Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/247

Rh much the water had gained. She caught sight of the miller. He had on a pair of high boots and was examining the condition of the water; he showed her that it was already overflowing the side of the sluice.

Milo and Kuderna came to offer their assistance and to stay with her; she sent Kuderna home, saying: "You have children, and if some misfortune should befall them, I should always blame myself. If any one is to stay, let it be Milo; at the inn he is not needed; there they have nothing to fear, except that the water may get into their stable." Thus they parted.

By midnight the house was surrounded with water. On Zernov hill the people went about with lanterns; the gamekeeper, too, came near the house, upon the hill, and thinking that Grandmother could hardly be asleep called and whistled, till Milo replied that they were all right, that Mrs. Proshek need have no fears for her mother. Then the gamekeeper went away again. In the morning the whole plain was one vast sheet of water. Down stairs they had to walk on planks, and with great difficulty Milo got to the top of the hill to the poultry; the water rushed with such force as almost to knock him over. At daybreak everybody came down from the gamekeeper's to see how it was at The Old Bleachery. The children seeing the house, in the middle of a lake, and Grandmother walking about on planks, began to cry and lament at such a rate that they could scarcely be quieted. The dogs were looking out of the door of the garret, and when John called them they barked and howled,