Janci stares ahead of him without seeing
what's in front of him, then the whole village begins to wonder what's
going to happen, for Janci knows far more than all the rest of us put
together."

The smith's grave, deep voice filled the room and the others listened
in a silence that gave assent to his words. He had scarcely finished
speaking, however, when there was a noise of galloping hoofs and rapidly
rolling wagon wheels. A tall brake drawn by four handsome horses dashed
past in a whirlwind.

"It's the Count--the Count and the district judge," said the landlord
in a tone of respect. The notary made a grab at his hat and umbrella and
hurried from the room. "That shows how much they thought of our pastor,"
continued the landlord proudly. "For the Count himself has come and
with four horses, too, to get here the more quickly. His Reverence was a
great friend of the Countess."

"They didn't make so much fuss over the pedlar and Betty," murmured
the cobbler, who suffered from a perpetual grouch. But he followed the
others, who paid their scores hastily and went out into the streets
that they might watch from a distance at least what was going on in
the rectory. The landlord bustled about the inn to have everything in
readiness in case the gentlemen should honour him by taking a meal,
and perhaps even lodgings, at his house. At the gate of the rectory the
coachman and the maid Liska stood to receive the newcomers, just as five
o'clock was striking from the steeple.

It should have been still quite light, but it was already dusk, for the
clouds hung heavy. The rain had ceased, but a heavy wind came up which
tore the delicate petals of the blossoms from the fruit trees and
strewed them like snow on the ground beneath. The Count, who was the
head of one of the richest and most aristocratic families in Hungary,
threw off his heavy fur coat and hastened up the stairs at the top of
which his old friend and confidant, the venerable pastor, usually came
to meet him. To-day it was only the local magistrate who stood there,
bowing deeply.

"This is incredible, incredible!" exclaimed the Count.

"It is, indeed, sir," said the man, leading the magnate through the
dining-room into the pastor's study, where, as far as could be seen, the
murder had been committed. They were joined by the district judge, who
had remained behind to give an order sending a carriage to the nearest
railway station. The judge, too, was serious and deepl