n, I'll swear he has, even if I
had not been told it beforehand."

"So indeed it is," said Cornelia sadly.

"And how came you to know it before it has been officially reported to
me?"

"My uncle is a magistrate there, and he told me. He came from thence in
his carriage, while the prisoner was being brought along on foot."

"They are bringing him hither--hither to me," groaned the General
impatiently and turning pale. "They will hand him over to me, and I
shall have to pronounce judgment upon him."

How he feared, how he shuddered at the thought!

"You could not have told me a worse tale," resumed the General, turning
to his wife, and supporting her tender little head against his bosom.
"That is a sad, a very sad story."

"But the end has yet to come."

"Yes, and the saddest part of it is that the end of it is in my hands."

"And to my mind it could not be in better hands."

"How can you say that? Is not every member of the Hetfalusy family my
personal enemy? If I could forget everything else, must I not remember
that they have insulted you? Why, this very young windbag actually
insulted you, you my wife, at a public assembly, and now Fate has cast
him at my feet, him the last scion of the family, and I must be his
judge and pronounce sentence of death upon him! The whole world will
believe that I have gladly taken advantage of this grievous opportunity
of revenging myself in the most bloody, the most exemplary manner upon
my enemies! They will fancy that I condemn the son of my bitterest enemy
to the gallows because I am thirsting for his blood. And you say it is
well that it should be so!"

"I said it and I will stick to it. I am quite confident that you will
save him."

"_I_ save him?" cried the General, opening wide his blue eyes with
amazement; "it is impossible."

"I believe that General Vertessy, that rigorous, inflexible man, whom
his admirers and his detractors alike called 'the man of iron,' who has
never relaxed the rule of discipline to favour friend or kinsman, will
do everything in his power to make an exception for once in his life,
and save the son of his enemy from the rigour of the law. Oh! I know
this gentleman right well, I am confident that so he will act."

"It is impossible, impossible; if he were my own brother I would not
save him in his unfortunate position."

"A brother you could not save, I'll allow; but this youth--oh, yes! I am
persuaded that you will not be satisfied till