ack; and these struggles did not cease with the day,
like the labour of ordinary mortals, but he was accustomed to wake at
night and strive to satisfy the cravings of the voracious monster. A
pitcher of unusual dimensions was regularly placed by his bedside,
just within comfortable reach of his hand; for it was his firm belief
that whoever goes hungry to bed dreams of being devoured by Pharaoh's
lean kine; it was probable, however, that he would have despatched the
whole seven had they come to an actual encounter.

[Footnote 61: The common name for host or master.]

In the village of B---- they still exhibit as a relic his flannel
stockings, each of which would have contained at least a Presburg peck
of anything you liked to put into it; while a wandering Sclavonian
family might have harboured snugly in his sleeve.

There was not a vestige of a beard on the broad expanse of face, which
was naked as the moon, and blooming as the Pacha's rose. The corners
of his mouth extended upwards, as if they were amusing themselves at
the expense of the eye placed over them, and there was not the
slightest rumour of anything like brow or lash to crown the eyelid. As
an indemnity, however, for such destitution, the chin was doubled and
trebled; indeed, it would have been difficult to decide where it began
and how it ended; and a few orphan hairs endeavoured to keep their
ground on the vast and sterile heath above his ears.

Our worthy host had already disposed of three ribs, or in other words,
he had followed to the grave three wives, each of whom had weighed
above two hundredweight. But what did he derive, after all, from so
many weddings and funerals? To be left alone at last, for the house to
go to wreck and ruin, for the beer to get sour, the bread to be half
baked, and the meat half cooked, while the hawks carried off his
poultry, and the rats his cheese; in short, his whole establishment
went to auction, like the Csakys'[62] straw, till finally in the
height of his distress, Vendel resolved--what else could he do?--he
resolved to look out for another wife, and actually set about carrying
his project into execution. In former times he had been used to
contemplate and weigh duly every consideration connected with this
most important step, together with the merits requisite in the object
of his choice. She must be plain, that he might have no cause for
jealousy; of small speech, but ample dowry; and her knowledge and
accomplish