hat
lie between the guardian of the Northern Dog-star and the emerald wings
of the vine-dresser beetle, or if they had threatened me with all that
exists down to the middle of the earth, down to hell, I should have done
it, when once I had thought it out. I wanted a hellish revenge, and
there it was. How hellish it was you may imagine from the fact that the
jovial fellows at once sobered, disappeared from the house; and since
then one or two have written to beg me not to betray their presence here
on that occasion. I am only pleased you were not here then."

"And I am sorry I was not. Had I been, it would not have happened."

"Don't say that, my dear boy. Don't think too well of yourself. You
don't know what you would have felt, had you seen pass before you in a
carriage her whom we had idolized with him whom we detest so. It
destroyed my reason. And even now I feel a terrible void in my soul.
That girl occupied such a large place therein. I feel it is still more
painful for me that I perpetrated such a trivial jest in her name, in
her memory.--Still, it has happened and we cannot recall it. We have
begun the campaign of hatred, and don't know ourselves where it will
end. Now let us speak of other things. During my imprisonment you will
take over the farm and remain here."

"Yes."

"But you have still another difficult matter to get through first."

"I know."

"Oh dear no. Why do you always wish to discover my thoughts? You cannot
know of what I am thinking."

"Czipra...."

"That is not quite it. Though it did occur to me to ask how could I
leave a young man and a young girl here all alone. Yet in that matter I
have my own logic: the young man either has a heart or none at all. If
he has a heart, he will either keep his distance from the girl, or, if
he has loved her, he will not ask who her father and mother were or what
her dowry is. He will estimate her at her own value for her own self--a
faithful woman. If he has no heart, the girl must see to having more:
she must defend herself. If neither has a heart,--well a daily
occurrence will occur once more. Who has ever grieved over it? I have
nothing to say in the matter. He who knows himself to be an animal,
nothing more, is right: he who considers himself a higher being, a man,
a noble man, is right too: and he who wishes to be an angel, is only
vain. Whether you make the girl your mistress or your wife, is the
affair of you two: it all depends which category