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 directed towards one goal,—an alderman’s seat in the townhall) placed his chair at the table and addressed himself to Jiří, saying that he, Jiří, ought, as a representative, to see to it that their native town was properly recognized. He showed vividly how the whole district would be abloom, how the town would be flowing with gold. He further urged that Jiří ought to persuade the government to give the town a garrison, say, of dragoons (he adorned his whole speech with conjunctions: “howbeit,” “whereas,” “therefore,” “if”), and he thought Jiří should take a local deputation to the ministers, should talk to them, and intercede for his people, just as is usually done.

Jiří promised that he would do so.

So time passed, and they drank and smoked. The peaceful conversation centred about the town, its hopes, its people. The ruling party came in for their share, first the men, then the women, and spicy