Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/304

298 were made everywhere for the coming of the mistress. Those to whom her arrival would bring some gain rejoiced, while others were vexed. Among the latter was the steward, who grew more and more humble each day, and when the report was circulated that she would be in the castle the next day, he became so meek that he returned the greeting of the forester quite respectfully, something that he never did in the winter, when he regarded himself the first person on the estate of the Princess.

Grandmother at all times wished well to the Princess, and always remembered her in her prayers; but if with her coming had not been connected that of Mr. Proshek, it would have been all the same to her whether she came or not. On this occasion, however, she could hardly restrain her impatience; she had something on her mind that she confided to no one.

The harvest began in the early part of August, and the Princess came with all her attendants. The steward's daughter was expecting the Italian, but was disappointed, for he had been left in Vienna. Mrs. Proshek's face beamed with joy, for the children had their dear father with them. Grandmother's face, it is true, grew somewhat sad when she saw that John came without Johanna. He brought her a letter, in which her daughter sent her a thousand greetings from Aunt Dorothy and from Uncle, but said, that on account of her uncle's illness she could not come, for she could not leave her aunt to care for the sick man and see to the housework besides. She wrote that her lover was a worthy young man, that her aunt was satisfied