s in the home of a denier of God.

Then they heard the mid-day curfew, which made the black cock, with
fluttering wings, begin his monotonous clarion, for all the world like
the bugle call of some watch-tower, whose _taran-tara!_ gives the sign
to its inhabitants.

At this the lady's face suddenly lost its sad expression of melancholy;
she put down the czimbalom-sticks, leaped up from her chair, and with
natural sincerity asked,

"It was a beautiful song, was it not?"

"Indeed it was. What is it?"

"Hush! that you may not ask."

The lawyer had to call the magistrate's attention to the fact that it
was already time to depart, as there was still another "entertainment"
in store for them.

At this they all laughed.

"I am very sorry that it was my fortune to make your acquaintance, on
such an occasion as the present," said the young officer of the law, as
he bade farewell, and shook hands with his host.

"But I rejoice at the honor, and I hope I may have the pleasure of
seeing you again--on the occasion of the next 'execution'."

Then the magistrate turned to her ladyship, to thank her for her kind
hospitality.

To do so he sought the young lady's hand with intention to kiss it; but
before he could fulfill his intention, her ladyship suddenly threw her
arms around his neck and imprinted as healthy a kiss on his face as
anyone could possibly wish for.

The magistrate was rather frightened than rejoiced at this unexpected
present. Her ladyship had indeed peculiar habits. He scarcely knew how
he arrived in the road; true, the wine had affected his head a little,
for he was not used to it.

From Topandy's castle to Sarvoelgyi's residence one had to cross a long
field of clover.

The lawyer led his colleague as far as the gate of this field by the
arm, sauntering along by his side. But, as soon as they were within the
garden, Mr. Buczkay said to the magistrate:

"Please go in front, I will follow behind; I must remain behind a little
to laugh myself out."

Thereupon he sat down on the ground, clasped his hands over his stomach,
and commenced to guffaw; he threw himself flat upon the grass, kicking
the earth with his feet, and shouting with merriment the while.

The young officer of the law was beside himself with vexation, as he
reflected: "This man is horribly tipsy; how can I enter the house of
such a righteous man with a drunken fellow?"

Then when Mr. Buczkay had given satisfaction to the demands of