f all bethought him
of raising his glass in honour of two young men who were not actually
present--to wit Count Stephen and Count Rudolf; and he so worthily
extolled the superlative merits of these gentlemen, as to evoke an
unprecedented burst of enthusiasm, the very ladies themselves seizing
brimmers and clinking them with him.

While every face was still beaming with delight, a lackey entered, and
delivered a letter to Lady Szentirmay which a rapid runner had brought
from Szentirma.

Flora with a beating heart recognized her husband's writing on the
cover, and she begged leave to retire and open it. This was the signal
for release and departure, the whole company quitting the tables, and
scattering in the adjoining rooms. Flora and Fanny flew off to their
bedrooms unobserved, to read the precious letter in all peace and
quietness; for Fanny, also, naturally wanted to know what was in the
letter.

The lady broke the seal with a hand that trembled for joy, and, after
pressing the letter to her heart, read its contents, which were as
follows:--

"To-morrow I shall be at Karpatfalva. There we shall meet. Rudolf.
1000." This "thousand" signified a thousand kisses.

How delighted the beloved wife was! Again and again she kissed the place
where her husband's name was written, as if to snatch beforehand at
least a hundred of the consignment of kisses; and then she concealed it
in her bosom, as if to preserve the remaining nine hundred till later
on; then she drew it forth once more, and read it over again, as if she
could not quite remember the whole contents of the letter, but must
needs read it anew in order to understand it properly; and then she
kissed it over and over again until, at last, she herself did not know
how many kisses she had taken.

And Fanny fully shared the joy of her friend, joy is so contagious.
To-morrow Rudolf will arrive, and how nice it will then be for Flora!
She will see the greatest joy that a loving heart can imagine, and will
not be a bit jealous--no! she will rejoice in another's joy, rejoice in
the happiness of her best friend, who possesses as her very own, so to
speak, the man in whose honour every one has spoken so well and made
such pretty speeches. And to-morrow he will be here; and, to make his
wife happy till he comes, he has notified the day of his arrival. He
does not come surreptitiously, unawares, like one who is jealous; but he
lets her know of his coming beforehand, like o