Page:Poet Lore, volume 33, 1922.pdf/184



''stands in front of the game-keeper’s house, playing his bagpipe. From the rear, the with  slowly approach together. Absorbed in their conversation, they glance up, and notice the bagpiper who is still playing.''

Marie.—My Lady, there is the bagpiper!

Countess.—The bagpiper,—the old bagpiper! Come! Let us go nearer to listen!

Marie (Calling).—Bagpiper, bagpiper, nobody is at home!

(, an aged man with long thin white hair, turns about, sees the ladies approaching, and makes a deep bow.)

Countess (Praising him).—Well done. You play very well. If we had a group of boys and girls here, they would doubtless be dancing in a circle about you. (The delighted bagpiper prances about, keeping time to his music with his feet.)

Marie.—Just look, my lady, he skips about like a live, frisky young kid,—as though he were alive instead of a bellows. (The bagpiper finishes.)

Countess.—Where do you come from, Grandfather? You do not belong at this court.

Kořinek (With bared head, approaches the lady to kiss her hand)—From Pilsen, noble lady, from Pilsen.

Countess.—And why are you here? (Giving him a coin.)

Kořinek.—It is the war, the war, noble lady. All the while they are trailing along the road toward Prague,—now even the French regiments are coming on, and those soldiers seem to have more loose coins about them than one could store away in a bag pipe. On my faith, it does not appear as though they were marching against us! And so I will follow them up to Prague to play for them. I will earn more there in one week than at Pilsen by playing at all the festivals!

Countess.—But they are our enemies!

Kořinek.—Enemies, noble lady? Yes, true, true, but strange kinds of enemies. There were other days, within the memory of the old folks, when war came and brought enemies in its train. They took whatever there was to take! Houses were burned, people had to flee, yes, entire villages were destroyed. I well remember the Swedes! But the Bavarians? They wouldn’t harm a hair of my head. If the good Lord would but be gracious enough to always send such enemies!