too late now for all that I say. We should only
raise suspicions. We must summon Death to our assistance. In
order to keep the people down by terror, therefore, we have
resolved, in a secret conference, to establish cordons in the
various counties and send patrols of soldiers in every direction
to search and examine everybody passing to and fro. In this way
we shall prevent the people from going from one village to
another in large bodies, in fact we must keep them down in every
possible way. I, therefore, send you by the bearer of this
letter, on whom I can thoroughly rely, a box of powder which you
are to scatter about in the barns, the fields, the pastures where
the cattle feed, and especially in the wells from which the
herdsmen draw water. The county authorities will take care that
where this simple method does not do its work, the parish doctor
shall compel the peasants to take this powder by force. At the
same time we mean to make a great fuss, and spread the rumour
that the plague is spreading from the neighbouring states, and
will be mortal to many. You, meanwhile, will enclose a large plot
of land on your estates, and make a churchyard of it. You may
safely make the peasants a present thereof, as it will be mostly
filled by them. Take out, by the way, the tongues of all the
church-bells, that the number of the dead may not cause any
commotion. You might also have prayers said in the church to
avert the calamity, and at the same time scatter the powder
broadcast. A separate cemetery must be dug lest the plague spread
among the gentry. In this way we shall kill two birds with one
stone: in the first place the peasantry will be sensibly
diminished, and, taking the whole thing as a Divine visitation,
will not have the spirit to rise up; and in the second place, the
enemy hearing that the plague has broken out among us will fear
to pitch his camp here lest it fare with him as it fared with
King Sennacherib, who lost his whole army in a single night, as
the Bible testifies.

"Believe me, my dear brother-in-law,
"Always affectionately yours,
"AMBROSE LIGETI."

"The letter is addressed to the noble Benjamin Hetfalusy."

"Horrible, horrible!" cried two or three of the men, while the rest
remained speechless with amazement.

"Sof