XIII.
Cvok walked along very slowly, his head full of Neducha’s letter, the contents of which oppressed all his powers of thinking like a nightmare. Living away from the world as he did, he never imagined that any particular notice had been taken of his having, from Christian charity, given shelter to a poor forlorn child, and undertaken the care of it. He even thought, from the natural kindness of his own heart, that this deed would be looked upon with approval. Neducha’s letter taught him otherwise, and filled his whole mind with trouble. For, in the simplicity and kindness of his character, he was incapable of imagining wickedness in others; and when they did fail, considered it only the consequence of error and weakness. This belief began to-day to be shaken, and his mind was losing its peace, stability, and usual equilibrium.
To keep his thoughts from going completely astray in this tangled maze of distracting ideas, he resolved to go and advise with Ledecký, whom he knew to be a practical man, whose wits were well sharpened by experience, and from whom he hoped to obtain some good advice.
But Ledecký did not receive his friend this time in
