of the physical world
you desire to belong to. The one says, 'I, a male ass, wish to graze
with you, a female-ass, on thistles;' or, 'I, a man, wish to be your
god, woman, to care for you.' It is, as I say, a matter of taste and
ideas. I entrust it to you. But I have matter for serious anxiety here.
Have you not remarked that here, round Lankadomb, an enormous number of
robberies take place?"

"Perhaps not more than elsewhere: only we do not know about the
misfortunes of others."

"Oh, dear, no; our neighborhood is in reality the home of a far-reaching
robber-band, whose dealings I have long followed with great attention.
These marshes here around us afford excellent shelter to those who like
to avoid the world."

"That is so everywhere. Fugitive servants, marauding shepherds, bandits,
who visit country houses to ask a drink of wine, bacon and bread,--I
have met them often enough: I gave them from my purse as much as I
pleased, and they went on their way peacefully."

"Here we have to deal with quite a different lot. Czipra might know more
about it, if she chose to speak. That tent-dwelling army, out of whose
midst I took her to myself, is lurking around us, and is more malicious
than report says. They conceal their deeds splendidly, they are very
cunning and careful. They are not confined to human society, they can
winter among the reeds, and so are more difficult to get at than the
mounted highwaymen, who hasten to enjoy the goods they have purloined in
the inns. They have never dared to attack me at home, for they know I am
ready to receive them. Still, they have often indirectly laid me under
obligation. They have often robbed Czipra, when she went anywhere alone.
You were yourself a witness to one such event. I suspect that the
robber-chief who strove with Czipra in the inn was Czipra's own father."

"Heavens! I wonder if that can be so."

"Czipra always closed their mouths with a couple of hundred florins, and
then they remained quiet. Perhaps she threatened them in case they
annoyed me. It may be that up to the present they have not molested us
in order to please her. But it may be, too, that they have another
reason for making Lankadomb their centre of operations. Do you remember
that on the pistol you wrenched from that robber were engraved the arms
of Sarvoelgyi?"

"What are you hinting at, uncle?"

"I think Sarvoelgyi is the chieftain of the whole highwayman-band."

"What brought you to that idea?