break in so upon me? Do you think I come from
some pilgrimage to Bodajk,[65] all my pockets full of saints' fiddles,
of beads, and of gingerbread-saints? Or am I a Levite? Am I a 'monk'
that you look to me for prayer?"

[Footnote 65: A place visited by pilgrims, like Lourdes, etc., it is in
Fehermegye (white county).]

"Teach me to pray. I have long enough besought you to do so, and I can
wait no longer."

"Go and don't worry me. I don't know myself where to find what you
want."

"It is not true. You know how to read. You have been taught everything.
You only deny knowledge of God, because you are ashamed before Him; but
I long to see His face! Oh, teach me to pray!"

"I know nothing, my dear, except the soldier's prayer."[66]

[Footnote 66: _i. e._, Blasphemy.]

"Very well. I shall learn that."

"I can recite it to you."

"Well, tell it to me."

Czipra acted as she had seen Melanie do: she kneeled down before the
table: clasping her hands devotedly and resting against the edge of the
table.

Topandy turned his head curiously: she was taking the matter seriously.

Then he stood before her, put his two hands behind him, and began to
recite to her the soldier's prayer.

"Adjon Isten harom 'B'-et,
Harom 'F'-et, harom 'P'-et.
Bort, buzat, bekesseget,
Fat, fuevet, feleseget,
Pipat, puskat, patrontast,
Es egy butykos palinkat!
Iketum, piketum, holt! berdo! vivat!"[67]

[Footnote 67: "God grant three 'B-s,' three 'F-s,' and three 'P-s.'
Wine, wheat, peace, wood, grass, wife, pipe, rifle, cartridge-case, and
a little cask of brandy.... Hurrah! hurrar!" It is quite impossible to
render the verse into English in any manner that would reproduce the
original, so I have given the original Magyar with a literal
translation.]

The poor little creature muttered the first sentences with such pitiable
devotion after that godless mouth:--but, when the thing began to take a
definitely jesting turn, she suddenly leaped up from her knees in a
rage, and before Topandy could defend himself, dealt him such a healthy
box on the ears that it made them sing; then she darted out and banged
the door after her.

Topandy became like a pillar of salt in his astonishment. He knew that
Czipra had a quick hand, but that she would ever dare to raise that tiny
hand against her master and benefactor, because of a mere trifling jest,
he was quite incapable of understanding.

She must be in some great tro