as not to break down himself, ‘she has had a father for two whole days . . . he has been found, he has come to claim her, here is documentary evidence . . . look here.’
He put his hand in his breast pocket, drew forth a document and waved it over her head: ‘While I was about it I have brought Magda’s christening certificate as well, so now we can enter her at the High School after the holidays. But enough of all this. The poor little thing is waiting to be kissed!’
In a moment the little girl was buried in her mother’s arms.
Ivan looked with infinite love at his wife, whose face had suddenly grown crimson. After a little while he said: ‘Now, little woman, give the child something to eat, I believe she is famished. And after dinner you had better get her some clothes that she is fit to be seen in in a town . . . how nice it will be to have something to be busy about! And to-morrow, or the day after, we will go right away from Prague once more, and get used to our little family in some pretty hiding-place.’
