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 without any foundation? Or is it possible that you did not hear any other commentaries on the affair?”

“I did hear them, your ladyship; my housekeeper Regina, informed me of the absurd reports.”

The baroness pricked up her ears. “I would be glad”, she said in a more lively tone, “if it were not too much trouble for you, to hear all the particulars of it.”

“From what I have heard, all the different versions of the story agree in naming Cvok as the father of the poor forlorn infant; while Miss Jenny, your late companion, is believed to be the mother of it.”

“And is there no other person, except the two just mentioned, mixed up in the gossip?”

“I think not; I have not heard any other person mentioned.”

“You did not hear anything said about my son?”

“Your ladyship! How could I?”

“Well, never mind that; let us rather come to the root of the matter for which I requested your revence to come here. I am a true daughter of our holy Mother Church, from which through many long centuries no scion of the ancient family of the Poc̓ernickýs of Poc̓ernic has ever been alienated. Though there are other ecclesiastic authorities constituted to watch over the behaviour of the lower clergy, still I, as a patroness, have the duty and the right on my estate to look carefully after everything that could in any way injure our holy faith, and to put a stop in time to any irregularities occurring, even before the proper Church authorities can take their measures. From motives of delicacy, I am not inclined to trouble the very reverend vicar in the mean time and therefore I ask your reverence to write to Father Cvok in my name, without delay, saying that I wish him de-