stranger among them all.
Fortunately the innate kindliness of these children of the soil
prevented any chaffing remarks being made about the silence of the
bride. It is always an understood thing that brides are shy and nervous,
and though there had been known cases in Marosfalva where a bride had
been very lively and talkative at her "maiden's farewell" it was, on the
whole, considered more seemly to preserve a semi-tearful attitude,
seeing that a girl on the eve of her marriage is saying good-bye to her
parents and to her home.

The bridegroom's disgraceful conduct was tacitly ignored: it could not
be resented or even commented on without quarrelling with Eros Bela, and
that no one was prepared to do. You could not eat a man's salt and drink
his wine and then knock him on the head, which it seemed more than one
lad--who had fancied himself in love with beautiful Kapus Elsa--was
sorely inclined to do.

Kapus Benko, in his invalid's chair, sat some distance away from his
daughter, the other side of Klara Goldstein. Elsa could not even
exchange glances with him or see whether he had everything he wanted.
Thus she seemed cut off from everyone she cared for; only Andor was near
her, and of Andor she must not even think. She tried not to meet his
gaze, tried hard not to feel a thrill of pleasure every time that she
became actively conscious of his presence beside her.

And yet it was good to feel that he was there, she had a sense that she
was being protected, that things could not go very wrong while he was
near.

CHAPTER XVII

"I am here to see that you be kind to her."

Pater Bonifacius came in at about four o'clock to remind all these
children of their duty to God.

To-day was the vigil of St. Michael and All Angels, there would be
vespers at half-past four, and the bride and bridegroom should certainly
find the time to go to church for half an hour and thank the good God
for all His gifts.

The company soon made ready to go after that. Everyone there intended to
go to church, and in the meanwhile the gipsies would have the remnants
of the feast, after which they would instal themselves in the big barn
and dancing could begin by about six.

Bride and bridegroom stood side by side, close to the door, as the
guests filed out both singly and in pairs, and as they did so they shook
each one by the hand, wished them good health after the repast, and
begged their company for the dancing presently and the