Page:Three stories by Vítězslav Hálek (1886).pdf/349

 what the young mistress of the house had just been saying. “I do know,” replied his son, and repeated to his father everything which the father had heard from Barushka, because the young people had agreed between themselves what Barushka should say to the old man..

“Well, and what dost thou think of it all, my son,” enquired old Loyka.

“I think the rooms would suit you admirably,” said the young hospodar. “You see, of course, that I could not put my wife’s relations there.”

“And so I am to dwell there with Vena,” laughed old Loyka.

“As you please. But for my part I think that it would be an excellent opportunity of ridding the house of Vena altogether.”

Just as the neighbours had reached this point, they heard a banging of doors at the Loyka’s house, and from the gate ran old Loyka with dishevelled hair. The moon shone over the village green with its first rays, Loyka ran direct to the neighbours there assembled.

“Neighbours, for the love of heaven, I implore you, lend me a match,” he shouted. “In all the house I cannot find one little match wherewith to kindle the roof above the head of this son of mine!” shouted old Loyka, and kept constantly feeling in his pockets to see if there was anything like a match in them.