Page:Our Grandfather by Vítězslav Hálek (1887).pdf/33

 evening when grandfather inquired for uncle, the servant replied. “He! Why he sleeps soundly at Kubista’s, to be sure.”

It was well that grandmother heard this. She scolded the servant thoroughly, and in order to prove to grandfather that the man had lied grossly, she led him to the summer-house where Uncle John now made his bed and had already gone to rest.

Grandfather bade grandmother leave him alone with their son. She immediately complied, but did not go far, for she dreaded lest grandfather should do some injury to his son.

But it was not so bad as that then.

Uncle John did indeed affect to be asleep, but when he heard that grandfather desired to speak with him he sat up and grandfather beside him.

“Listen, John,” said grandfather, “to-morrow is the festival, do this for my sake, stop at home to-morrow for the festival that it may not appear to our guests, at least, that we cannot agree.”

Uncle John objected that really on the morrow he had settled with Betuska to go to church with her, and perhaps she would fall ill if he did not keep his word.

Whereupon grandfather said, “Oh! well, I shall see whether you have yet any affection left for me, for I shall not speak to you twice.”

Uncle John did not reply to this, and grandfather left him.

The next day was the festival about which I have narrated from the beginning.