our dreamy eyes, but to free this young
gentleman's brother: we shall search among the other fiacres, until we
find the right one, for it is a critical business: and if we find that
fiacre in which the young fellow came to harm and cannot manage to
secure his escape, I would not like to be in his shoes."

"In whose shoes?" inquired Moczli, terrified.

"In the young gentleman's not at all, but still less in the
fiacre-driver's. Well, good-night, Moczli."

At these words Moczli leaped up from his chair and sprang after Marton.

"Wait a moment: don't be a fool. Come with me. Take your seats in my
fiacre. But the devil take me if I have seen, heard or said anything."

Therewith he removed the rugs from his horses, placed me inside the
carriage, covering me with a rug, took Marton beside him on the box, and
drove desperately along the bank of the Danube.

Long did I see the lamps of the bridge glittering in the water; then
suddenly the road turned abruptly, and, to judge by the almost
intolerable shaking of the carriage and the profound darkness, we had
entered one of those alleys, the paving of which is counted among the
curses of civilization, the street-lamps being entrusted to the care of
future generations.

The carriage suddenly proceeded more heavily: perhaps we were ascending
a hill: the whip was being plied more vigorously every moment on the
horses' backs: then suddenly the carriage stopped.

Moczli commenced to whistle as if to amuse himself, at which I heard the
creaking of a gate, and we drove into some courtyard.

When the carriage stopped, the coachman leaped off the box, and
addressed me through the window.

"We are here: at the end of the courtyard is a small room; a candle is
burning in the window. The young gentleman is there."

"Is the woman with him too?" I inquired softly.

"No. She is at the 'White Wolf,' waiting with the speedy peasant cart,
until I bring the gentleman with whom she must speak first."

"He cannot come yet, for the performance is not yet over."

Moczli opened his eyes still further.

"You know that too?"

I hastened across the long dark courtyard and found the door of the
little room referred to. A head was to be seen at the lighted window.
Lorand was standing there melting the ice on the panes with his breath,
that he might see when the person he was expecting arrived.

Oh how he must have loved her. What a desperate struggle awaited me!

When he saw me from the w