Page:Poet Lore, volume 36, 1925.pdf/342

 Bailiff (Arrogantly).—The miller here.

Miller.—What do you want?

Bailiff.—I bring an order from the castle.

Braha (With a laugh).—An order—

Bailiff.—For you, miller, from the magistrate.

Miller.—An order for me? From the magistrate? Here in the mill his orders are of no account, you are not at a peasant’s nor a cottager’s, and serfdom does not frighten us here. I alone am master here.

Bailiff.—Why, I’m not saying anything concerning servitude or taxes, or the linden tree or even your suit in court. Nothing, but (with a burst impatience) the nobility will arrive soon; a courier has come, from the new Princess who has inherited the domain.

Miller.—Hm, so she is coming.

Bailiff.—She will be here for the first time; she has never before been on this estate, and so is taking a look at all the domains. She has already ridden over six, six estates; (he enumerates them) Vlkov, Livořice, Svojšin, Nedražice and Lažany; now she is at Březovice, and from there will come here to Lohová. That is why the magistrate is hustling and bustling about, that her welcome here may be a particularly royal one. At present, one order follows another around the domain. And he commanded me that for the welcome, you, miller, should ride on horseback to the castle; that your horse should be all adorned with flowers and banners in all splendor. You are to lead the peasants; they too are to be mounted. You will welcome My Lady Princess and—

Miller (Interrupting).—Indeed, I’ll not welcome her, because I’ll not ride anywhere. Must I welcome and glorify her because the authorities want to rob me of my linden tree, of my rights?

Bailiff (Amazed).—So! But the order commands—(He reflects.) That’s according to this first order.

Miller (Ironically).—Have you some more?

Bailiff.—Another, which demands that the young girl whom you have here in the mill, that ward—

( winces).

Bailiff.—Should come as a lady in waiting; many such ladies are going, and that young girl who is here—

Miller.—Will likewise go nowhere!

Braha.—Just so! Will go nowhere!