Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/179

Rh you won't be shod! Don't be afraid. We mean only to grease your feet, so you can run home the faster!' 'At any rate, you'll get a more wholesome smell than comes from those perfumes of yours,' said Tomesh. When they had tarred his feet, so that it seemed as though he had on a pair of boots, they took the pole, and laying it over his breast stretched his arms over it and fastened them on in the form of a cross. He tried to scream, but Tomesh placed his hand over his mouth and held it as in a vice. It won't hurt such an idle fellow as you to stretch his limbs a little; otherwise your veins might become contracted!' 'Now, tie his boots together and throw them over his shoulder, and lead him out to the road; let him trot to where he came from,' said Milo. 'But wait, he must have a buttonhole bouquet, so that people may know he's been to see his girl, said Vitkov, and picked a piece of nettle and a thistle blossom, and put them into his coat. 'Now you are very handsome! Now you may go with your gifts.' Then Tomesh and Milo lead him out to the road.

Presently, Milo returned to the window, told me how furious the Italian was and how he looked running, his arms outstretched and fastened to the pole. I asked how he knew that the fellow was here. He said that the boys and he were passing by, and that he left them waiting at the mill while he ran to my window to bid me good night, and just then espied some one sneaking along the wall like a thief. As soon as he recognized him, he returned to the mill to get his comrades, and all agreed that the Italian ought to have a severe chastisement.