Come evening, the front pages of all the newspapers will be describing the triumphant journey of Carol II through the streets of Prague and no one will notice that I’ll miss my train because of this spectacle.

I frantically consider my options.

I won’t return to Kateřina. It would only cause confusion. One should not say farewell twice. I’ll find out when the next train leaves and go to Fanta’s Cafe. I’ll spend hours there, but what does that matter?

I should also send a telegram to Tomík about my late arrival. Maybe they will deliver it to him, maybe not, they probably won’t catch him at home. Who knows where he will be when he finishes work in the shop? I don’t suppose he returns home when I’m away, let alone stays there with his model aircraft or to play the piano. He’s sure to be making full use of my absence and enjoying his leisure as he pleases.

But what does please him? What can he be doing?

I’ve had similar questions a couple of times now. Was it out of fear for his safety? No, there is certainly no danger for him in Slaňany. What does he actually do in his free time? He can’t be visiting the Balcar’s that often!

“They say he’s the last European gentleman,” the chauffeur smirks.

He interrupts my thoughts.

“Who?”

“The Romanian king! Or was it his son? I read the other day that he has transformed Bucharest into the Paris of the east. He made some sort of boulevards there. They’d be handy here right now. Prague is still a provincial town. Vienna on the other hand…!”

I stop listening. I know what Vienna is. But I don’t know what Tomík is doing in Slaňany.

Then the car finally starts moving. We are approaching the National Museum. The pavements are even more packed, crowds of people line the streets, the open windows of houses are full of faces. We move closer.

“Come, madame, we can’t continue, we’ll have to wait until he passes.”

The chauffeur is already outside and opening the car door for me.

At first I get out slowly, then I move faster, the excitement has got to me too, I’m deafened by screams, shouting, cheers, I stand on my tiptoes to see over the tangle of waving people and I see him!

Dressed all in white, he looks amazing, medals and decorations glitter on his chest, it feels like I’m watching a famous actor, he crosses the square, greets us from his open car with a raised arm…

Simply a king!

Then his vehicle disappears and we hastily return to the taxi. The chauffeur starts the car, blows the horn, pushes slowly forward through the street, two policeman in white gloves stop pedestrians to allow him to pass, yes, taxis always have the right of way a taxi driver once explained to me, after all, their job is to get people to their destination on time.

Another policeman is literally hurrying us along, it looks like I may still catch my train…

“Well, that agreement of ours is small, but we should be grateful, even though Yugoslavia and Romania aren’t exactly great partners, destroying them would be as easy as einz zwei drei for Hitler and his Wehrmacht, but it’s better than nothing. Did you know that Carol is offering us a million soldiers?”

“What for?” I ask without paying much attention, I’m looking at the large clock on the Wilson Station tower, if I hurry, I’ll leave on time!

“For our defence, in case Hitler wants to include Czechoslovakia in that Lebensraum of his.”

“Oh, I see,” I say, “how much do I owe you?”

(Translated by Jack Coling)