Page:Poet Lore, volume 31, 1920.djvu/535

Rh is at first surprised, but then smiles, expectantly.

Plavec.—You, you, Ančka? Have you gone cra—? (Recollecting himself.) And who, may I ask?

Ančka.—Bouček's journeyman.

Plavec (Beginning to laugh).—That little boy! (Stops suddenly.) Ančka!

Ančka.—Why should you laugh, sir? In comparison to me he is a little boy, to be sure; but he is older than Miss Lenka, and I, if you will pardon me for saying so, at any rate am younger than you.

Plavec (Testily).—And what—what is this to me?

Ančka.—And he wants to marry me himself, and he won't be grieving any one else on my account.

Plavec.—What have I to do with that? And you must have done this on purpose—Except for this news and except for you, madam—You had better go and attend to the cooking.—Good-by, madam. (Hurries away.)

Mrs. Rettig (After him, with feigned merriment).—I'll see you this afternoon at the grove, doctor.

Mrs. Rettig (Severely).—I beg of you, Ančka, what is this that has struck you! Did you hurry over here just for that?

Ančka.—Do forgive me. I have come for those directions as you told me to, and also—When this idea struck me on the way over here I had to try it out right off. So you see.

Mrs. Rettig.—And that journeyman?

Ančka.—O, I turned him away long ago. But, madam, when you were talking with the doctor, how did he—?

Mrs. Rettig.—It's of no use; he defends himself, will not yield. If those young people don't help me out, or rather help themselves—And now, Ančka, here is what I wanted to tell you before. You must impress on the retainer that at the picnic in the grove he should not show himself at the dancing, that he should keep rather out of the way, in some hiding place, or perhaps that he should wait in that out-of-the-way nook, the Temple of Silence, you know. He knows—or, wait, still better, if he would stop here at my house after dinner, but right after dinner, for me to give him instructions—