Page:Selected Czech tales - 1925.djvu/59

 unless a man is inclined that way, he does not become a drunkard in one night.

When she saw her lover again in the morning she did not mention what had happened the night before. She spent as little time as possible with him, and hurried off to her work. She was afraid of laughing in his face, if their conversation were to last long. The trick he had played upon her would not have surprised her if he had been a boy of sixteen. But she had not expected it of him, such a discreet man and greatly esteemed, and a widower into the bargain! Fancy upsetting pails and milkcans on account of a kiss! Her manner irritated Lukas more and more.

‘If she is going to play the obstinate, she shall feel that I am a stiff-necked one too,’ he decided, and, without saying a word about it at night, or saying good-bye to her, he ran off to the inn directly after his supper, as if it had been a settled thing between them that he would go there if and when he liked. But on the next morning also Vendulka remained as dumb as a fish on the matter. No—things couldn’t go on like this! She must have exemplary punishment for her obduracy.

‘Every one was singing your praises last