168
FRÁŇA ŠRÁMEK
LOSHAN: Well, I hardly know how to put it? I should like to shake hands with Lieutenant Glahn once more—something of that sort.
JENIK: Stop up your ears, mother. And you, too, Lidka. I want to ask Loshan a little confidential question: weren't you smitten with a certain Edvarda. . .?
LOSHAN (casts unnoticed a glance at Lidka; a great thirst lurks in the morbid glitter of her eyes): I won't come out with the strong remarks you expect, but this I will say. . . But after all, what should I say. . .? It's utter nonsense. (Lidka rises and goes into the kitchen.) It's nonsense, Ledynsky. Absurdities like that will come into our minds. I'll tell you, some day, about just such a piece of absurdity. It'll make you langh, ha, ha. . . Such a very peculiar incident. Or perhaps it isn't such a very peculiar incident, after all. No, I'll tell you about it some day,—it will make you laugh, ha, ha! (Rising.)
JENIK: You're going already?
LOSHAN: And what about to-night,—aren'tyou going anywhere?
JENIK: I'm going with mother to the Variété to-day.
LOSHAN: You're going to the Variété, are you? (To Mrs. Ledynska) It will be a nice entertainment for you and the young lady, madam.
