Page - 92 - in The Forest Farm - Tales of the Austrian Tyrol

“All right,” thought I to myself. “And I’ll follow in an hour’s time. He’ll be in a good humour to-day; and I shall never find a better opportunity.” So far, the thing was well thought out. I went off that same afternoon. The old gentleman was quite jolly and invited me to have a cup of coffee with him, telling me that there was fresh milk in it from Kressbachgraben. And it was in the midst of the coffee that I suddenly said: “I’ve had something on my mind for ever so long, your reverence!” “You, something on your mind?” he laughed. “Well, that’s a nice state of affairs, when even little boys have things on their minds!” I stirred my cup of coffee vigorously with my spoon, so as not to have to look his reverence in the face, and told him the story of the game of cards on the altar. Contrary to all my expectations, the priest remained quite calm. Then he asked: “Did you do it wilfully? Did you intend to mock the holy altar?” “Good God, no, your reverence!” I replied, thoroughly shocked at the mere thought. “Very well,” said the old man. Then he was silent for a little while and finished his coffee, after which he spoke as follows: “It was not a proper thing to do; let me tell you that at once. And I will let Kaunigl know also that what people take to church is prayer-books and not playing-cards! But, if you had no bad intention in doing this silly trick, we will say no more about it this time. At any rate, you did quite right to tell me. Would you like a drop more?” As the Corpus Christi incident was now closed in the best possible way, the second cup of coffee tasted twice as good as the first. When, presently, I got up to go, the old man laid his hand on my shoulder and said, kindly: “I feel easier now that I know exactly what happened on that Corpus Christi Day. But you must never do it again, Peterkin. Just think,—our dear Lord!…” Footnotes: [10] Die vierzehn Nothelfer, often mentioned in the German hagiology. “Emergency saints” has been suggested as an equivalent rendering.—[Translator’s Note.] [11] The clubs are printed in green, in the cheap packs of cards used in the Tyrol, and the ten of this suit is called der Grühnzehner: the ten of greens.—[Translator’s Note.]