Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol4, 1920.pdf/99

One hundredth anniversary of the birth of Božena Němec will be widely celebrated in Bohemia on February 5th. Božena Němec was one of the early writers whose work fanned the feeble spark of Czech national consciousness in the souls of the people to burning patriotism. As a portraitist of Bohemian country life she has no equal.

“Babička” (Grandmother) is generally considered her best work. It was translated into English by Frances Gregor in 1892. The excerpt given here tells of the visit of the grandmother with her grandchildren to the princess on whose estate they lived.

The cabinet of the Princess was decorated with green hangings inwrought with gold, curtains of the same stuff were at the door and over one window, which was as large as a door. Many pictures of various sizes hung upon the walls, but all were portraits. Opposite the window was the fireplace, made of gray marble variegated with black and green; upon the mantel stood two vases of Japanese porcelain, holding beautiful flowers whose perfume filled the whole cabinet. On both sides were shelves of costly wood, skillfully wrought. Upon these were laid out various articles, valued partly for their artistic worth and partly for their costliness; also natural objects, such as shells, corals, stones, and the like. Some of these were souvenirs from journeys, some keepsakes from friends. In the corner of the room near the window stood a Carrara marble statute of Apollo, and in the opposite corner a writing desk. At this desk, in an arm chair covered with dark green plush, sat the Princess, dressed in a white morning-gown. As Grandmother and the children entered she laid aside her pen to welcome them.

“Praised be Jesus Christ!” said Grandmother, bowing respectfully.

“Forever!” replied the Princess, and welcomed her guests.

The children were so bewildered that they did not know what to do, until Grandmother winked at them, when they went to kiss the hand of the Princess. She kissed them on the forehead and motioning to a stool covered with plush and ornamented with golden tassels, she invited Grandmother to sit down.

“I thank your Grace, but I am not tired,” was the reply. The fact was she was afraid to sit down lest the stool should break down or roll away with her. Still, when the Princess asked her again, she spread her white shawl over the stool and sat down saying: “So we should not carry away your Grace’s sleep.” (It is a common belief, that if a person does not sit down when coming into a strange house, its inmates will not sleep well.) The children stood still and trembling with awe, but their eyes wandered from one object to another; the Princess observing this asked, “Do you like it here?”

“Yes, ma’am,” they replied in chorus.

“No wonder,” added Grandmother. “They would find enough here to amuse them and they would need no coaxing to remain.”

“And you? Would you not like it here, too?” asked the Princess.

“It’s like heaven, still I should not want to live here,” replied Grandmother.

“Why not?” asked the Princess greatly surprised.

“What should I do here? You have no house-keeping. I could not spread out my feathers here for stripping, nor take my spinning out; what could I do?”

“And would you not like to live without care and labor, and take some comfort in your old age?”

“Indeed, it will be soon enough that the sun shall rise and set over my head, and I shall sleep free from care. But as long as I live and God grants me health, it is fitting that I labor. An idler costs too much when he costs nothing. Besides, no one is wholly free from care, one has this cross, another that, but all do not sink beneath its weight.”

Just then a small hand turned aside the curtain at the door; and there appeared the lovely face of a young girl, whose head was adorned with long blonde braids.

“May I come in?” she asked.

“Certainly, you will find pleasant company,” replied the Princess.

Into the cabinet stepped Countess Hortense, the ward of the Princess, as was said. Her figure was slender, and undeveloped; she wore a simple white dress, her round straw hat hung over her arm, and in her hand she held a bunch of roses. “Oh what charming little children!” she exclaimed. “Surely they are Proshek’s children, who sent me those delicious strawberries yesterday?”

The Princess nodded. The Countess bent down to give each child a rose; then she gave one to Grandmother, one to the Princess, and the last she placed behind her belt.

“This bud is as fresh as yourself, gracious Countess,” remarked Grandmother smelling the rose,” may God protect and kep her for you,” she added turning to the Princess.

“That is my earnest prayer,” replied the Princess as she kissed the forehead of her ward.

“May I take the children away for a while?” asked the Countess looking both at the Princess and Grandmother. The former nodded, but