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 to resentment, and after a week he frankly told her that she did not seem to him as kind-hearted as he had thought three years ago.

But Vendulka pretended that she had not understood him, or that his words had gone in by one ear and out by the other; she never gave him a definite answer. She was otherwise kind to him, looked so happy and ran about with an expression of so much delight in all her duties, that no one could fall to see she was in the seventh heaven. Whoever looked into her beaming face, felt the happier for it. Lukas also was glad of it; he too seemed to be in heaven when she smiled her happy smile at him, and looked at him with her lovely expression. But as soon as he sat down beside her to talk of love’s sweet delights, she would remember some work that needed doing, and before he could prevent her, she had torn herself away and was gone.

During the short time since Vendulka had taken charge of his household, everything had taken on a different look. Every part, to the remotest corners, was spotlessly clean and tidy; it was a pleasure to look at it. From early morning till late at night Vendulka was cheerfully doing her work, trying to make up