Page:Selected Czech tales - 1925.djvu/43

 frequent offers of marriage from her numerous suitors, who urged him, as her father, to support their cause.

It was not without good reason that Paloucky had reproached Lukas with having caused him endless trouble and difficulties. To pass the time agreeably to himself and others during the preliminaries, he took much snuff and frequently made the snuffbox circulate. When Vendulka and Lukas at last had come to an agreement, and sealed it with the customary handshake, he sent for beer from the inn and for new bread and goat’s cheese from the larder, so that it should not be said his guests had had to leave his house with a dry mouth after Vendulka’s betrothal. They did not wait to be pressed to eat, but fell to, and drank each other’s health in many glasses.

Lukas was the only one who cared neither for food nor drink. His eyes were continually seeking his sweetheart, who had disappeared from the moment when he had taken the head of the table at his father-in-law’s request. From that time forth she had not been seen again. He did not want to ask after her for fear of being laughed at. But he missed her sadly, and did not enjoy the