more. Matters were discussed on the common, in the inns, in the offices, and at home. Men of the world retailed all their experiences to a wondering crowd, and married women listened to them with blushes. The patrician daughters, while out for a walk in the evening, went as far as the house, and there stealthily looked into the row of windows, hoping to find “her” sitting there.
After taking council in a full meeting, the burgomistress and Frau von Janík went as delegated to Jiří’s aunt. They went full of praiseworthy purposes: to open the eyes of that good old lady who had been tricked in a shameless manner; to point out to her Jiří’s contemptible action; to place that reptile, “her,” with her fine past, in the right light; to say everything politely, yet openly,—in short, to purify the atmosphere in the poor old lady’s own house.
The aunt received them as usual. They seated themselves, and spoke for a long, long time of this and that; at last the burgo-
