Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/67

Rh was always eager to work, so did not need to be told twice. I soon understood the trade so well that I could weave a whole blanket without assistance. At that time, the Emperor used to come quite often to see the new city, and he was the constant topic of conversation with the villagers. Whoever had the opportunity of seeing him felt greatly honored.

"On one occasion, when the widow was going to town, I asked mother if I could go with her, as I wanted to see the Novy Ples, too. As she was to have a heavy load, mother readily consented, saying: 'Yes, go; you can help her carry the blankets.' The next day we started in the cool of the day, and before noon were in the meadow before the Ples. There we sat down upon a pile of timber and began to put on our shoes. The widow said: 'Alas! where shall I go to sell my blankets?' Just then we saw a gentleman coming from the Ples directly toward us. He carried something in his hand resembling a flute; from time to time he put it up to his face and turned round and round.

"'O look!' I said to the widow. 'That must be some musician; he is playing on a flute and dancing to his own music.'

"You foolish girl, that is not a flute and he is no musician. Most likely that is some gentleman whose business it is to oversee the building; I often see them walking about here. He has a sort of tube, in that tube a glass, and he looks through that. They say he can see a great ways, and everywhere, and whom and what he wants.'

"'Oh, Mrs. Novotny, if he was us when we were putting on our shoes!' I said.