Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol3, 1919.djvu/406

 other times Miss Lotty would come to the room every now and then; to-day she did not even stir from the front parlor. When the lesson was over, the registrar, sitting in his easy chair and looking at king Herod, stopped Vavřena and spoke to him. He told him in his cold, unfeeling way that he, being an official, must observe order and must require that others also be orderly. The instructor, however,—the registrar furthermore observed—was dissipating his energies too much with things which did not concern him, and that some day this would hurt him more than now; that he should apply himself to studies and should not participate in rebellions and superfluous patriotism, thus corrupting others.

“Žižka and Emperor Joseph were the best Czechs”, but this time he did not add, “and that church was given us by them for a memorial”,—but—” and did not read such foolish, infidel boksbooks [sic] with which you corrupt the minds of young girls. Why a book to a girl? A ladle, and not a book! And then I want Fritz to—”

“Mr. Roubínek, kindly tell me briefly what you wish.”

The registrar’s glance left king Herod and fell on that impudent young man, which meant that Mr. Roubínek was greatly astounded and surprised.

“I mean that I shall engage another—instructor—and here is your monthly—,” and he motioned toward the table, where Vavřena’s pay for the month of May was ready.

Vavřena remarked that he had not earned that pay yet, thanked him, and left without the money.

Mrs. Roubínek and her daughter were astonished. They thought that Vavřena would be dumbfounded, that he would apologize. But, to the contrary, bowing, and proudly holding up his head, he had left.

“Oh, that insolent beggar! How mistaken we were in him!” cried Mrs. Roubínek.

Vavřena did not go directly home from the registrar’s, but with a slow step walked out of town, till he found himself in the grove of Nedošín.

Lost in meditation, almost before he was aware of it, he stood near the old, bent tree in the depths of the wood. He again stealthily approached it, and looked intently toward the mighty limb, against which the nest was built.

It was all there, and well preserved.

Then he walked on farther, until he seated himself on the bench under the old beech; his thoughts, however, were still at the old tree, where he had stood with Lenka and pressed her hand.

How could he send her the message he had promised? What would happen? — —

Miss Elis and her students had finished their supper long before Vavřena came. He remained in the front parlor.

“Miss Elis, your prediction came true.”

“Did they discharge you?” she asked in a frightened tone, and loked up at the young man.

“Yes—it will hurt me, but not kill me. But—”

“I understand, Mr. Vavřena. Who knows what good it will do, and faithfulness wins!” she added significantly.

“Yes—I trust, I believe, but you must be with me.”

Miss Elis gave him her small, withered hand, and the young philosopher gratefully pressed it.

There was a great deal of examining and questioning at the college. Many had forebodings of a bad end, and the worst was rumored in the town. The professor of theology, the rector, and the bishop’s emissary found the students guilty of a gross offense, which required severe punishment.

The professor of theology stubbornly demanded an apology for the insult done him. Fortunately for the students, the rector was not on the best of terms with the professor and thus was leaning toward the philosophers. Besides, they testified that they did not mean to demonstrate against the professor, but that the prohibition excited them to such a pitch that they lost self-control; and furthermore, that when they arranged the celebration of “majales”, they did not mean anything against the faculty, as was made plain before they left for the grove by crying “vivat” to the school and to the professors.

In this defense, effective aid was rendered them by the old and influential Pater German, who at the faculty meeting most powerfully pleaded in their behalf.

Many would thus have received mild correction, though the ring-leaders would probably have been punished severely. But luckily for all, the affair amused a very influential man, to whom it afforded genuine fun, and he was greatly pleased with the courage of the philosophers. This man was a neighbor of the rector. When such a fine gentleman from a beautiful castle, rich and powerful, drops a little word for some body, it does not fall on stony ground.

Count George was that “deus ex machina”, who mollified and pacified everything, and brought things to a good issue.

A deputation to the professor of theology, some “primae e moribus”, and a few hours in the philosophical career, these were the punishments which many of the philosophers suffered for the storm in the college and the celebration of the “majales”.

Miss Elis almost became angry with Frýbort when on Sunday morning he took a sorrowful and tragical farewell from her and all in the house, in order that he might go to the college to serve his hours of imprisonment. The rascal! He would make fun even of his punishment!