wn she plumped on her knees again, and tried to discover Fanny's tiny
feet that she might kiss them. This greatly alarmed Fanny, for, having
been engaged in gardening from an early hour, she had put nothing on her
tiny feet but two little old house-slippers, and consequently Mrs.
Meyer's strenuous endeavours threatened to reveal to the world, the
disgraceful circumstance, that--she had no stockings on. Blushing at the
thought of such a scandal, she stooped hastily and raised Mrs. Meyer up
in her arms, whereupon the sensitive mother hid her face in her
daughter's bosom, wept, sobbed, and kissed and embraced her with all her
might. Fanny simply stood still and held her, without being able to make
up her mind whether she should return these tears, sobs, and embraces.

At length the united efforts of the whole family succeeded in dragging
Mrs. Meyer from the hall into the parlour, where they compelled her to
sit down, and made her understand, at last, that she was to live there.
At first she insisted upon sleeping on the floor; then, in the kitchen
among the servants; finally, she begged and prayed that, if they were
determined she should have a room of her own, it must be the tiniest of
attics in which she could only squeeze by huddling all her limbs
together, a room no larger than a coal-cellar, from which she might now
and then get a peep at her daughter. Unfortunately, in Mr. Boltay's
house there was no room of that size, except a granary.

So, at last, she had to let them be hospitable to her in their own way,
and Teresa and Fanny got ready for her a cabinet next to Fanny's
music-room. When all was ready, Teresa took Fanny's two hands in hers,
and, looking tenderly into her eyes, said in a confidential tone:
"Fanny, be kind, tender, and affectionate towards your mother! So far
from avoiding, do your utmost to anticipate, her wishes. You see that
she loves you dearly, you love her too. One thing, however, I beg of
you: say nothing, before her, of your approaching wedding. Keep it a
secret for a time--to please me."

And Fanny promised to keep it secret.

* * * * *

On the appointed day, old Karpathy--if it be right to call our intending
bridegroom old--sent Palko to Boltay's, and with great delight received
the message that he was to come for the ring himself.

He flew--nay, that would be saying too much for him; but he hastened to
the house as fast as a pair of legs could carry him.