Page:Three stories by Vítězslav Hálek (1886).pdf/238

 his wife and did not notice Bartos. Bartos rose from his seat and began to open the windows in the room, he opened them all. The official begged to know what he was about. “If I have to wait,” said Bartos, “I must have fresh air; stinks are not for me.” Then the cashier’s wife began to interfere, and shrieked out “Look at the red-hair’d ruffian!” “Yes, look at him,” retorted Bartos quickly, “and then look at Madame’s sweet double chin.”

This silenced the official’s chatter, and indeed his good lady’s, who hastily threw a handkerchief about her neck; after a few minutes Bartos had the money counted out to the last kreutzer.

Once he came to a lawyer’s office, and there they wished to put him off with a paper scrawled over with pot hooks, telling him to come another day. “And, pray, why should I come another day when I am here to-day,” answered Bartos testily. “What is that?” said the official. “That I will not stir hence until my business is transacted.” The official shouted to a clerk. Just as he had uttered the words Bartos stepped up to the table behind which sat the official, and said tartly “A clerk on me! Here I am, if you want me.” Then he struck the official’s table such a blow with his stick that it set all the pens and pencils skipping, and shouted “Am I then come to look for justice at some booby’s office!” Hereupon all the official staff rushed in pell mell, but as soon as they saw Bartos they