Page:Poet Lore, volume 21, 1910.djvu/445

 Maya.—Poor Petr!

Votava.—Why poor Petr? Maybe he is and maybe he isn’t. That’s an individual instance. After all, our attainments in life are only the sum total of our ambitions, so far as these could develop in our environment. It all depends on whether the individual is strong enough to change his surroundings, if he finds that they conflict with his ambitions.

Maya.—And what if such individual recognizes that fact later on in life? For instance, suppose that Petr should to-day awake and recognize that his mother’s wishes are of no importance when compared to his duty to himself, his mission in life, his happiness? Suppose he should rise up? What then?

Votava.—What then? Perhaps only a misunderstanding, or maybe a calamity. My dear Miss Zemanova, it is not advisable to shake the foundations on which rest the newer layers of our life. Petr is to-day blindly going along on the well-beaten path—like a new chicken in a strange yard, whose wings are tied. If he should want to fly he will only fly into a neighboring yard and would injure himself in getting over the fence. And they would catch the chicken there, after all; and if tying the wings did not answer the purpose they’d cut them off entirely.

Maya.—Salutary theories!

Votava.—For us they are salutary—what do you know? You never had chicken wings. (Petr is returning from the outside.)

Votava.—It is agreed then, Miss? I’ll take you with me. I am just going to see another patient and I’ll return in a few minutes. So, until then, by by! (Goes out.)

Maya (crosses the yard and sits down on the bench near the house.)—And how about you, Mr. Petr, aren’t you ever going to Prague?

Petr.—When?

Maya.—Any time. Perhaps this vacation. Only wait until I return there. Take your mother along with you. Let your uncle keep house alone for a day or two.

Petr.—Ach. What do you think? Maminka—and to Prague!

Maya.—It is not at the world’s end. Suppose you had studied there. She would have had to come there a couple of times.

Petr (with a light smile).—If I had studied there! Ah, no, Miss—Prague means nothing to me any more. First of all, I must finish my last year, and then comes the holy Mass, and in the mean