ople of our little valley
maintain a high school for boys and a seminary for girls, as well as a
charity school for the poor."

"Then your people must be rich."

"No, not rich. There are no lords or ladies among them, and they have
suffered more from the ravages of war than any other community in
Hungary."

"But how," asked Blanka, "can they afford to dress their young women in
silks and laces, and give both boys and girls an education? They must
have some fairy talisman for conjuring wealth out of the rocks on which
their houses stand."

"And so they have. Their talisman is industry, and out of their rocky
soil they conjure riches in the shape of iron,--the best that can be
found in all Transylvania. The same men that fill the church every
Sunday, in holiday attire, dig and delve under ground the remaining six
days of the week. Another secret of their modest wealth is their
abstinence from strong drink. There is not a single grog-shop in
Toroczko. But I fear I am wearying you."

Blanka begged him to continue, and took occasion to ask him why he did
not go back to the beautiful valley which he seemed to love so warmly.

"Because," was the answer, "my people are now enjoying a period of
happiness in which I have no part. If misfortune should ever overtake
them, I should go back and strive to lighten it, or at least I would
bear it with them."

CHAPTER V.

HOLY WEEK IN ROME.

It was evening when the travellers reached Rome. They had accomplished
the journey in the time promised by Manasseh, and now the query was
raised, could their enemy, by any possibility, have outstripped them?

Upon the coachman's inquiring to what hotel he should take his
passengers, Gabriel Zimandy drew out his memorandum-book and read the
name of a house recommended to him by his landlord at Vienna. European
innkeepers, be it observed, join together in a sort of fraternity for
mutual aid in a business way, passing their guests along from city to
city and from hand to hand, sometimes even providing them with letters
of introduction.

The cards of the hotel in question bore the important announcement,
"German is spoken here;" and this was an advantage not to be despised.

"You will come with us, won't you?" said the advocate, turning with a
courteous bow to Manasseh.

"Where German is spoken? No, I thank you. If I announce myself as a
Hungarian, they will kiss my hand and then charge the kiss on the bill;
if I say I am a Ger