hile he went
to the stables to see to the horses.

It was about midnight when he returned. He looked very tired, like one
who has had a great deal of bustling about. He was alone in the drawing
room, so he stirred up the fire, lit a cigar and waited in silence.

At half past two Mr. Gerzson rang the gate-bell; he entered the
drawing-room very boisterously like one resolved to wake up the whole
house. A little coffer hung upon his stunted arm, in the other hand he
carried a double-barrelled gun, and from a pouch, fastened by straps to
his shoulder, peeped forth two four-barrelled pistols.

"Why, plague take it!" laughed Hatszegi, "you are armed for a whole
guerilla warfare."

"No more than Fatia Negra deserves," replied Mr. Gerzson with a sombre
grimace. "Is your wife up and dressed?"

"I fancy she lay down ready dressed."

"All the better. It'll be as well if we start early."

"I hear the opening and closing of doors in her apartments, no doubt
your ringing disturbed her. She will be here in an instant, for she is
very impatient."

"That is only natural."

"And in the meantime, let us have something to strengthen the heart,"
said Hatszegi producing a flask of _szilvapalinka_[34] and filling his
own and his guest's glass. "If you have a chance of shooting Fatia
Negra, you must give me one half of the thousand ducats set upon his
head, because I have abandoned this fine opportunity to you."

[Footnote 34: Hungarian cherry brandy.]

At this Mr. Gerzson coughed.

"I have also provided you with a good wooden flask of _Hegyalja_,"[35]
said Leonard, taking from the sideboard a handsome flask bound in
foal-skin.

[Footnote 35: A species of Tokay.]

"Therein you acted wisely."

"All this side of the Theiss you will get no drinkable water, and
Henrietta always gets ague at once if the water is bad. Although but a
child, she will never take any wine unless you force her to do so. I
earnestly beg of you to take great care of her. I don't like this
journey a bit. A letter would have done the business just as well; but I
make it a rule never to thwart her when she gets these ideas into her
head. All I say is: take care of her."

"I'll watch over her as if she were my own child."

In a quarter of an hour Henrietta appeared in full travelling costume.
The lacquey brought in breakfast. The gentlemen also sat down to it lest
the lady should breakfast alone.

"We shall have splendid weather, Baroness," observed Mr.