Many a time have I had the opportunity of secretly admiring you
in your box at the theatre."
"Pray be seated, sir...!"
CHAPTER III
AN AMIABLE MAN
Baron Hatszegi was certainly a very amiable man. He had a handsome face
full of manly pride, sparkling eyes, and a powerful yet elegant figure.
He moved and spoke with graceful ease, bore himself nobly, picked his
words--in short, was a perfect gentleman. Mr. Demetrius was quite taken
with him, although Hatszegi hardly exchanged a word with him, naturally
devoting himself principally to the widowed lady who played the part of
hostess. What the conversation was really about nobody distinctly
recollected--the usual commonplaces no doubt, balls, soirees,
horse-racing. Henrietta took no part in the talk; Mr. John, on the other
hand, had a word to say on every subject, and, although nobody paid any
attention to him, he enjoyed himself vastly.
When Hatszegi had departed, John, with a beaming face, asked Madame
Langai what she thought of the young man.
Instead of replying, Madame Langai asked what had induced him to bring
him there.
"Well, but he's a splendid fellow, isn't he?"
"You said yesterday that he was a vagabond."
"I said so, I know, but it is not true."
"You said, too, that he was a robber."
"What! I said that? Impossible. I didn't say that."
Old Demetrius here intervened as a peacemaker.
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