Page 143 [143]
OCR
: ad - i | a . i . . a KEZE - 4 7 ris 7 = = — INOSCS _ Bokomian Lal whom there were at that time twenty-five thousand, often walked in the direction of Dewitz, and more than one of them offered to follow the plow in hopes of becoming the son-in-law of the farmer. The first condition that the cunning peasant set on each new servant was this: "I engage you,” he would say, “for a year—that is, till the cuckoo sings the return of spring; but if, from now till then, you say once that you are not satisfied, I will cut off the end of your nose. I give you the same right over me,” he added, laughing. And he did as he said. Prague was full of students with the ends of their noses glued on, which did not prevent an ugly scar, and, still less, bad jokes. To return from the farm disfigured and ridiculed was well calculated to cool the warmest passion. A young man by the name of Coranda, somewhat ungainly in manner, but cool, adroit, and cunning, which 109
