Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/205

Rh beyond the opposite hill, beyond the villages, wards, groves, and forests, to the new town, clear to Dobrau, where dwelt her son, and beyond Dobrau, among the hills, to the little village that held so many souls dear to her. When she turned her eyes to the east, there lay before her a beautiful half garland of the Riesengebirge, from the rough, projecting back-bone of Heyshov to the summit of the snow cap. Pointing to Heyshov, Grandmother said: "There I know every nook; there in those mountains is Kladran, where your mother was born, there is Vamberitz and Varta; in those regions I spent many happy days."

She fell into a deep reverie, out of which she was awakened by Barunka's question:

"Is Varta the place where Sybilla sits upon that marble horse?"

"They say it is upon a hill near Varta. She sits upon a marble horse,—herself made of marble,—and has her hand raised up to heaven. When she sinks into the ground so that not even the end of her finger will be visible, her prophecy will be fulfilled. My father said he saw her, and then the horse was in the sand clear to his breast."

"Who was that Sybilla?" asked Adelka.

"Sybilla was a wise woman, who could foretell the future."

"What did she foretell?" asked the boys.

"I have told you already several times," replied Grandmother.

"We have forgotten."

"But you should not forget."

"Grandma, I remember some of it," said Barunka, who always listened with great attention;