y
without uttering a word. But they did not remain long undisturbed in
their gloomy meditations, for the door soon opened and the priest came
in with a smooth, unctuous: "Praised be Jesus Christ!"

"In eternity, amen!" replied the old man in a dull tone, rising
slightly from his chair, while Panna sat still in silence.

The priest took his seat beside the widow and, in sweet, cajoling
words, began to enlarge upon the subject of his funeral address. He
exhorted her, as her confessor, to remember that she was a Christian,
she must forgive her adversaries, nay, even love her enemies, that she,
too, might be forgiven; if she cherished anger and vengeance in her
heart, her sin would be greater than Herr von Abonyi's----

Here Panna threw back her head and looked at the honeyed speaker so
fiercely, that he found it advisable to follow another course. He
represented to her that Abonyi had committed the deed by some
incomprehensible rashness, in a sort of delirium and that he desired
nothing more ardently than to make amends for the consequences of the
luckless act, so far as lay in human power. While speaking, he put his
hand into his pocket and drew out a bank-note of large amount, which he
laid on the table.

Panna could bear no more. Seizing the money furiously, she threw it
violently on the floor and, with rolling eyes and quivering lips,
shrieked:

"I want justice, not alms. He must hang--I must see him dead like my
Pista, before I am at peace."

The priest now lost his evangelical mildness also, and rose angrily,
exclaiming:

"Fie! fie! you are a pagan, a pagan, and belong to all the fiends in
hell." With these pious words he went away. The bank-bill, crushed
into a ball, flew out of the room after him, then the door banged
violently.

CHAPTER V.

The committee, after the official proceedings were over, had returned
to the city, but not until the constable had given the beadle
information which afforded food for village gossip during several days.
It was learned that, directly after the fatal act, Herr von Abonyi had
saddled a horse and ridden alone to the city to denounce himself. It
was late in the evening when he reached the examining magistrate's
house. The latter, an old friend of Abonyi, was much troubled and
shocked, and it was long ere he could collect himself sufficiently to
be able to take the deposition of the acknowledged criminal. It was
ten o'clock before all the formalities we