Page:Poet Lore, volume 26, 1915.djvu/303

 bend and their own bellies burst. On my soul, when the Earl comes among them and the countesses, everyone of those dunces will think that he at least is a—Ha, ha, ha!

Karmín.—Right you are, my dear fellow. But just serve them well. Yes, today every farmer, aye, every tenant is a greater gentleman, here, than we are. So, see to it that you please them!

Jiřík.—God grant that today we don’t incur the displeasure of some country lob from Lhota! But our director will make it up to them again in vassalage, isn’t that so, high-born sir?

Karmín.—I’ll try, I’ll try. (The village-folk begin arriving by ones and twos. approaches without being observed.) Our agricultural nobility are appearing. In a quarter of an hour, roll out the barrels and distribute the food. This will be a delightful day! If only a storm or a rain would come up to scatter them all. (Departs.)

Dvořák.—Don’t fear! That storm will some day burst upon you, you cursed off-scourings, and it will disperse you to the ends of the earth, you scabs on the body of the people—the people from whom you, yourselves are descended. And God grant that the storm come soon, very soon,—may it burst without warning and strike into you with a hundred lightnings and crush out your very roots!

Judge Matouš (Enters with four neighbors, with and ). Dvořák.

Matouš.—I say, I repeat we have a good and gracious nobility. There is no better man far or wide than our gracious Earl.

Kyral.—But that director—well—now, if some one would only rid us of him!

Matouš.—And I again say that you snarl at him without cause. The esteemed director is a worthy gentleman, a worthy gentleman, I say, and he likes us.

Kyral.—As much as a gelding likes a colt.

Matouš.—But, my good man, what are you saying? He himself told me that he likes us.