She laughed.

"I understand the allusion. My figure _has_ become a little st.u.r.dy, I know. What else has a person to do in a little country town but grow fat?"

"It is a sign of peace of mind," I said.

I offered her my arm-chair, and in this act of politeness she read another allusion.

"It has good strong legs, I hope?" said she, as she sat down in it.

I must candidly admit that her figure had grown p.r.o.nouncedly rotund, but this by no means injured her beauty. She really looked quite appetizing!

I was very glad, too, to see her again.

"Don't take my remarks amiss," I said; "it is so good for the poor slave when a smiling lady's face lights up the gloom of his dungeon. A sweet, melodious woman's voice sounds so consolingly amidst the clanking of his fetters."

"I am glad to see that you preserve your good humour, for I have come to you on a very serious business."

"What! Then it was _not_ tender sympathy for the poor captive that brought you hither?"

"That also--I may even say princ.i.p.ally. Every day I read in the _Fovarosi Lapok_ how many and what sort of visitors you receive--n.o.ble ladies, pretty actresses, and what not. Well, thought I, if they may go and see him, it is only my duty to go too. At the same time there are other circ.u.mstances which have brought me here."

At this she furtively looked around her.

"Won't they hear what we are talking about through that door?"

"Have no fear. That room is empty. My fellow-prisoner is provided with a separate apartment."

"I have come to inform you of something. I have pet.i.tioned the office of wards to relieve you from your guardianship."

"And you've very good cause, too, I think, seeing that I myself have been under guardianship for some time."

"That's not my reason, however. But my position has now become such as to make it indispensable for me to have the free disposal of my money."

"May I guess the cause? Another misfortune has happened. We have lost our heart again, eh?"

Bessy covered her blushing face with her silk veil.

"Eh, but how you do always detect a thing at once! You would have made a capital magistrate."

"But it is such a natural thing to suppose. You are so young, you know."

"I am well advanced in the thirties."

"You are only four years over thirty. I ought to know, for I was at your christening. Then you have once more discovered your ideal?"

"This time I most solemnly believe that I really have found him."

"But no provisional person, I hope?"

"Don't insult me, please."

"I'm above such a thing. But, as your guardian, I would not have given my consent to it; so I was bound to suppose that that was why you wanted to be freed from my guardianship."

"Not at all! In future also I mean to take your advice as though it came from my own father. Scold me as much as you like when you catch me tripping. I will continue to be your obedient ward if only you don't shut the door in my face. All I want is my money. Believe me when I say I will do nothing frivolous with it. The sum will remain to my credit, but I wish to be free to use it as I like in the future."

"I presume your bridegroom is some squire to whom the amount will be of service?"

"He is _not_ a squire."

"Then perhaps he is a merchant? That also is an honourable walk in life.

In good commercial hands the amount will yield a nice income."

"He is not a merchant."

"Then perhaps he is a manufacturer, the proprietor of a saw-mill or a steam-mill?"

"Neither the one nor the other."

"Then what on earth is he?"

"My bridegroom is a worthy and eminent schoolmaster, whose name is Esaias Medvesi."

"Esaias Medvesi! But what the deuce does a village schoolmaster want with twenty-five thousand florins?"

"I'll tell you presently. But I must go a little farther back first.

Have you the time to listen to my story?"

"Of course I have: I remain at home all day."

"Will n.o.body interrupt us?"

"My servant is a very sensible fellow, he knows the rules of the place."

"But won't they lock the door of the prison behind me?"

An ordinary person would have replied to this question that it would have been no great harm if they did; but I pulled out the drawer of my writing-table and showed the fair lady that I had _my own key_ for opening my prison door. At this she laughed and seemed quite satisfied.

"Well, I'll begin by telling you how I made his acquaintance."

"What, your Ezzy?"

"I beg your pardon, but you must always p.r.o.nounce the name in full, or you will aggravate its owner. He is very particular about giving to every one his full name and corresponding t.i.tles; never breaks that rule himself, and constantly addresses me as 'Worthy dame Captain!' It is in vain to call me 'Madame' in his presence, for he roundly maintains that such a t.i.tle belongs to the consort of the Prince of Transylvania only. His motto is '_suum cuique_.' Oh, I've learnt such a lot of Latin since I made his acquaintance?"

"Oh, then you have been taking Latin lessons from him, and so the acquaintance began?"

"No irony, please! It didn't begin that way at all. I suppose you know that in our little town there is a very well attended Calvinist church?"

"I know it pretty well."

"And I am a very zealous church goer?"