Page:Karel Čapek - The Absolute at Large (1927).djvu/51

 man shifted his piano from the infected Mixa Street area out to Pankrác. In twenty-four hours the whole house was down with it."

Here the Chairman was interrupted. A servant entered to announce a caller in the person of Bishop Linda. Marek hurriedly rose to take his leave, but Bondy forced him to resume his seat, saying, "Just sit still and say nothing. The Bishop's really a charming man." At that moment the Suffragan Bishop Linda came into the room.

He was a small, jolly person with gold spectacles and a comical mouth puckered up in clerical fashion in pleasant childish folds. Bondy introduced Marek to him as the owner of the ill-omened cellar at Břevnov. The Bishop rubbed his hands with delight while the wrathful engineer spluttered out something about being "delighted to have the honour," with a dogged expression that said clearly, "Confound you for a canting humbug!" The Bishop pursed his lips and turned quickly to Bondy.

He began briskly, without beating about the bush. "I've come to you on a very delicate errand. Very delicate indeed," he repeated with relish. "We have been discussing your ahem  your affair in the Consistory. His Eminence, the Archbishop, wishes to settle this regrettable incident with as little publicity as possible. You understand. This objectionable business about the miracles. Oh, I'm