f tent of the alcove, also
had their secret: the young lady; raised the curtain and said naively,

"This is my sleeping place."

An embroidered quilt laid out on a plank, nothing more.

Indeed, a curious, most remarkable education.

Beside the bed stood a large copper cage.

"This is my pet bird," said the fair lady, pointing at the creature
within.

It was a large black cock, which rose angrily as the strangers
approached, and crowed in an agonized manner, shaking its red comb
furiously.

"You see, this is my old comrade, who takes care of me! and is at the
same time my clock, waking me at daybreak." And the lady's look became
quite tender, as she placed her hand on the wrathful creature. At her
gentle touch the bird clucked his satisfaction.

"When I go outside, he accompanies me, loose, like a dog."

The black monster, as long as he saw strangers, only noted in quiet
tones the fact that he had remarked their presence, but as soon as
Topandy stepped forward, he suddenly broke out into a clarion cry, as if
he wished to arouse every hen-roost in the property to the fact that
there was a fox in the garden. Every feather on his neck stood bolt
upright, like a Spanish shirt-collar.

"He will soon be quiet," the young lady assured the guests:--"for he
will listen to music."

So we are about to see the Magyar piano? It was but a "czimbalom."[35]
It is true that it was a marvellous work of art, inlaid with ebony and
mother-of-pearl; the nails on which the strings were stretched were of
silver, the groundwork a mosaic of coloured woods; the two drumsticks
lying upon the strings had handles of red coral; the stand on which the
"czimbalom" rested was a marvellously perfected specimen of the
carpenter's art, giving a strong tone to the instrument; and before it
was a little, round, armless chair covered with red velvet, its feet
golden tiger-claws. Yet it was certainly strange that a young lady
should play the "czimbalom," that country instrument which they are
wont to carry under the covering of a ragged coat, and to place upon
inn-tables, or up-turned barrels.--Here it appeared among mahogany
furniture, to serve as accompaniment to a young lady's voice, while she
herself with her delicate fingers beat the melody out of the plaintive
instrument for all the world as if she were seated beside a piano.
Incongruous enough, for we have always thought of the "czimbalom-artist"
as a gawky bushy-bearded fellow with the ind