HILDISH NONSENSE

Meanwhile Hatszegi continued to call every day, dividing his attention
equally between the widow and Henrietta; and at the end of a fortnight
everyone was charmed with his personal qualities. It could not be denied
that he was a delightful companion, always merry, lively, frank, and
entertaining. He even made the old gentleman laugh aloud more than once;
in fact Demetrius Lapussa grew quite impatient if Hatszegi was five
minutes late. Mr. John was more delighted with him than ever. They took
walks together, invariably drove in the same carriage to the park, and
John was to be seen every night in the baron's box at the theatre,
talking at the top of his voice so that everybody might become aware of
the fact. Nay, he succeeded, through the courtesy of his new friend, in
making the acquaintance of one or two magnates who subsequently lifted
their hats to John in the street and thus gratified the dearest desire
of his heart.

The enquiries made about Hatszegi also proved extremely satisfactory. He
was certainly sound and solid financially, had never had a bill
dishonoured, had no dealings with usurers, always paid cash and was
never even in temporary embarrassment, as is so often the case with most
landed proprietors when the crops fail. In fact, he seemed to have
unlimited funds constantly at his disposal and to be scarcely less
wealthy than old Lapussa himself.

So far then, everything was as it should be, and everyone was enchanted
with him personally.

But what of Henrietta, the intended bride?

Oh! she was not even consulted in the matter; it is not usual, and
besides she had neither mind nor will enough to have a voice in so
important a matter as the disposal of her hand. Nay, she was not even
told that she was going to be married. She only got an inkling of it
from various phenomena that struck her from time to time, such as the
polite attentions of the baron, the whispering of the domestics, the
altered attitude towards her of the various members of the family--who
now addressed her in the tone you employ when speaking to a baroness
that is to be. And then there was Clementina's chatter! Clementina was
now for ever talking of all the sewing and stitching that had to be done
for the young lady, and of the frightful quantities of linen and lace
and silk that were being made up into dresses and other garments. Six
seamstresses were hard at work, she said, and she was helping them and
yet they