g his shoulders derisively
together: "I did not know that such conduct was not considered
ignominious in the provinces. Indeed I did not. A young man, a law
student, a mere stripling, shows his gratitude for the fatherly
thoughtfulness of a man of position,--who had received him into his
house as a kinsman, treating him as one of the family,--by seducing and
eloping with his wife, and helping her to break open his money-chest,
and steal his jewelry, disappearing with the shameless woman beyond the
confines of the country. Oh, really, I did not know that they did not
consider that a crime deserving of prosecution!"

Poor mother was shattered at this double accusation, as if she had been
twice struck by thunder-bolts, and deadly pale clutched at grandmother's
hand. The latter had herself in this moment grown as white as her
grizzled hair. She took up the conversation in mother's place, for
mother was no longer capable of speaking.

"What do you say? Lorand a seducer of women?"

"To my sorrow, he is. He has eloped with my wife."

"And thief?"

"A harsh word, but I can give him no other name."

"For God's sake, gently, sir!"

"Well, you can see that hitherto I have behaved very quietly. I have not
even made a noise about my loss: yet, besides the destruction of my
honor, I have other losses.

"This faithless deed has robbed me and my daughter of 5,000 florins.[53]
If the matter only touched me, I would disdain to notice it: but that
sum was the savings of my little daughter."

[Footnote 53: Above L415--$2,000.]

"Sir, that sum shall be repaid you," said grandmother, "but I beg you
not to say another word on the subject before this lady. You can see you
are killing her with it."

As she was speaking, Balnokhazy gazed intently at me, and in his gaze
were many questions, all of which I could very well have answered.

"I am surprised," he said at last, "that these revelations are entirely
new to you. I thought that the same person who had acquainted you with
Lorand's disappearance, had unfolded to you therewith all those critical
circumstances, which caused his disappearance, seeing that I related all
myself to that person."

Now mother and grandmother too turned their gaze upon me.

Grandmother addressed me: "You did not write a word about all this to
us."

"No."

"Nor did you mention a word about it here when we arrived."

"Yet I told it all myself to my nephew."

"Why don't you answer?" queried my gra