nceivable to which a man can
be submitted. Compared with this little fairy, a Nero, a Caligula was a
veritable philanthropist.

"But how long is this obstinacy to last?" burst forth Rudolf one day, in
spite of himself.

"Until you withdraw your disparaging opinion of women."

Well, a single word would have been enough, but that single word was too
precious for the pride of a husband to part with. Such a word meant
submission, unconditional surrender; only at the very last extremity
could it be resorted to.

No, instead of that, he will compel his wife to surrender, and he had
plenty of time in those lonely, sleepless nights to hatch a plan of
action. He would leave home for a week, and not tell his wife where he
was going. The Karpathys were now at their castle at Nagy Kun Madaras;
he would spend the week with them. That young woman would be certain to
welcome him most gladly, and he would pay his court to her. Success was
certain. He was sure to triumph over women of a much more obstinate
character, if only he made up his mind to conquer. Old Karpathy would
not trouble himself about it; he would only be too glad if his wife had
plenty of amusement. There was not even any necessity for using any
particular charm or seduction, the young woman was so avid of pleasure,
that she was pretty sure to show favour to any one. She herself would be
his best ally.

With such ideas in his head, he prepared, on the following day, for his
journey. Flora was as kind, as tender as ever as she parted from him,
and it was impossible to suspect her of any pretence.

Rudolf whispered lovingly in her ear, "Come now, shall there be an end
to our warfare?"

"I require an unconditional surrender," said Flora, with an unappeasable
smile.

"Good! there shall be an end to it when I return, but then I shall
_dictate_ peace."

Flora shook her pretty head dubiously, and kissed her husband again and
again; and when he was actually sitting in the coach, she ran after him
to kiss him once more, and then went out on the balcony and followed him
with her eyes, whilst Rudolf leaned out of the coach, and so they kept
on bidding each other adieu with hat and handkerchief till the coach was
out of sight.

And thus an honest husband quitted his house with the fixed resolve to
deceive another man's wife, simply in order that he might thereby win
back his own.

If only he had known what he was doing!

* * * * *