Page:Halek's Stories and Evensongs.pdf/303

 bear with your father in the house a certain time. But youth develops faster nowadays. See! see!”

Old Loyka turned his eyes to the entrance-hall. “Dear Vena”, he said, and took him by the hand. “Come and help me, and let us make mincemeat of it all.”

“That will be of small avail now; once you are fairly out of the house, it will be hard to get back again. You will have to go to law with your son. Before judgment is given in your case, the six years are out, and meantime you can be thankful for the pension house. But, of course, you know how long a lawsuit takes, for you were still at law with your father while he was being buried. The one thing you must pray for is that your son may have a son again, and that this son may one day pay his father out for your wrongs. But you understand all about it.”

“But come and help me!” He took Vena by the hand as though nothing would move him from his determination.

“Come along! come along! pantata”, said Vena, holding himself in readiness. “I will catch hold of your chests and cupboards lest they take flight, and you shall lam into them.”

And old Loyka went into the entrance-hall and began to turn everything upside down, then he took a chair in his hands and shouted into the inner rooms, “I will break his head who takes anything of mine out of the house.”

At these words they ceased to carry his things out of the house. Perhaps the sight of old Loyka somewhat softened them, and perhaps they deemed it prudent to desist when old Loyka so passionately set himself in opposition.

Here Vena also took a chair, seated himself upon it, and invited Loyka to sit down on the one which he held in his hand, and said, “Let us seat ourselves at your house, pantata.”

His master needed no second invitation, he seated himself on the chair which he held in his hands, and was once more silent.

“You see, pantata, you would not even have known that you could sit down in your own house if I had not told you so. When you do not know where to dwell come to me and I will tell you”, said Vena. After a pause he added, as though well-pleased with the thought to which he gave utterance, “Indeed, I am glad that we can sit at your house. But do you know what? You would not the least dare to go with me into the inner apartments.”

“What is that you say?” and Loyka rose from his chair.

“That you dare not go with me into the inner room.”