Page:Magdalen by J S Machar.pdf/207

 a yellow light. It was filled. A small rainstorm had in the afternoon cooled off the stifling heat, and the air felt fresh and pleasant.

A long table was placed upon the veranda. The cream of the Opposition was in full attendance. The doctor, Jiří, with the trusty partisan from Prague, Captain Knotek, merchant Jiskra, the tax collector, the apothecary and both the adjunets, Alderman Vrzal, Doctor medicinæ universæ Řehák, grocer Vrba, the president of the citizen’s club, the veteran worthies (only the white),—all were there, and all were elated, for they had with them, as the guest of Jiří, a good friend of the doctor’s, the gentleman from Prague, who was a part of the centre of politics, and who brought them a light from there, together with a variety of spicy stories. They listened with apparent attention to what was being said at the table, but at the same time they were racking their brains to think of something to say them-