oney, besides various other
misdemeanours which she spoke of in the sincerity of her heart, so
that poor Karely might have hung the basket on his arm[14] beforehand,
as there was every chance of his receiving it.

[Footnote 14: It was an old custom to present a basket as a mark of
refusal to the rejected suitor.]

* * * * *

Uncle Gabor entered the room with Lina on his arm, and led her up to
Mrs. Tallyai. The young girl kissed her hand, and gracefully saluted
the rest of the party. Then the two ladies placed her between them on
the sofa, and it was really amusing to see how Aunt Zsuzsi contrived
to occupy her whole attention, overwhelming her with praises,
flattery, and ill-timed questions, while Mrs. Tallyai had not an
opportunity of putting in a single word.

"What a pretty, dear girl! quite a child still, and yet such a good
housewife. I saw your garden, quite an example--such cauliflowers! you
must know they are my favourite vegetable. I have looked at your
preserves, and they do the greatest credit to these pretty little
white hands; but I must teach you by and bye to make medlar and grape
jelly--when we are at Makkifalva, you know. You never tasted anything
better--Sandor is so fond of it! indeed he is fond of all sweets,
quite his father's son; but he had not hitherto seen the sweetest of
all sweets!--Come, you must not blush so, you naughty girl, though I
must confess it is most becoming."

The poor girl was actually sitting on thorns during the whole of this
conversation, till, fortunately, Sizike interrupted it by running over
and throwing her arms round her neck, which gave Lina an opportunity
of withdrawing with her young companion into an adjoining room.

The two girls did not return till they were summoned to dinner, and
then they were already _per tu_. Friendship is very quickly formed
between girls, and, notwithstanding the difference of age--for Siza
was yet a child--a "holy alliance" had been concluded in a few
minutes, and it was evident that Lina looked more favourably on Karely
than on Sandor, although Kalman still remained the most dangerous in
her regard, and she never ventured to look except by stealth at the
hero of the lines, conscious that his eyes were always fixed upon her.

At dinner, the two matrons sat at the head of the table, and Uncle
Gabor at the foot, with the two girls at each side of him; Karely sat
beside Linka, and Sandor opposite him, besi