No doubt he was awaiting his opportunity for
revenge. He amused himself by sitting down beside his niece, stroking
her hand, admiring the whiteness of her skin, and, drawing the
governess into the conversation, enquired how Henrietta was getting on
with her studies, whether she had still much to learn in English and
French, and whether she was not, by this time, quite a virtuoso at the
piano. He insinuated at the same time that it would be just as well,
perhaps, if she made haste to learn all that was necessary as soon as
possible, because she was no longer a child, and when once a woman is
married she has not very much time for study.
"By the way, Henrietta," he added suddenly, "have you chosen a lover
yet?"
Henrietta was too much afraid of him even to blush at this question, she
only glanced at him with timid, suspicious eyes and said nothing.
"Don't be afraid, sisterkin," continued Mr. John encouragingly. "I'll
bring you such a nice bridegroom that even your grandpapa, when he sees
him, will snatch up his crutches in order to go and meet him half-way."
Here the old man growled something which John smothered with a laugh.
"Yes, and if he won't give you up we'll carry you off by force."
Henrietta shuddered once or twice at her uncle's blandishments, like one
who has to swallow a loathsome medicine and has caught a whiff of it
beforehand.
The porter interrupted this cheerful family chat by announcing that his
lordship Baron Hatszegi wished to pay his respects to Mr.
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