ne who is well assured of
how greatly, how very greatly he is loved. Oh what a joy it will be even
to look upon such happiness!

The two ladies with radiantly happy faces returned to the company, which
diverted itself till midnight, when every one retired to his own room.
Squire John helped his guests to their repose with a musical
accompaniment, the gipsy band proceeding from window to window and
intoning beneath each one a sleep-compelling symphony. Finally, the last
note died away, and everybody dozed off, and dreamed beautiful dreams.
The hunters dreamt of foxes (there was to be a hunt on the morrow), the
orators dreamt of assemblies, Mr. Malnay dreamt of parties, Lady
Szentirmay dreamt of her husband, and Fanny dreamt of that beautiful
smiling countenance she had been thinking of so often, and which looked
at her so kindly with its eloquent blue eyes and spoke to her with such
a wondrously sweet voice. It is permissible, of course, to dream of
anything.

* * * * *

Well, to-morrow!

CHAPTER XIII.

THE HUNT.

Early next morning the hunting-horns awoke the guests. Those who had
gone to sleep thinking of hunting, and had dreamt of hunting, at once
sprang to their feet at that joyous sound. The others, who would gladly
have compounded with themselves for an extra half-hour and allowed their
heavy eyelids just one more little snooze, were violently thwarted in
their inclinations by the ever-increasing racket which suddenly
dominated Karpathy Castle; for the bustling to and fro of heavy boots,
the sound of familiar voices in the halls and parlours, the baying of
dogs in the courtyard, the cracking of whips, and the neighing of horses
would have sufficed to disturb the sweet slumbers of the Seven Sleepers
themselves. But what is the use of expecting moderation or discretion
from sportsmen? The most exquisite of drawing-room dandies, when he
prepares him for the chase, puts on quite another character with his
hunting boots and cap, and considers himself justified in making as much
row as possible, and bawls in a voice that is quite different to his
own.

Day had scarcely dawned when the fully dressed guests came into the hall
to show themselves and have a look at the weather. The more original
young bucks were dressed in coats with large flapping sleeves, vests
with broad flat buttons, and velvet caps with crane's feathers; the
elegants, on the other hand, affected tightly f