Page:Selected Czech tales - 1925.djvu/97

 a disappointed tone, when she recognized him.

‘Well, and who else should it be?’

‘I thought the mistress might have come back with you.’

Lukas started; he began to suspect that something was wrong.

‘The mistress,’ he faltered, ‘where should she come back from?’

Instead of answering, the girl burst into tears.

‘What has happened?’ Lukas urged in great agitation, ‘why are you standing here at this time of night? Why are you not in bed? What are you crying for?’

‘How can I help crying?’ sobbed the girl, ‘when our mistress has left us for ever? We shall never get one like her. You might go to the ends of the world to look for a better. We all of us loved her for her kind heart and her order and cleanliness. She thought of every one rather than herself, and was always ready to do you a good turn; she never was proud. And what a good mother she has been to the child; she will never get one like her. The little mite knew her quite well, and smiled at her when she gave her her bottle. Poor little thing! She took in that she cared