Alois Jirásek

“ One week succeeded another, letters came and went; Lenka visited Miss Elis and Márinka a few times more. When Mrs. Roubínek finally learned of it, and scolding forbade these visits, it was too late; for the autumn had come.
As the fruit ripened, the grass paled, the flowers withered, and the birds were preparing for their long journey, the long desired guests flocked in. From all parts of Bohemia and Moravia the wagons again arrived, piled high with student trunks and many colored featherbeds, and a new, busy life again arose in the town. The students and philosophers were back. ”

“ He sought solitude. He gazed toward the woods of Nedošín which, wide-spread and mysterious, were rising out of the evening dusk. A white manor house on the hill stood out from the background of the black woods like a silent, abandoned castle. Whenever the long shadow of the sable woods permitted a glimpse into the vale below, one could see the broad bright surface of the Košíř River glimmering there. Behind the woods and all around, the bon-fires and lights were blazing.
The evening, the lights, the fires, the cries—everything recalled home to Vavřena. ”

“ At other times she looked with pleasure on this handsome student, whom even Lotty and others liked; and to-day that young man, who generally was indifferent to young women, had stood before her inspired, ardent, and bis expressive face seemed to be illumined. If Lotty, or some other maiden, had seen him, and had heard his passionate speech, even though she had not felt so patriotic as Lenka, she could scarcely keep her heart calm, and leave it closed before him. How then Lenka, that Cinderella in the registrar’s home, to whom but few paid notice, and whom no one appreciated! ”

“ When Miss Elis with Marin ka reached Nedošín, the grove was already jammed full. In front of the restaurant, a small, tidy building with a covered colonnade, some guests seated themselves on the plain wooden benches, while others spread themselves on the soft grass under the bushy trees. Everywhere was life, bustle and laughter. The main current surged over the path leading from the restaurant past the little chapel of St. Anton and up the slope to the dance hall. ”

“ Every word—each trembling leaf—an expression of deep emotion which masters the heart, inspires the soul.
The rosy illumination which shined through the tree tops paled and darkness covered the park. Lenka was about to go. They went a few paces further, stopped again, until unrelenting time compelled them to part. Lenka extended her trembling hand to Vavřena; he pressed her to his heart, kissing her fresh lips. ”

“ Miss Elis circumspectly inquired about her students, if perhaps someone had not seen them in Prague; but nobody could give her any information. The philosophers were not with them; undoubtedly they were on the barricades, and there either fell or were arrested and arraigned before the court martial.
Lenka seemed not to have a drop of blood in her face; she was sad and always lost in thought. She had no one to whom she could complain or unburden herself. She was not permitted to visit Miss Elis, for since her uncle fell sick, she could hardly leave the house. ”

“ When the lesson was over, the registrar, sitting in his easy chair and looking at king Herod, stopped Vavřena and spoke to him. He told him in his cold, unfeeling way that he, being an official, must observe order and must require that others also be orderly. The instructor, however,—the registrar furthermore observed—was dissipating his energies too much with things which did not concern him, and that some day this would hurt him more than now; that he should apply himself to studies and should not participate in rebellions and superfluous patriotism, thus corrupting others. ”

“ Vavřena?”
“Miss Elis, dinner, please!” Frýbort called from the next room. “We are in a hurry!”
The bright May day warmed toward noon. The bishopric bell pealed; then the sound of the noon bell ceased. Registrar Roubínek was in the act of eating his dinner. It was most properly to his liking. Miss Lotty was somewhat silent. Mother led the conversation almost alone to-day, for Lenka never spoke much; besides, she had to get up from the table often and go to the kitchen to superintend the serving. The joy of the morning had not left her face yet. ”

“ Even the maidens and married women, who were formerly to a great degree indifferent in such matters, were carried away by the torrent. The good seed, sown by Dobromila Rettig, bore now an abundant fruit. The spirit of those times was like a rain which revived and refreshed the plant of patriotism. Mis Elis and Lenka especially were rejoicing. While the guardsmen and the students were in training, stood guard, kept night watches, the women were collecting money among themselves for a flag, which was to wave over the heads of the courageous student legionaries. ”

“ Miss Elis interrupted.
“No time, Miss Elis. When I once become somebody then I also shall indulge,” ansvered the lean student.
“You materialist! Then you will throw the books away, and never look at them,” cried Frýbort scornfully, while he was putting his bouquet of violets into a glass of fresh water.
Frýbort and Vavřena sat long in the parlor with Miss Elis, discussing the events of the day. All were satisfied. Only Miss Elis, in her auxiety, cast a shadow upon the talk: what will happen at the college, and what at the registrar’s? But the young men were not afraid. ”

“ Almost every house contributed someone who hastened toward the Nedošín grove. Here a citizen with his family, there a mother with daughters, here individually, there in a crowd. Everywhere buzzed the talk of the unexpected, and therefore doubly welcome joy.
Miss Elis was quite shocked when at the last minute Frýbort told her of the celebration, and invited her to the grove. She held back, did not want to go; but when Vavřena whispered to her that she would see Lenka there and speak with her, she quickly consented.
The students left and the good old lady began to dress. ”

“ Many philosophers would return again; perhaps many a philosopher, leaving the school, might never come back, or, at the University in noisy Prague might forget.
Lenka’s eyes were also filling with tears, but she bravely endeavored to smile. She was forbidden to speak with Vavřena; they threatened her with severe punishment. But what was a threat to her, what was punishment?
She came secretly at twilight to the forbidden spot in the park. She dared much. Alone, at the late hour—but should Vavřena leave without her speaking with him? ”

“ Miss Elis arose.
Vavřena, turning by chance, looked toward the old tree. Presently he exclaimed:
“I thought a while ago that if a strong wind or a storm came, it could very easily knock the nest down.”
“Look, Miss Lenka, the bird is out!”
“We shall wait and I will tell you after a few days whatever occurs on this beautiful spot.”
“Oh, then you will have such a lot of trouble with me! That “Bridge” which you loaned me. I can not cross very well alone. I do not under stand many things in it. It is hard to be philosopher.” ”

“ When all had left, Miss Elis, according to her custom, stepped into the student’s room to put things in order. On the very edge of one of them lay a small book, which she recognized instantly. It was the same one from which Frýbort was studying that morning. What a magical book was it that it enticed for so long a philosopher who ordinarily was not too fond of study? ”

“ Nedošin grove resounded with music, singing. Most of the people thronged round the dance-hall and then in the lower part around the restaurant. But all paths, even the most distant ones, were crowded, mostly by young people. In a quiet nook deep in the grove Špína walked slowly, as is meet for a philosopher, completely lost in thought. ”

“ A short time after that the hall of the philosophical college was entirely filled. The professors, students, guardsmen, and citizens, all came to hear the first lecture; no one had so many auditors but Pater German, sometimes, when he lectured on special periods of history. The philosophers, as though they were not the same men who caused that infernal uproar in the room of the professor of theology last year, stood there like lambs, their eyes fastened on the young priest who mounted the cathedra. ”

“ Next year, before Lent, Frýbort, with a numerous Hanák suite came for Márinka, to carry her away as his beloved wife. Vavřena also came from Prague to be the best man, while Lenka was the bride’s maid. And when the wedding feast was at the gayest, the bridegroom being the jolliest of all, Vavřena stood up and raised his glass to the honored memory of the former friend and colleague, who died in the fateful struggle on the barricades. The bride cast her eyes down and Miss Elis’ were filled with tears. ”

“ Next morning when the philosophers were leaving for the examinations, she wished them all success, and reminded them to sprinkle themselves with the holy water and to cross themselves with the holy cross. The whole forenoon she was as if on needles, running every little while to the window and peering out. The landlady’s Márinka was in a similar plight, and came to Miss Elis’ kitchen “just for a skip” many times during the forenoon. They spoke of nothing but the students and their examinations. ”

“ He could not, even for a ducat, say a single word that moment, His eyes were intently looking through the opening into Miss Elis’ room, from whence the clear, ringing voice, which so greatly frightened the philosopher, had come.
He saw Miss Márinka there, the daughter of the landlady, a girl of well-rounded, smiling countenance, and as fresh as a dewy blossom. She was dressed “just plain”, for at home: white apron, short skirt and low slippers were charmingly becoming her.
“I came just for a word. The philosophers are not at home—.” ”

“ Miss Elis looked with joy on the long columns of philosophers, who proudly marched behind the new flag, and Lenka’s face blushed when a tall officer looked up to her and greeted her with a smile. How soldierly he carried himself and how becoming his uniform was. ***
The stir of public life did not abate but rather increased each day. From Prague, the heart of Bohemia, activity radiated to all parts of the kingdom. Sudden, unexpected changes took place almost overnight, events continually new, domestic and foreign, kept all classes of people in tension and excitement. ”

“ While the registrar, gazing at king Herod, was having a “delightful” conversation with the recorder, and his wife was sitting nearby, and Miss Lottynka was visiting some friend of hers, Lenka ran to the neighboring park, where Márinka was already awaiting her. At that time only a few people visited the park, for everybody went either to Nedošín or to some other out-of-town place. But by a remarkable coincidence the castle garden at that time looked unusually attractive to two young philosophers, who, as if by chance, appeared among the trees, and soon boldly joined the maidens. ”

“ Frýbort was reading his product over, when Miss Elis’ gentle voice was heard in the front room. A hollow bass was answering.
Frýbort folded the paper, and quickly hid it in his desk. A young man of tall and somewhat stooping figure entered. The posture was not natural but was the result of habit and of slovenly walking.
“Oh, welcome, Špína! Where do you loaf all the time?”
“I was in the park!” He sat on a trunk, and taking a slice of bread out of the drawer of the large table, began to eat it with keen appetite. ”

“ Vavřena rose in anger, but Miss Elis caught him by the hand, and Lenka, who had cast down her eye before looked at the indignant youth.
“She deserves a sharp cut from me, that old gossip! She thinks she is still the mayor’s wife, and that she can boss and order people about as she did in her husband’s time!”
“But you know her, Mr. Vavřena; she will revenge herself on you,” Miss Elis spoke soothingly. ”

“ Vavřena?”
“He is alive and well; he escaped home to the mountains. We were fleeing together for a time. This slip of paper here is for Lenka—But Špína, the poor fellow, fell on the barricades.”
Miss Elis was dazed and could not even believe it. She would have endlessly pitied him and kept on questioning, if Frýbort had given her time. Márinka and her mother were called and Miss Elis told them the news. Both hastily dressed, and hurried up stairs. Frýbort, seeing his Márinka, did not mind at all the presence of her mother, but jumping up, caught the beloved girl into his arms. ”

“ Many a maiden wept when the stalwart philosophers dispersed. Lenka and Márinka were satisfied. There were almost two full months before they need say good bye!
But then came the second Sunday after Pentecost, the fatal, unfortunate twelfth of June!
On the thirteenth of June, terrible news reached Litomyšl.
“A revolution has broken out in Prague; the ancient city is at stake. In the terrible disorder the lawless rabble plunder and destroy, all is a hub-bub of confusion, and there is lack of means and force to restore order and discipline.” ”

“ The marching of a few hundred young, nimble feet was sprightly. The students were followed by all who had leisure to go; all over town people ran out of houses to convince themselves as to the truth of what was reported of the philosophers’ daring deed. Many, as soon as they saw the advancing column, hastened back to prepare to join the procession; for formerly almost the whole of Litomyšl was out in the Nedošín grove at the celebration of “majales”.
The columns of students disappeared, and the music grew faint. ”

“ Then you understand the pure life of the shooting plant, you understand the flattering murmur of the bubbling creek in the shadows of the revivified alders; then you know why the youthful beech forest on the slope is trembling and why the blackthorn is wrapped in its white blossoms.
Sweet dreams are going through the grove: in the dark heavens above the bright constellations shine. The dreams pass on to the trees in the gardens and into still rooms and chambers. As the dew silently falls on all things growing, new life and flowers awake. ”