Page:Our Grandfather by Vítězslav Hálek (1887).pdf/60

 him for a husband, adding that he had been sent to ask her to be his wife, and he said this without circumlocution.

Terinka blushed becomingly and then responded also becomingly.

Briefly Uncle John made good progress. He was yet shouting on the road as they returned home long after nightfall.

In the house then at grandfather’s it was now a matter of certainty that there would be a wedding; the banns were sent at once to the parson and a day fixed on which the guests were to assemble.

Grandfather strongly insisted upon there being a large gathering of guests present. And Novak went with the young folk all one day the round of the neighhourhood to invite the whole of it.

Several hogsheads of beer were ordered at once from the brewery, and from Prague were brought about four dozen of the choicest rosolek for the ladies.

The wedding then was prepared.

And when it came everything went off according to the programme. The bride wept, as did also her parents, and when they brought her to grandfather’s she had with her about a score of relations.

Evil tongues, and on such occasions some tongues never fail to be so, ran on in this wise:—

“All these relations are instead of furniture, you know; for the bride has not much of that, you know; and if it is a long time coming, that doubtless is because they want to get it cheap to the farm. But how odd! ’tis always such a long way off, you know; and after all ’tis possible the relations have brought it in their pockets.”