t would have been a pity if the good Bohemian buns had been
lost!

Just as their breakfast was finished, the sound of a silver bell was
heard from the room. Aunty ran in quickly, like a young girl.

"Perhaps it is time for us to go," advised Petrik. Ondrejko looked at
Palko to see what he would say. He had succeeded in attracting the
beautiful cat to him. She sat beside him on the bench, and with her
front paws, like a squirrel, took the dipped bun from him. Now she was
even sitting on his knees and was purring.

"We cannot leave these dishes thus, when they were dirtied by us. She
has no help here," said Palko.

So he ran with a tin bucket for water, and Petrik ran to bring wood.
In the meantime Ondrejko remained alone in the kitchen, when the doors
of the bedroom opened. At first he heard the voice of Aunty--and then
another. The blood rushed to his head, the voice was so clear and
so beautiful. Oh, such mysterious recollections, as from times
so distant, very distant, as if from the secrets of long past
remembrances! What they said he did not understand. The cat wriggled
out of his hands, lifted its long tail and jumped to the door.
The door was not fully closed and she opened it with one paw and
disappeared before the eyes of the surprised boy. He was not even
aware of it. He was so fully taken up with the voice that he did not
hear any more. The boys' coming disturbed and awakened him.

Palko washed the dishes, Petrik dried them; they put everything away,
and disappeared as quietly as they could.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Seven days passed. How short! but sometimes how long seven days may
be! How much one can live through, experience, and suffer! Time
passes; you awaken, wipe your eyes, and wonder if it is true that it
has passed already.

Even thus Ondrejko de Gemer, wandering through the woods, wondered
if all was true that had passed in the last seven days, or if it was
merely a dream. Oh, it was no dream, really. She came, the sick lady.
Truly, she lived in Palko's cottage and though Ondrejko had carried
the whey there already three times he had not seen her. Aunty always
said that she was asleep, and must sleep very much. Ah, why did she
always sleep just when he came? She had spoken already to Petrik, and
gave him a box full of candy. Palko had already read to her from his
Book, and had told her that she was almost as beautiful as his mother
at home; Ondrejko, alone, had not seen her yet.

How much