usion occasioned by the general efforts to rise from the heaps
of wrappings, the good man managed to tread on some sensitive member
of his wife's foot. She returned the compliment with a thrust from her
elbow, which caused him to stumble, thereby bringing the hot bowl of
his pipe in contact with the face of his youngest boy, who, uttering a
cry of pain, raised both hands to protect his face, at the same time
striking up the pipe, which broke between the old gentleman's teeth.

"Which of you did that?" cried he furiously, pulling the piece out of
his mouth, and raising his hand threateningly over the heads of the
youngsters. But before the stroke of chastisement could be
administered, Marczi, throwing back his muddy coat, directed it so
skilfully as to fall right over the boys' heads, filling the eyes of
the whole party with dust and mud; and in the confusion of this
unexpected attack, the delinquent thought fit to make his escape as
best he could out of the carriage, smearing his clean white trousers
with the wheels. All these accidents took place in a much shorter
period than I have taken to describe them.

The sub-sheriff, his footman, and other retainers, had now come up to
the assistance of the travellers, and after many ineffectual efforts
to open the carriage doors, they were obliged to give up that point,
and lift out the inmates like so many bundles.

The noise had brought down the lady of the mansion, who waited at the
foot of the stairs to welcome her guests. She was a comely little
round-faced woman, attired in a simple but well-made costume, to which
the small flounced apron and blue-ribbon cap gave an air of coquettish
smartness. She held by the hand a little, dark-eyed, strawberry-lipped
maiden of about six years old, who, half hiding behind her mother's
dress, looked like an amourette preparing to take aim.

The travellers being at last safely landed, the lady advanced to Uncle
Lorincz with an air of amiable confidence, and began a formal
introduction.

"Dear and worthy cousin, I have the pleasure of presenting to you in
my own person Susanna Sajtari, a cousin on the maternal side; being
_en route_, we could not think of passing our dear cousin's house."

"Welcome, welcome; God bless you!" cried Uncle Lorincz, saluting the
lady with several hearty kisses on each cheek. "I am overjoyed at this
unexpected happiness; pray come in, the servants will carry up
everything directly."

"Allow me to present