ess Boris put the dish down on the table, placed her two hands on
her thighs, and exploded:

"No, of course not," she panted, her voice thick with rage. "Of course
you can't dine here, because you were simply crammed over yonder by--the
gypsy girl."

The hot coffee stuck in the throats of the two guests at these words! In
the lawyer's from uncontrollable laughter, in the magistrate's from
still more uncontrollable consternation.

This woman had indeed wreaked a monstrous vengeance.

The good magistrate felt like a boy thrashed at school, who fears that
his folks at home may learn the whole truth.

Luckily the sergeant of gendarmes entered with the news that the unholy
pictures had been already erased from the walls, and the carriages were
waiting. He too "got it" outside, for, as he made inquiries after his
masters, Mistress Boris told him severely to go to the depths of hell:
"he too smelt of wine; of course, that gypsy girl had given him also to
drink!"

That gypsy girl!

The magistrate, in spite of his crestfallen dejection, felt an actual
sense of pleasure at being rid of this cursed house and district.

Only when they were well on their dusty way along the highroad did he
address his companion:

"Well, my dear old man, that fine lady was only a gypsy girl after all."

"Surely, my dear fellow."

"Then why did you not tell me?"

"Because you did not ask me."

"That is why you lay on your stomach and laughed, is it?"

"Naturally."

The magistrate heaved a deep sigh.

"At least, I implore you, don't tell my wife that the gypsy girl kissed
me!"

CHAPTER V

THE WILD CREATURE'S HAUNT

In those days the Tisza regulations did not exist--that plain around
Lankadomb where now turnips are hoed with four-bladed machines was at
that time still covered by an impenetrable marsh, that came right up to
Topandy's garden, from which it was separated by a broad ditch. This
ditch wound in a meandering, narrow course to the great waste of rushes,
and in dry summer gave the appearance of a rivulet conveying the water
of the marsh down to the Tisza. When the heavy rains came, naturally the
stream flowed back along the same route.

The whole marsh covered some ten or twelve square miles. Here after a
heavy frost, they used to cut reeds, and on the occasion of great
hunting matches[39] they would drive up masses of foxes and wolves; and
all the huntsmen of the neighborhood might lie in wait in its expanse