upon she tossed her head defiantly, saying, “Since you were pleased to judge me deserving of punishment, I will serve out my sentence!” And she went with the men.
The people ran out of the houses, many of them feeling sorry for her, but Bára took no notice of any of them and walked merrily towards the graveyard, which was situated near the heel of the forest not far from the community pasture.
Her two escorts opened the door of the deathchamber where human bones and funeral biers were kept and, after expressing the wish, “May God protect you!” they went home.
From the vault a little window not much bigger than one’s hand looked out on the valley and the forest. Bára stationed herself beside the window and looked out for a long, long time. Sad, indeed, must have been the thoughts that fitted through her mind, for tear after tear fell from her beautiful eyes and ran down her brown cheeks.
The moon rose higher and higher, one light after another in the village was extinguished, and more and more quiet it grew all around her. Over the graves fell the shadows of the tall pines standing near the wall and above the valley a light mist gathered. Only the barking or weird howling of dogs disturbed the stillness of the night.
Bára looked out upon the grave of her mother, recalled her lonely childhood, the dislike and scorn of
