Page:Three stories by Vítězslav Hálek (1886).pdf/254

 in her inmost heart that she would be a “verna dusicka.” And sometimes when she had slept there a long time she said to herself on awakening “To-day I have been a long time a faithful spirit.”

So then when Frank received her question whether he had ever slept in a grave with so much astonishment, she said “You have never yet slept like a faithful spirit.” And after a time she added “Stop, and we will be faithful spirits together.”

Frank however, of course, did not comprehend the connection between these expressions; however they pleased him somehow; when he looked at Staza he felt as though he had to say “What thou sayest pleaseth me. Why should I not wish to be with thee a faithful spirit.”

After digging sometime longer, Bartos enquired of Frank how his grandfather had died, whereupon Frank narrated about the clod of earth, about the balcony, and how after this his grandfather fell dead at his feet. This narrative was listened to by Staza with great interest so that for a while she even ceased to shovel out the loose earth, and looked upon Frank as a man of mature wisdom, for had he not had a grandfather who was very, very old, and did he not lead about this grandfather even unto his death.

“Good,” said Bartos after a while, we have now come close beside thy mama.” Thus was Frank’s grandfather’s grave all but delved, and because