Page:Halek's Stories and Evensongs.pdf/348

 “Ay, ay, peasant, you have it well off by heart; but let me tell you, that if half your village comes with all its bureaux they will retire hence just as your own servants retired a moment since. And so it is I who cause disunion in families? Behold yonder doors before the charnel-house, and think whom they conceal. So it is I who cause disunion between him and thee. I, forsooth, was that notable son who lowered his father beneath the meanest of his servants, who shortly after commanded him to dwell in a stable, who baited him until he had baited him out of house and home, who deprived him of head and of reason, oh! I pray you, just bring hither your village and the whole squad of officials. I will enlighten them in your presence as to what a notable peasant thou art, who, in place of a heart, hast planted in thy bosom the gross peasant’s corruption and art a wicked son because thy father is a pensioner on thy bounty!”

Such and more to the like effect said Bartos, and hereupon pressed Joseph, with his body, out of the cemetery. There was little need to use pressure; Bartos was only making sport of him, but it was all the worse for Joseph, because he felt what a ridiculous figure he cut before the servants and before Bartos, and his humiliation appeared to be intolerable. But there was no escape from it. He must e’en quit the cemetery with his message undelivered and must see to it that he did not fairly take to flight, which would have been more ridiculous than this measured retreat, during which Bartos, at least, allowed him so much apparent liberty that he appeared to be retiring of his own free will, and so Joseph had nothing for it but to recoil with threats.

And being now in a towering passion be resolved to fulfil these threats. When he had returned to Frishets he collected his neighbours and others and summoned them to go with him for his father, whom Bartos was detaining in the charnel-house, and whom he refused to let out.

Certainly this announcement wore little the appearance of truthfulness, because they knew Bartos too well to believe him capable of doing anything of the kind. Nevertheless Joseph contrived to persuade them to go with him, partly out of curiosity, to see what would happen, partly because they thought that the father and son might yet be reconciled, now that the son made such a point of it; and an affair of such importance was worth the trouble of a man’s being a witness to it.

And so they trailed out of Frishets, and Joseph at their head, towards the cemetery, so that they had the appearance of a pro-