for
throwing purposes.]

"What are you doing here?" inquired Czipra, starting back.

"I am keeping guard over you," answered Lorand. "As you said your doors
cannot be locked, I shall stay here till morning lest some one break in
upon you."

Czipra slunk back to her room. She met Melanie, who, candle in hand,
hastened towards her, and asked what was the matter.

"Nothing, nothing. I heard a noise outside. It frightened me."

No need of simulation, for she trembled in every limb.

"You afraid?" said Melanie, surprised. "See, I am not afraid. It will be
good for me to come to you and sleep with you to-night."

"Yes, it will," assented Czipra. "You can sleep on my bed."

"And you?"

"I?" Czipra inquired with a determined glance. "Oh, just here!"

And therewith she threw herself on the floor before the bed.

Melanie, alarmed, drew near to her, seized her arm, and tried to raise
her. She asked her: "Czipra, what is the matter with you? Tell me what
has happened?"--Czipra did not answer, did not move, did not open her
eyes.

Melanie seeing she could not reanimate her, rose in despair, and,
clasping her hands, panted:

"Great Heavens! what has happened?"--Then Czipra suddenly started up and
began to laugh.

"Ha ha! Now I just managed to frighten you."

Therewith rolling uncontrolledly on the floor, she laughed continuously
like one who has succeeded in playing a good joke on her companion.

"How startled I was!" panted Melanie, pressing her hands to her heaving
breast.

"Sleep in my bed," Czipra said. "I shall sleep here on the floor. You
know I am accustomed to sleep on the ground, covered with rugs.

"'My mother was a gypsy maid
She taught me to sleep on the ground,
In winter to walk with feet unbound;
In a ragged tent my home was made.'"

She sang Melanie this bizarre song twice in her peculiar melancholy
strain, and then suddenly threw around her the rug which lay on the bed,
put one arm under her head, and remained quite motionless; she would not
reply any longer to a single word of Melanie's.

The next day Topandy returned from town; scarce had he taken off his
traveling-cloak, when Czipra burst in upon him.

She seized his hand violently, and gazing wildly into his eyes, said:

"Sir, I cannot live longer under such conditions. I shall kill myself.
Teach me to pray."

Topandy looked at her in astonishment and shrugged his shoulders
sarcastically.

"Whatever possessed you to