Page:Three stories by Vítězslav Hálek (1886).pdf/296

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On Condition: or Pensioned Off.

“That will be of small avail now; once you are fairly out of the house, it will be hard to get back again. You will have to go to law with your son. Before judgment is given in your case, the six years are out, and meantime you can be thankful for the pension house. But, of course, you know how long a law suit takes, for you were still at law with your father while he was being buried. The one thing you must pray for is that your son may have a son again, and that this son may one day pay his father out for your wrongs. But you understand all about it.”

“But come and help me!” he took Vena by the hand as though nothing would move him from his determination.

“Come along! come along! pantata,” said Vena, holding himself in readiness. “I will catch hold of your chests and cupboards lest they take flight, and you shall lamm into them.”

And old Loyka went into the entrance hall and began to turn everything upside down, then he took a chair in his hands and shouted into the inner rooms “I will break his head who takes anything of mine out of the house.”

At these words they ceased to carry his things out of the house. Perhaps the sight of old Loyka somewhat softened them, and perhaps they deemed it prudent to desist when old Loyka so passionately set himself in opposition.