla?

Several young ladies went past them, and the voices of the beggar women became more plaintive than ever. One young lady gave something to every one of them and before Karla expected it she had in her palm a silver coin-her first alms. She had not yet recovered herself and though it grieved her to the heart she still felt that to receive alms was after all easier than she had imagined. She did not know the hand which had proffered it to her but was soon recalled to herself when on the exit of every one from church, the beggar women flung themselves upon her and declared that she cheated them of their rights without having asked for admission to their gang. But they were silent when Karla showed them her child and said: “I have nothing in the world save this.”

The beggars settled themselves in their several corners and Karla found herself once more in church. The idea that Karla was yet a novice in the trade, tickled the fancy of one of the beggar women. “She must place herself in our hands a bit,” said the woman, “for after, she will not greatly curtail our gains.”

Day elapsed: the shades of evening fell and the church-warden closed the doors. Karla saw that she could only take up her abode there till the evening. So she again went among the beggar women and when they had all collected outside the door she asked one of them: “Where are you going for the night?”

The beggar woman burst out laughing.

“We for the night? Look at her; look at the young innocent. Perhaps you had better try if you are so anxious to learn. We for the night? My little daughter, anywhere. We cover ourselves now with leaves, now with grass, sometimes with nothing at all. One sleeps best, my little dear, after drinking a good pint-pot of home-brewed that warms one and makes one think of good bags full of alms. Ach! truly I forgot, to-day it rains. If you will treat us once all round, we will take you somewhere for the night and we shan’t be in the dumps I tell you: we shall have story-telling and drinks and victuals, because you have honoured us with your company. Come just a drop of drink-money and you shall be one of us. So if you like come along.”

Karla was dead-tired from the effect of the day and would perhaps have followed these women to the pit of destruction at the mere mention of drink and victuals. Benumbed with want she heard only a voice crying out for food.