Page:Magdalen by J S Machar.pdf/80

 talked. The old lady told Lucy about her poor, about her sewing for the little folk, showed her the patterns, the cloth, the linen, needle, thread, and asked her opinion of this and that, Lucy seemed to be interested in everything. She listened attentively and announced her views with a clear voice. Jiří, in the meantime, looked at her with the usual scornful and ironical expression about his lips. From time to time he cracked a joke, put in a word or a short sentence, or yawned.

A secret unrest nestled in the souls of these three people. The old lady felt provoked for having been so moved by her “Thräne.” Then she was seized with terror at the lack of consideration which showed in Jiří’s words, and at this glimpse of the soul from which she had become estranged.

To Lucy his appearance brought the memory of her past days and of the place where she had lived, where she had seen him for the first time. Besides, he seemed to her