Page:Selected Czech tales - 1925.djvu/39

 for his eternal whims and premonitions. Were they not made for each other? Both were of tall stature, well grown, with the eyes of swift does, and beautiful jet-black hair curling at the nape of the neck. They were absolutely bound to fall in love with each other, whether they would or no; that was clear to everyone present. And equally clearly they were bound to come together, in despite of all the powers of darkness, were they sworn against them. One might say their destiny was written on their foreheads, and that they belonged together.

‘If you are so sorry for his dead wife, you will be all the kinder to her child,’ the brother-in-law led off the conversation again, when he saw that Lukas was speechless with emotion. ‘As you probably know, my wife has looked after his household so far. She has been very pleased to do it for him, but she can’t go on. We have a large household ourselves and children like organ-pipes. If my wife has to go on running away at any moment, we shall come to grief ourselves. I should have said nothing if you could have been married in a week’s time; but as it is, because you are relations, you must wait for the Bishop’s dispensation from Leitmeritz.