Page:Our Grandfather by Vítězslav Hálek (1887).pdf/62

 Grandfather had always taken so much pains to bring all this about, that it was not possible for him all at once to renounce all participation in it.

He had enough to do. Ere he had shown the young mistress everything that appertained to her household duties several days had elapsed.

And yet Terinka had excellent capacities. She remembered everything at once and adapted herself to everything with facility, so that after a short time it was soon shown who now ruled in the farm, and who obeyed.

As I have already said, grandfather had spared no pains to get the farm this mistress, and now that he had obtained her, he took still more pains to fix her there for ever, and to make every one obey her absolutely.

Grandfather was now happy—at least he thought so.

I cannot say, however, that Terinka was really a very welcome guest at the farm.

Grandmother was constrained in manner towards her, for a kind of trepidation continually affected her, though she could not hit upon a name for it. Her thoughts always lost themselves whenever she tried to conjecture whether Uncle John was now happy. When she wiped the plate with her apron, she also wiped more than one tear from her eye, and few saw her then balance herself on tiptoe, and dance according to her ancient wont.

Nor was Uncle John by any means an example of how conjugal affection may make of two people one spirit, causing them to feel with one heart and to think with one mind.

Uncle John did not change in anything to speak of after his marriage, except that he became somewhat more