Page:Poet Lore, volume 35, 1924.pdf/359

 Jaroslav.— He will, He will!

(Rings. A servant enters.) Jean, go to mother unobserved and tell her that I must speak to her at once. (Servant makes his exit to the left.) Just leave me for a minute, Neufeld, and look over our trophies in the corridor, or if it suits your fancy, look out of the window at some pretty girl from the village. I will call you at once.

( leaves.)

Jaroslav.—We will play a double game here; either play is good; the better one will be the one that can win the estate. First, I must send a telegram to Prague to the election committee which represents the historical nobility. (Seats himself twriteto write [sic].) Ha! Ha! I will send it in my good father’s name. (Writes.) “My estate is threatened with an executioner’s sale before election. I urge you to buy it for 650,000 florins, which the opposite side offers me. If you do not accept, I shall be obliged to find other means of saving myself and family from ruin. Svoboda.” There. The response no doubt will be prompt, either by telegram or letter. Father will rage at first because I used his name, but otherwise I have not lied. If this society which represents the historical nobility buys up the estate, even father cannot complain and we will be supplied with money once more. If not, we must try another maneuvre, and first of all we must talk it over with my saintly mamma. (Laughing.) Those coachhorses will help matters along!

(Enter .)

Klementina.—What is so pressing?

Jaroslav.—Mamma, father told the treasurer that he could not buy your new coach-horses until after election.

Klementina (With surprise).—Your father did that? The treasurer shall send for those horses today!

Jaroslav.—Hm! He must, must he? He probably would if he could!

Klementina.—Your father must recall that order.

Jaroslav.—Yes, recall it. I suppose he would not even have given it had he seen some other way out of the situation. But