"
"May I ask with whom?"
"I have written the baron a letter and I await a reply."
"He will not send one: he is too much taken up with his pleasures just
now."
"My letter contains things which a man durst not ignore."
"Was your letter an insulting one?"
"I don't wish to advertise its contents."
"Very good. But for all that you may as well lie down. The ways of the
baron are incalculable. Even when he is angry he knows what he is
about."
"Then we'll wait for him till morning."
"Meanwhile repose in peace. My humble dwelling is not very luxurious,
but let your honour imagine that it is a hunting hut in the forest."
"But where then will your reverence sleep?"
"I'll go out to the bee-house. I can sleep there excellently well, I
have a couch of linden leaves."
"Nay, but I also love to sleep on linden leaves, covered with my
_bunda_.[44] I'll lie there to-night. I am accustomed to sleeping in the
open air at night, and you are an old man"--he forgot that he was one
himself--"I could never permit you to sacrifice your comfort for my
sake."
[Footnote 44: A sheepskin mantle.]
The clergyman paused for an instant like one who is suddenly struck by a
new and odd idea.
"You said just now that you had insulted Hatszegi, did you not?" he
asked.
"Well--yes!--if you _must_ know."
"Grossly?"
"Yes, and most deliberately."
"Very good, I only asked the question out of curiosity.
Pages:
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323