Page:Selected Czech tales - 1925.djvu/177

 How lonely the house had felt while Ivan had been away!

The door was opened at once, and by Ivan himself. She was taken aback, almost startled, so that he had to draw her into the hall. He kissed her and said: ‘You have had the trouble for nothing, Magda, forgive me. I altered my plans at the last moment, and we came by the main line. There was no time to let you know, so I was obliged to let you take a walk by yourself. But come in now, come and see’

‘“We” came! Then she is here!’

Suddenly Magda’s feet refused to move; she tried in vain to follow her husband. He gently put his arm round her shoulders and led her, so that she was obliged to move forward. Half-leading, half-drawing her, he took her as far as the dining-room door which he opened. When he spoke encouragingly to her once more, there was a slight tremor in his voice. ‘Come now, Magda,’ he said, ‘come and tell me if you are pleased with me.’ He pushed her gently forward without releasing his hold upon her.

Magda looked into the room, where a shy little girl was sitting on the sofa. She looked startled, and perhaps a little frightened after