Page:Our Grandfather by Vítězslav Hálek (1887).pdf/69

 This worthy when he came to the farm, behaved as though he were part lord and master. To grandfather he scarce paid any attention at all, and merely said a few words to him, though grandfather would gladly have continued the conversation.

On the other hand he listened to our young mistress a full hour, while she related to him how she managed everything, what a torment the old folks were to her, and similar matters.

It would have seemed that Terinka certainly needed no one to establish her in household management, for she already gave evidence of her excellent capacities. But still the advice which Novak gave her was by no means to be despised.

Whenever Novak gave advice he took pains fully to express his meaning. He set down the old folk as dotards, who were already unsuited to the new times, and he complimented Terinka for her kindness to them. “You are kind,” says he, “indeed I must confess you seem to me too kind to them.”

And then we must remember that Novak was not by any means a man to leave the farm with empty pockets, nor was Terinka either likely to let him depart with them empty. She always perfectly understood Novak when he told her he was so glad to see her comfortably settled there.

And if Novak did not always carry off all he meant to take at once, of course he came the oftener, to carry away more than he could manage on a single journey.

Our young mistress had not too good health, and therefore the doctor often drove over to the farm.