Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol3, 1919.djvu/408

 good Miss Elis and for the sake of Frýbort’s friend.

Márinka asked Lenka to come to the castle park in her spare time Sunday afternoon, that they might thus get an opportunity to talk with each other a little longer.

So it was done. While the registrar, gazing at king Herod, was having a “delightful” conversation with the recorder, and his wife was sitting nearby, and Miss Lottynka was visiting some friend of hers, Lenka ran to the neighboring park, where Márinka was already awaiting her. At that time only a few people visited the park, for everybody went either to Nedošín or to some other out-of-town place. But by a remarkable coincidence the castle garden at that time looked unusually attractive to two young philosophers, who, as if by chance, appeared among the trees, and soon boldly joined the maidens.

These blissful moments in the park were short, but sufficient for Vavřena to find how sincerely Lenka loved him and what an ardent spirit and a noble mind she had. On the other hand, they contained enough for Lenka to recall them for whole days and weeks together and to gain consolation from them.

While these two conversed gravely with each other, Frýbort was entertaining his Márinka with jokes and witticisms. Vavřena and Lenka regretted only that they could not meet every day or even every week. Sometimes several weeks elapsed before Lenka again informed Márinka that it would be possible for her to come.

Thus nothing remained but letters, which the serious postilion d’amour conscientiously and dexterously delivered.

On the Sunday after the holiday of St. Anton, there was a procession to the little chapel in the Nedošín grove, and as customary on that day, almost the whole town turned out. Even Mrs. Roubínek and Lottynka were there, and enjoyed themselves very much among the cream of society.

Mrs. Roller came a little later and brought Mrs. Roubínek news—but what news! The mayor’s widow knew or found out everything, even the meetings of Lenka with Vavřena.

Mrs. Roubínek was astounded and horrified at the way that ward of hers forgot herself and violated the good manners and customs of her position. She was getting ready for her and even threatened her. Lottynka was entirely disappointed.

Toward evening, Lenka was sitting in her room, looking into the garden through the open window. In her thoughts she still lingered under the grape-cherry with Vavřena. Presently she was disturbed by the rustling of a dress at the door, and was surprrised to see her aunt, still clad as she was at the outing, enter the room. A strict examination ensued. The niece did not deny or lie; she could not. She confessed that she was in the park, and on further interrogation she calmly admitted that she had spoken with Vavřena.

That angered Mrs. Roubínek beyond measure. She expected that Lenka would deny the charges, would beg or cry, but that stiff little neck did not bend as the aunt expected.

The registrar was summoned to help. A storm broke in the house. The upshot of it all was that the aunt forbade Lenka to go to the park or to speak to Vavřena under any circumstances, and this prohibition was confirmed by her husband. Finally, Mrs. Roubinek added a threat that if Lenka should transgress the prohibition, she would forfeit thereby all the motherly care „of her aunt, and could go wherever she pleased after her hunger-bitten, proud-for-nothing philosopher.

Charles Pergler and Mrs. Pergler have arrived in the United States for a brief stay before proceeding to Japan, to vhich country Mr. Pergler has been accredited as Czechoslovak minister.

John A. Sokol, secretary of the Czechoslovak Chamber of Commerce of America, gave an address before the convention of American Exporters in New York on the economic situation of Czechoslovakia.