Page:Poet Lore, volume 28, 1917.djvu/542

 Bozenka (Looking sadly at, half crying).—But

Tonicka (Giving her a piece of fresh bread).—Here child, take the bread and run to the neighbor’s. Uncle isn’t well.

Bozenka (Eagerly).—I will run for the doctor!

Tonicka.—It isn’t necessary! Just run off to the neighbor’s!

( slowly goes away, loathe to leave.)

Tonicka.—Vojtech, why in the world did you push that child away?

Kralenec (Gloomy and absorbed, relaxes in a chair without looking at ).—I couldn’t help it! This is dreadful!

Tonicka (Looking scared).—Dreadful! (Comes over, and looks into his eyes.) Even I cannot comfort you?

Kralenec (Looking intently at her).—Tonicko, who knows how long we two will be here!

Tonicka.—Heavens! Did they threaten you?

Kralenec.—I must take the child out of school, that school which I myself helped to build,  Otherwise  (He broke off, and became absorbed in gloomy thoughts again.)

Tonicka.—Otherwise?

Kralenec.— Otherwise, I can expect to leave the mine in fourteen days.

Tonicka.—A dismissal? Who told you that?

Kralenec.—Merfajt! In one hour, do you hear? They gave me one hour to think it over! I wanted to talk with you about it first!

Tonicka (Sarcastically).—An hour! One hour! (Seriously.) And in one hour, our entire future must be settled!

Kralenec.—In one hour, I must return, and be prepared to say either Yes, or No!

Tonicka.—And what do you mean to say?

Kralenec.—Just what I must, and wish to say,—that our Bozenka shall not be taken out of school!

Tonicka.—Heaven be praised!

Kralenec.—What else could I do? I could not act otherwise! It would be opposed to the will of the Lord! And for that reason,