Page:Halek's Stories and Evensongs.pdf/158

 When, after several days, the evenings began to close in, a wedding was already openly mentioned, the servants continually agitated the matter, and after some days even the poultry at Kubista’s talked it over.

Old Kubista’s head spun round.

Now even Novak began to present himself openly at the farm, and when Uncle John greeted him affably enough it followed that the last stumbling-block was quite removed. He flew from the bride to our farm, and thence to the bride elect like one possessed.

It was a wonderful message which Novak carried to the young lady. When he asked Uncle John what proposal he should take to her, Uncle John referred him to grandfather, and in reality grandfather was as well able to compose a marriage proposal as if he had been going to take a wife himself.

Things went on apace.

All unexpectedly one morning grandmother got a command from grandfather to see how many calves were ready for the butcher, what number of fat pigs, how many geese were fit to kill, and she herself was to see to the poultry, for the marriage was even at the doors.

Novak ran to the registry office; put out the banns; briefly, Novak had a matter to settle, and he succeeded in it.

Only one thing was still wanting. Uncle John had not as yet made the acquaintance of his intended bride. That indeed was a very trifling hitch. Still it was all in the day’s work that Novak should put that matter straight also.

Novak, then, must bring them together. He must put the matter before Uncle John in all its different aspects until the latter assented to it.

He might very well have spared himself his pains, for Uncle John scarcely listened with one ear. So much, however, he understood of it all as this, that next Sunday he was to pay a visit to his intended bride, and was to order the servants to have the carriage as smart as possible.

When Novak further assured him that he would be thoroughly satisfied with everything, uncle answered, “You see that I am always satisfied as it is.”

Grandfather took a fresh lease of life, and even his foot ceased to pain him; he walked to the farmyard with Novak, under the lindens, and again from the farmyard to the house. He was more active than Uncle John.