ed his
arrival, and presently a broken-down, prematurely aged man appeared,
with sunken cheeks, pale withered lips, and staring eyes starting from
their sockets, and with but the ghost of their former brilliance and
expressiveness.

After the first greetings the stranger handed him a letter. Szephalmi
broke it open and read it with an apology for so doing, and all the time
his hands trembled.

The letter was from his friend, Ambrose Ligety, who informed him that
the bearer of the letter was a famous physician, who had just come from
France, and cured maladies by means of magnetism. Would he allow this
doctor to make experiments upon the old squire? He had reason to believe
that such experiments would not be thrown away.

Szephalmi sighed deeply, and conducted the stranger into the parlour
where he beckoned him to take a seat. As yet they had not exchanged a
single word professionally.

Then Szephalmi went into an adjoining chamber, where he encountered Dr.
Sarkantyus, and showed him the letter.

Dr. Sarkantyus thereupon told him that his honour, Judge Ligety, was a
big donkey, that the French doctor was a still bigger one, but that the
old gentleman would be the biggest one of all if he allowed himself to
be meddled with. Let them try it, however, by all means, if they choose,
he added.

Nevertheless, he could not help going out to have a look at this
miraculous _Scaraboeus_ that professed to be able to cure men with the
tips of its antennae.

The young man greeted him with refined courtesy, and the Doctor anxious
to show him that he understood French, addressed him in what he supposed
to be that language, a smattering of which he had picked up as far back
as the time of the Emperor Napoleon I.

"Vooz-ate oon medesen, monshoo?"

"Oui, monsieur, mon collegue."

"The Devil is your collegue, I am not!--Vooe-ate oon magnetizoor,
monshoo?"

"Oui mon cher bonhomme."

"Zate--oon--sharlatanery, monshoo!"

"Comme toute la medecine, monsieur."

Dr. Sarkantyus put both hands behind his back, measured the young man
first from head to foot, and then from foot to head, scratched his own
head violently, and retreated precipitately.

And now Szephalmi rejoined the stranger, and begged him to come in and
see the invalid.

In the adjoining chamber where old Hetfalusy was lying, the curtains
were drawn and the floor was covered with carpets, so that no light and
no noise should disturb the sufferer.

On the lofty