d answer with blushes, if
they ask thee who gave it thee. Thou canst destroy it and tear it. A
gypsy girl gave it.

"If thou lovest, why dost thou not love truly? If thou dost not love me,
why dost thou follow me?

"If thou knewest thou didst not love me, why didst thou decoy me into
thy net?

"He has cast a spell upon me: yet I would be of the race of witches.

"I know nothing. I am no wizard, my eye has no power.

"If I address him once, I kill him and myself.

"Or perhaps only myself.

"And shall I not speak?"

The poor girl's heart was full of reverie, but her eyes, her mouth, and
her hand were busy with domestic work: she did not sit to gaze at the
stars, to mourn over her instrument: she looked to her work, and they
said "she is an enthusiastic housekeeper."

"Good day, Czipra."

She had even observed that Lorand was approaching her from behind, when
she was whipping out cream in the corridor, and he greeted her very
tenderly.

She expected him at least to stop as long as at other times to ask what
she was cooking; and she would have answered with another question:

"Tell me now, what do you like?"

But he did not even stop: he had come upon her quite by chance, and as
he could not avoid her, uttered a mere "good day:" then passed by. He
was looking for Topandy.

Topandy was waiting for him in his room and was busy reading a letter he
had just opened.

"Well, my boy," he said, handing Lorand the letter, "That is the
overture of the opera."

Lorand took the letter, which began: "I offer my respects to Mr. ----"

"This is a summons?"

"You may see from the greeting. The High Sheriff informs me that
to-morrow morning he will be here to hold the legal inquiry: you must
give orders to the servants for to-morrow."

"Sir, you still continue to take it as a joke."

"And a curious joke too. How well I shall sweep the streets! Ha, ha!"

"Ah!"

"In chains too. I always mocked my swine-herd, who for a year and a half
wore out the county court's chains. Ever since he walks with a shambling
step, as if one leg was always trying to avoid knocking the other with
the chain. Now we can both laugh at each other."

"It would be good to engage a lawyer."

"It will certainly be better to send a sucking pig to the gaoler.
Against such pricks, my boy, there is no kicking. This is like a cold
bath: if a man enters slowly, bit by bit, his teeth chatter: if he
springs in at once, it is even pleasant. Let us