apron, covered the tiny hand of the infant with kisses and said—
“What do I want with a gold piece? Whenever it is wanted it will be changed for Pepíc̓ek;” and subduing an emotion which, by the way, Father Cvok did not quite understand, she added, “And now let us look at the baby-linen.”
In the parcel there were neatly folded little shifts, jackets, caps, swathing bands, napkins, towels—in short everything needful for a baby’s toilet; nothing had been forgotten. Naninka spread them all over the bed and the table.
“That’s something to look at!” she said, very much pleased; and when they came upon the gold piece, she could not help sighing. “It’s a fine piece of money—that’s what it is, and no mistake! If there were some scores of them together, it would be a grand sight! Well, if it isn’t just wanted exactly, why, maybe I will keep it after all.”
“It isn’t likely it will have to be changed so soon. We have the banknote, don’t you see?”
“Oh, indeed, ’tis easy to say we’ve a fifty-florin banknote; but babies eat up no end of money! Where’s the cradle?—where’s the bedding for it? Where is the sugar, flour, etc., etc., for the panada? And if anything happened to go wrong with him, where’s the money for a doctor or a nurse? Believe me, your reverence, the florins fly away like butterflies in midsummer. And then, when he grows a little bigger, what won’t there be wanted then! Little coats, kilts, boots—every minute something or other.”
“Oh, we need not think of all that now—it’s a long way off. There is time enough for all that. But I am
