Bětuška.—If I should meet death, I would press her hand and say to her: God’s greetings to you, dear godmother. If you have a place for me under your white grass-cloth, I will hide myself under it—only too gladly— (A pause.) Jeroným, your father has been asking for you.
Jeroným.—My father!
Bětuška.—Your aged father who is to march with the rest of the peasants, perhaps this very night, against the castle. There are already several hundred of them armed—and others are constantly joining their ranks. The women and children are crying—but what man cares for tears. If the men win, the women and children will laugh because feudalism ceased.
(Jeroným (Uncertainly).—And what did my father say?
Bětuška.—He said—towards the end he said little—but at first he talked of you all the time. He looked towards the castle every little while. He knew you’d come at once, that you were already coming. Foolish man, he thought you’d leave the castle. He is an unreasonable old fellow, isn’t he?
Jeroným.—Bětuška!
Bětuška.—If he knew—he would not vainly encourage himself. And that gray head still awaits your coming. The heavens are bright. The peasants are cheering because they are going against the fine gentlemen—but on his forehead is a little cloud—a cloud. But yet he still awaits you and consoles himself with the thought that you have not yet been able to flee. Well, he has waited in health and may he be in health when this uprising is over! Only be you careful when you shoot to always look sharply lest the bullet fly to his head or to the heart which loves you so.
Jeroným.—Cease!
Bětuška (Rising).—And now, God be with you—and guard well the castle, guard it! It is beautiful, it is precious—every man would give much for it—and for what it contains. And fortunate is that castle that it has you. (Slowly departs.)
Scene V
Jeroným, later Karmín and three musketeers, then Výrava and Bětuška.
Jeroným.—Dear God, save me from losing my senses!
