Page:Poet Lore, volume 27, 1916.djvu/87

 Šimr (Dodging him).—Wouldn’t you like some gin? (All scream out.) Gin?

Šimr (Laughs).—Mushrooms! But, since it’s the first of May—wait a minute! (He takes down a bottle from the shelf.) Long live Slovakland!

Bozena (Cries out).—Good luck to Slovakland!

Šimr (Takes a drink and hands it to the rest).—The one who drinks the last drop has to buy a new bottle!

Malina.—Indeed! (Takes a long drink.)

Šimr.—Malina, sing something from Slovakland to that gin.

( wiping his lips sings.)

Into the room

Tripped Marie mine

The priest after her

With bottled wine!

( accompanies him.)

( singing.)

Marie, drink,

Be in no hurry.

You'll be as ruddy

As a strawberry!

(Shouts).—Huzza!

Vaniček (When has finished singing.  begins playing and whistling another song.)

Paroubek (While plays).—I wonder why Hlaváček doesn’t come?

Malina.—He could have been back here from Dušek’s twice. He lives just around the corner.

Réza (Shivering).—Ugh! I’ve got the shivers!

Šimr.—What’s the matter, Réza, anyway?

Réza (Uneasily).—Why, I just felt a chill go over me all of a sudden, now

Bozena.—Are you ill, Réza?

Šimr.—Oh, there’s nothing the matter with her, at all! You’d drive a man insane! (Suddenly.) By thunder, let’s have some illumination! (Draws from the corner a great wooden candle stick on which is a twisted sheet of paper in imitation of a wax candle. He places the candle-stick in the middle of the studio.) If there’s to be a celebration, let there be light!