servant's hand as many ducats as he happened
to have about him, pulled himself together, and got up and looked at
himself in a mirror. He was elegant and genteel, at any rate, that
everybody would be bound to allow. His whole get-up was
unexceptionable--his chin was clean-shaven, his moustache and whiskers
were downright picturesque, his cravat was ravishing, and his vest
magnificent.

And now the flunkey whose duty it was to announce the arrivals, entered
the room (Abellino caught sight of him in the mirror), and announced in
his ceremonious _salon_ voice, "Madame Fanny de Karpathy, _nee_ de
Meyer!"

"The deuce!" thought Abellino; "the wench is making pretty free with my
name. Can she be taking me seriously? Well, she may do so if she likes.
It doesn't matter much."

"Ah, a wedding!" exclaimed Mons. Griffard. "Then you are marrying, eh?"

"Oh, it is only a left-handed marriage," said Abellino, jocosely.

Some of the guests, full of curiosity, pressed forward to meet the new
arrivals. The host, I mean Mr. Kecskerey, went towards the entrance; the
lackey threw open the folding-doors, and a young lady entered,
accompanied by a gentleman. For a moment the whole company was dumb with
amazement. Was it the sight of the young lady that amazed them so? She
was beautiful, certainly. A simple but costly lace mantle floated,
wave-like, round her superb figure; the rich tresses of her hair were
covered by a slight veil of Brussels lace, which allowed her long curls
_a l'Anglaise_ to sweep down on both sides over her marble-smooth
shoulders and ravishingly beautiful bosom. And then that face, that
complexion like a faintly blushing rose, that look worthy of a goddess,
those burning black eyes so full of vivacity and passion, and
contrasting so strangely with the childlike lips suggestive of sleeping
innocence, but harmonizing on the other hand with the dimples on her
rosy chin and cheeks, set there surely for the undoing of any human soul
who saw a smile upon them!

And there was a smile upon them now, as Mr. Kecskerey came forward
without exactly knowing what to say.

Fanny greeted him.

"I was very pleased to accept your honoured invitation," said she, "and
I have brought my family with me also, as you see. I mean, of course, my
husband, Mr. John Karpathy;" and she indicated the gentleman by her
side.

Mr. Kecskerey could only say that his delight was infinite, but all the
time his eyes were anxiously searching for A