Page:Halek's Stories and Evensongs.pdf/374

 “He said we were to ask you.”

“Well, well, then go to the meadow. But always ask your young master.”

“Look, here he comes.”

And here Frank comes forward. “What do you think? Must they go to the meadow?”

And Frank knows so many reasons why they must go to the meadow and nowhere else, that old Loyka is all smiles, to think that he is still competent to manage the estate.

“Well, well,” he adds, “then go to the meadows to be sure.”

Then Stazicka [little Staza], as all on the farm call her, comes and says that they must go to breakfast. Old Loyka chucks her under the chin, and looks into her sparkling eyes. “Good child, good child”, says he. Then he lets go her chin, and takes her by the hand. “This very day come a year you will not come for me alone, little Staza.”

“Why should I not come for you, papa.”

“Tut: come, of course, you will, but with my grandchild in your arms.”

On this little Staza blushes, and thinks to herself, full of fond anticipation, “This very day come a year.”

Or suppose we pay them a visit, come a year, at harvest. The harvesters once more make the farm their first halting-place when they go a-harvesting, and old Loyka promenades among them with pipe in mouth.

“I come from the young pantata,” says the spokesman of the harvesters, “in order that you should select us yourself, pantata, because you know us now as he says; and I also think it is best.”

“Well, well,” says old Loyka, “how could we fail to know one another after so many years.”

And after this he chooses according to his taste, and as seems best.

“This summer we shall have a merry harvest”, says the harvester.

“This summer! so I believe you. And when Staza leads off the dance for you! Such a mistress has not been seen on the farm as Stazicka.”

“She is a worthy mistress, pantata. Once Annette came here with us—you know, pantata, mnuh! her only fault is she does not know how she came into the world. And women being but women, they would not endure her among them. ‘How, then, is