Page:Halek's Stories and Evensongs.pdf/169

 be perfectly in keeping with self-respect if he were to make the first step.

It occurred to him that hitherto he had never distinguished himself by any particularly good act, though he was originally capable of everything, and to reconcile himself with Kubista would be at least a beginning, maybe also an end. He felt that it would be better to weep on Kubista’s bosom than to lament alone, and to the empty air.

He was already too weak to bear all that he had brought upon himself.

Thus he more than once found himself looking in the direction Kubista used to come and meet him, and if Kubista had really approached, perhaps he would have fallen on his neck, and with lamentations have implored his forgiveness.

Kubista did not, indeed, appear in that direction but fate decreed that they should first meet one another in a different place.

It was Sunday, and grandfather decided to go to church early in the morning. It was not perhaps because he found little to console him at home that he went in better time than the rest, but because he walked slowly, for his foot had latterly been again more painful and then he said he liked to be in time. So at least he said.

And he hobbled to church, in point of fact, before the bells had ceased to chime, and then as the church was still locked, he went to look at the churchyard.

He had not been there for a long while. He could not, indeed, remember how long since.

Many changes there were. Many a new cross had been added, and of those mounds which he remembered fresh more than one was overrun with turf of many years’ growth. Many again were newly dug. Which was to be for him?

On that solitary grave who knelt yonder? That face was known to him, though it aged to unrecognition.

It was old Kubista. He knelt on the grave of his daughter, Betuska, and prayed for his daughter.

Grandfather felt all his hatred suddenly collapse; all the better sides of old Kubista came to mind and he was touched with pity for his unfortunate friend when he learned to realize how unhappy he had himself become.

He did not know how it happened, but he knelt beside Kubista at the grave, and with a quavering voice pronounced the words,