as fine, and she was well wrapped
up, and much more to the same effect. Women understand these things so
much better than men.

Karpathy called down endless blessings on the head of his kind neighbour
as he bade her adieu, and promised to come and see her as soon as
possible.

"It is now your turn to come and see us," said she. "In a month's time,
I hope Fanny will be able to redeem the promise she made to come and see
me and my husband at home. I don't think, however, that I'll say
good-bye to her now, for fear of disturbing her; it will be better if
you will tell her of my departure."

Armed with this commission, and ascertaining first of all from Teresa
that Fanny was now awake, and might be seen without harm, he stole
softly to her room on the tips of his toes, went up to the bed, gently
smoothed down her hair, took her hand in his, and asked how she was.

"Quite well," replied the invalid, and she tried to smile.

The smile was but a poor success, but it did Squire John good to see the
attempt, at any rate.

"Lady Szentirmay sends her love; she has just gone."

Fanny made no reply to this, but she drew his hand across her forehead,
as if she wished to drive from thence the thought which arose within it.

Karpathy fancied that his hand was cooling, perhaps, to the poor hot
forehead, so he pressed it tenderly.

Then Fanny seized his hand with both her own, and drew it to her lips.
How happy Karpathy felt at that moment! He turned aside for a moment,
lest she should see the tears in his eyes.

Fanny fancied he would have gone away, and drew him still closer to
her.

"Don't go away," she said--"stay here; let us talk!"

"You see," continued she, "that I am quite myself again now. In a short
time I shall be able to get up. Don't be angry with me if I ask you to
do me a favour?"

"Ask not one favour, but a thousand favours!" cried Karpathy, rejoicing
that his wife asked anything of him at all.

"Are you not getting ready a new mansion at Pest?" asked Fanny.

"You wish to live there, perhaps?" cried Karpathy, hastening to
anticipate his wife's wishes. "You can take possession of it at a
moment's notice, and, if you don't like it, and want something more
handsome, I'll have another built for you this winter."

"Thanks, but I shall be quite satisfied with the one at Pest. I have
been thinking to myself what an entirely new life we'll begin to live
there together."

"Yes, indeed; we will have lots of co