ught out the best that the house had to
offer of food and drink, pressing the refreshments upon Blanka in words
that sounded to her not unlike Italian, but were nevertheless quite
unintelligible.

"They can both speak Hungarian," whispered Aaron, when father and
daughter were out of the room for a moment, "but these are times when
they choose to forget all tongues except their own."

Blanka soon learned that her hostess's name was Zenobia. When they sat
down to the table, Zenobia made as if to kiss her fair guest's hand;
Blanka, however, would not allow it, but embraced the young woman and
kissed her on the cheek.

This act was noted by the father with no little pride and satisfaction.
Blanka could not understand his words; she could only guess his meaning
by the gestures and the play of countenance with which a Wallachian
knows so well how to convey his thoughts. Thus, when Ciprianu put his
hand first to his head, then tapped Aaron on the shoulder, kissed his
own fingers and then stretched them heavenward, made a motion with his
head and raised his eyebrows, bowed low, stood erect again, thumped his
bosom, and finally extended his great, muscular hands toward Blanka as
if to caress her, she could not but infer that the Wallachian-Hungarian
nobleman was proud of the courtesy shown to his daughter.

After this bit of eloquent pantomime, Ciprianu turned and hastened out
of the room and into the courtyard, whence he soon reappeared amid a
great cackling of poultry. He brought with him, tied together by the
feet, a cock and a hen of that splendid breed that so strangely
resembles, in head and neck, the proudest of Calcutta turkeys. This
pair of fowls he presented to Blanka. She smiled her pleasure, and
gladly accepted the gift, mindful of the new duties soon to be imposed
upon her as a young housewife, and thinking that this present would be a
welcome addition to her establishment. The generous host did not wait
for his guest's thanks, but disappeared again from the room.

"Sister-in-law," said Aaron, "you little suspect the value of the
present you have received. Even to his bishop Ciprianu has never given a
cock and a hen of this breed at one time. So now we can sleep soundly in
this house, for we have a sure proof that you have won its master's
heart. With Ciprianu's cock and hen we can make our way unchallenged
through the whole Wallachian army. They are as good as a passport for
us."

Blanka laughed, unaware of