Magdalena Honey and I will marry her at once!" But the
Paladin, who wants him to marry his niece Ilona Orszagh answers, that
the Countess could not be found anywhere.

Meanwhile General Hunyadi sends a number of prisoners to the King, and
the women of Fogaras being announced at the same time, Matthias orders
all to be brought before him.

The wild idea has come into his head of turning his cook into the King,
while he himself is to play the part of the cook.

The change is soon effected and a ludicrous scene ensues; the big cook
appearing in comic majesty before his subjects. Then the whole court
groups around the mock King, to receive the women of Fogaras, who drive
up, clad in the rich costume of the Szekle peasants.

Mujko, the sham King, expresses his perfect satisfaction with the three
beauties and begins to {505} flirt with them. Magdalen, perceiving at
once that they are being deceived, recognises the true King in the
disguise of the cook, while he is haunted by a dim recollection,
without being able to recognise the Countess in her disguise.

The scene ends with a charming ballet.--

In the third act Augustin has a stormy interview with Verona, whom he
saw with a jealous eye flirting with the pretended cook.

Magdalen, who has also perceived Verona's wiles and graces, believes
herself to be forgotten by the King, but Marjunka advises her, to
revive his memory by a song, which he once composed for his lady love.

Meanwhile Augustin, goaded to fury by his provoking little bride,
threatens to denounce the cook's love making to the King, and when he
finds himself alone with the man, whom he takes for the cook, he tells
him, that the King is being deceived, for the three beauties do not
come from Fogaras.

On hearing this, the King decides to punish them for their
treachery.--The prisoners being brought into the courtyard he tells
Mujko to choose every tenth man of them as husbands for the three
beauties of Fogaras.

Mujko announcing their fate to the ladies frightens them to death, the
prisoners presenting a most repulsive aspect of misery and neglect.

The lot of the brunette is the first cast, but Czobor, the Bohemian
leader intervenes, having recognised in Marjunka the girl he saw and
loved two years ago.

{506}

After a sign from the King Mujko consents to give the brunette to
Czobor.

Then comes Verona's turn and Augustin claims her as his already
affianced bride.

The black haired lady b