et served as a lounge both for the gentlemen guests and their
heydukes whenever they wanted to take their ease,--though, of course,
the gentlemen occupied one end of it and the heydukes the other. A
couple of favourite dogs were also accommodated with a place there. But
when the carriages stopped in front of the verandah, every one instantly
quitted this favourite sun-lit resting place and rushed down to meet
them--host, guests, heydukes, and dogs.

The first to reach the carriage door was a peculiar looking man, a more
repulsively mutilated creature it was impossible to imagine. He might
have been fifty, but it was difficult to read his age from his face. His
features were scarred with ancient scars and a piece of his mouth was
missing--and perhaps a tooth or two as well, if one could have seen
through his thick grizzled moustache. An eye was missing on the same
side, and half his face was tattooed with little black points as if from
an exploded musket. His nose was bent sideways and quite flattened at
the top, doubtless owing to a heavy fall. He had only three whole
fingers on the right hand, the other two were fearfully mutilated. As
for the left arm it was horribly distorted from its natural position,
the elbow being twisted right round and the joint immovable. Add to
this that one of his legs was shorter than the other. Yet, in spite of
everything, this fraction of a man was so agile that he anticipated all
the others and was the first to courteously kiss the hand of the
descending lady, who shrank back horror-stricken at the contact of those
crippled fingers.

"My wife--my friend Gerzson," said Hatszegi hastening to introduce them
to each other. The master of the house professed himself delighted at
his good fortune; pressed his friend's hand with his third remaining
finger and presented his arm, the stiff one, to the lady who touched it
as gingerly as if she was afraid of hurting it.

The master of the house laughed aloud at her misgivings.

"Lean on it hard your ladyship!" cried he, "it won't break, it is as
strong as iron. Down Fecske, down sir!" (this to a dog who had expressed
his joy at the sight of Henrietta by jumping on her shoulder.) "I
rejoice that I have the felicity to welcome your ladyship. I have
arranged a great fox hunt in your ladyship's honour for to-morrow. We
are all fox hunters here. I hope your ladyship will take part in it?"

"I don't know how to ride," replied the child-wife simply.