ica turned round.

"We shall be very thankful if you will take us in your carriage," she
said, smiling, as she was sure Blanche Montmorency would have done under
the same conditions.

Gyuri received the announcement with delight.

"I will go and see after the carriage," he said, taking up his hat. But
Mravucsan stood in his way.

"Oh, no, you don't," he said. "_Pro primo_, even if Veronica can go, I
am sure Madame Krisbay cannot start yet; it would be a sin to make her
drive now; she must rest a bit first, after her fright and her bruises.
If my wife puts some of her wonderful plaster on it to-night, she'll be
perfectly well in the morning. _Pro secundo_, you can't go because I
won't allow you to. _Pro tertio_, because it is getting dark. Please
look out of the window."

He was right; the sun had disappeared behind the dark blue lines of the
Zolyom Hills, and the fir-trees in front of the Town Hall cast their
long shadows down the road, right up to the Mravucsan garden, where a
lean cat was performing its evening ablutions among the oleanders. All
the same Gyuri began to plead (it was part of his business).

"It will be a quiet, warm night," he said. "Why should we not start?
After all it can make no difference to madame whether she groans in bed
or in the carriage."

"But it will be dark," objected Mravucsan, "and there are some very bad
bits of road between here and Glogova, and two or three precipices. In
spite of my being mayor, I cannot order moonlight for you."

"We don't need it; we can light the lamps."

Veronica seemed undecided, and glanced from one to the other of the
gentlemen, till at length Mravucsan put in the finishing touch.

"There will be a storm to-night, for there is the dead body of a man
hanging on a tree in the wood you have to pass through."

Veronica shuddered.

"I would not go through that wood by night for anything," she exclaimed.

That settled the question. Gyuri bowed, and received a bright smile in
return, and Mravucsan rushed into the next room, and told Konopka to
take his place (oh, his delight at getting rid of his responsibility!),
as he had visitors, and had no time to think of other things; and then
he whispered in the ears of some of the Senators (those who had on the
best coats) that he would be pleased to see them to supper. Then off he
trotted home, to announce the arrival of visitors, and give orders for
their reception. On the staircase he caught sight of Fiala