here myself then), Huszak was not in the shop, so
the rabbit-mouthed young man waited on me. You know him?"

Yes, Gyuri remembered him.

"I told him to give me two rings, and he asked whom they were for. So I
said they were going a good distance. Then he asked where to, and I told
him to Glogova. 'Perhaps to the priest's sister?' he asked. 'Yes,' I
said. 'She's a beauty,' he remarked. 'Why, do you know her?' asked I.
'Very well,' he answered."

Gyuri stopped tapping, and jumped up excitedly.

"Did he say anything about Veronica?"

"You shall hear in a minute. While he was wrapping up the rings he went
on talking. How had he got to know the priest's sister? 'I was in
Glogova last year.' 'And what the devil were you doing in Glogova?'
'Why, the villagers were having a silver handle made here for a
wretched-looking old umbrella, which they keep in their church, and the
stupid things were afraid to send the umbrella here for fear any one
should steal it, though it was not worth twopence; so I was obliged to
go there in order to fasten the handle on.'"

"Why, this is dreadful!" exclaimed Gyuri, turning pale.

Sztolarik smiled.

"That is only why I said, my friend, that we had better wait a bit
before deciding anything."

"Let us go at once to Father Janos and ask him to show us the umbrella."

He could not wait a minute longer. He had been so near to his object,
and now it was slipping from him again, like a Fata Morgana, which lures
the wanderer on to look for it.

It was easy to find the priest; he was feeding his pigeons in the
garden.

"Father Janos," began Gyuri, "now Mr. Sztolarik is here he would like to
look at your wonderful umbrella. Can we see it?"

"Of course. Mrs. Adamecz," he called out to the old woman, who was
plucking a fowl at the kitchen door, "will you bring me out the key of
the church, please?"

She did as she was asked, and the priest, going on in front, led his
visitors through the church.

"This way, gentlemen, into the sacristy."

As they stepped in there it was before them! Pal Gregorics's old
umbrella smiled at them, and seemed like an old friend, only the handle,
yes, the handle was unknown to them, for it was of silver.

Gyuri gazed at it speechlessly, and felt that the end was near. A demon
was behind him, constantly urging him on, and whispering: "Go on, go on,
and look for your inheritance!" A second demon ran on before him,
beckoning and crying: "Come along, it is this