ares in the money-market would be sent to the
mad-house. Put the shares away with those other important papers
Csanta gave you, and, if you like, treasure the hope that one day they
may be worth as much as the paper they are printed on."

"Well, stranger things have happened. Did you ever think we would come
back to this house? I am very sorry I did not keep the other papers. I
burned them. Who knows what luck we may have with those bonds? If, one
day, they rise again to par, we shall realize twice two hundred
thousand gulden--"

"I don't count on such strokes of luck as that, mamma. The worst
compliment Providence can pay a man is to let him win in a lottery. It
is just as if God said to him, 'You ass! I cannot keep you in any
other manner.' God would not allow a man who has any intellect to win
in a lottery. To such a one he would say, 'Wilt thou cease to beg alms
of Me in such a shameless manner? Is it not sufficient that I have
endowed thee with talent? My consolation prizes are reserved for the
dunderheads.'" Then he added, "Mother, don't be afraid, we shall live
from my art. Wait a little and you shall see; only give me time.
Meantime I shall buy for the little girl a doll with a china head as a
plaything. You must take care of me for a little longer."

At these words the widow embraced her boy tenderly. She was happy; but
that evening Arpad, when it was moonlight, went out and sat under the
weeping-willow and played a melancholy air on his flute. Sometimes he
stopped to listen to a soft silvery voice singing a national air on
the other side of the stream. The singer, however, when she heard the
flute no more, knew that he was listening, and stopped her song. It is
so sweet to be young!

CHAPTER XXXVII

EUREKA

Ivan's fears as to the safety of his own colliery were growing day by
day. One morning he found that the amount of hydrogen was scarcely
perceptible; still there was water in the pit. This discovery made him
thoughtful; he could not understand it. He descended into the cavern
where the pond was. Not one drop of water!

Ivan remained for three hours, watching anxiously to see would the
water rise; but none came.

At the end of three hours he was relieved by the men, and it was then
arranged that during the night they would take turns in watching the
tank. As soon as the water began to rise they were to call him. Ivan
went home, lay down, and fell into a deep sleep, from which he did not
aw