e by her side, and said:

"Do not wonder, my child, that I have come again, after you so deeply
offended and insulted me. I must not bear malice. It is my office to
forgive wrong, and I would fain have you follow my example."

Panna gazed silently into her lap, but the priest continued in a voice
which grew more and more gentle and insinuating.

"You see, you are still indulging your savage, pagan vengeance, and
committing all sorts of follies which will yet ruin you. What is the
use of it? Let the dead rest, and think of the living, of yourself,
your future. What is the meaning of your going to the king and giving
him a crazy petition----"

"What, do you know that, too?" cried Panna turning pale; she felt as if
every drop of blood had gone back to her heart. "So the gardener
tattled? Oh, fie! fie!"

"Nonsense, the gardener! We don't need the gardener for that. The
petition has come from the king's cabinet to the office of the Home
Secretary, which sent it through the county to the parish, that we
might give a report of your mental condition. From your petition, you
are believed to be insane, and that is fortunate, or you would be
punished for contempt of court."

Panna clenched her teeth till the grinding sound could be heard, and
obstinately persisted in her silence.

"Of course I know that your head is clear, only your heart is hardened,
and I will pray to God that He may soften it. Herr von Abonyi is a
very different Christian. You need not look at me so angrily, what I
say is true. You know that he has great and powerful friends; it would
cost them only a word, and he would be pardoned. They wished to appeal
to the king in his behalf, but he would not permit them to take a step
for him. He repents his deed, he has received a just punishment, and
he wished to endure this sentence to the final moment. Through me, he
entreats your forgiveness, he does not wish you and your father to
remain his enemies, when he has penitently borne the punishment. You
will probably owe it to him, if you have no unpleasant consequences to
bear on account of your petition. You see how a man of principle and
generosity behaves! And then, remember what I told you before: Herr
von Abonyi is ready to provide for you all your life, as no one in your
family was ever supported. Well, do you say nothing to all this? Have
I nothing to tell the nobleman from you?" The pastor rose, laid his
hand upon her shoulder, and