-post of Death 266
XIX. Fanny 281
XX. The Fatal Day! 285
XXI. That Letter 299
XXII. The Unconscious Phantom 306
XXIII. The Day of Gladness 322
XXIV. The Mad Jest 330
XXV. While the Music Sounds 341
XXVI. The Enchantment of Love 351
XXVII. When the Nightingale Sings 360
XXVIII. The Night Struggle 370
XXIX. The Spider in the Corner 383
XXX. I Believe...! 397
XXXI. The Bridal Feast 407
XXXII. When We Had Grown Old 413

DEBTS OF HONOR

CHAPTER I

THE JOURNAL OF DESIDERIUS

At that time I was but ten years old, my brother Lorand sixteen; our
dear mother was still young, and father, I well remember, no more than
thirty-six. Our grandmother, on my father's side, was also of our party,
and at that time was some sixty years of age; she had lovely thick hair,
of the pure whiteness of snow. In my childhood I had often thought how
dearly the angels must love those who keep their hair so beautiful and
white; and used to have the childish belief that one's hair grows white
from abundance of joy.

It is true, we never had any sorrow; it seemed as if our whole family
had contracted some secret bond of unity, whereby each member thereof
bound himself to cause as much joy and as little sorrow as possible to
the others.

I never heard any quarrelling in our family. I never saw a passionate
face, never an anger that lasted till the morrow, never a look at all
reproachful. My mother, grandmother, father, my brother and I, lived
like those who understand each other's thoughts, and only strive to
excel one another in the expression of their love.

To confess the truth, I loved none of our family so much as I did my
brother. Nevertheless I should have been thrown into some little doubt,
if some one had asked me which of them I should choose, if I must part
from three of the four and keep only one for myself. But could we only
have remained together, without death to separate us or disturb our
sweet contentment, until ineffable eternity, in such a case I had c