Page:Three stories by Vítězslav Hálek (1886).pdf/154

 in difficulties, not knowing whether she ought to clutch the dinner basket to prevent it from being jolted out, or whether she ought to keep herself there by clutching with both hands. It delighted Poldik beyond measure this fear of hers, which was at the same time half laughter. I do not know what the horses had to say to all that coaxing and whip cracking, but they understood it, and for the nonce shook off several years of their lives. But, indeed, even Poldik felt himself younger and scarcely rememembered when he felt so young as he did that day.

Well, and when they halted not far from Naplavka (the Quay) in the shadow of the lofty wall, he actually bounded from the cart, and when he looked at Malka and her face was covered with smiles and dimples, and she said “What a ride we have had!”—Oh! then it seemed as though they must be married to-morrow morning. Finally he helped her out of the cart. Malka took his hand with much simplicity, rested her other hand on his shoulder, and giving a spring allowed herself to be lifted off her feet and placed on the ground. Poldik felt thoroughly self-satisfied, and never in his life imagined that he could have courted a girl so well.

What came to pass fortuitously to day, came to pass again on the morrow and the day after, and then for many a day. From some cause or other he always happened to overtake Malka about mid-day