near and far repair thither the mothers and their marriageable
daughters, all tricked out with their dowries ready in the shape of
strings of gold and silver coins round their necks, with bright
variegated garments at their horses' sides, and stuffed pillows and
painted pitchers on the saddles in front of them. All these things they
unpack and arrange in rows in front of the tents, just as at an ordinary
fair; and then the purchasers come along, jaunty, connubially-inclined
young fellows, who inspect the dowries, engage the wenches in
conversation, and chaffer and haggle and go away again if they cannot
come to terms. Many of the girls are kept back, others are given up to
the first bidder, and when once a couple is mated they are escorted to
the tune of lively flutes and bagpipes to the first Kalugye,[26] or
pastor, who sanctifies the union according to the religion of the
spouses.

[Footnote 26: Or rather, _Calugaru_, monk, not pastor.]

"Your ladyship laughs at this custom, yet it is capable of a very
natural explanation. The inhabitants of these Alpine regions live
necessarily far away from one another--how else could they tend their
herds?--even the nearest neighbours being a good stiff half hour's walk
apart. So the young girls stay at home, and the young fellows only see
them once a year--at the maiden-market of Geina.

"Now, of course such a famous beauty as Mariora had no need to go all
the way to the Geina fair in search of a husband, especially as one had
already been chosen for her who brought with him all the pride of
riches. But her father Misule would not on any account have neglected
the opportunity of exhibiting his daughter, during the pilgrimage to
Geina, as the most lovely girl of the district; and his wife could not
have lived unless she had hung out Mariora's gold-embroidered shift in
front of the tent and haughtily sent at least ten suitors about their
business.

"Gligor Tobicza, coming all the way from Rezpatak, appeared at the fair
at the same time, with twelve high-backed horses and six Gipsy
musicians, ribbons and coloured kerchiefs fluttering from every horse
and every cap. The comrades drank together and then had a little rumpus
also. Tobicza broke the heads of a few of the more uproarious spirits,
and then peace was restored again, and the general good humour was
higher than ever--only the bride remained sad.

"Suddenly it occurred to Tobicza that it would be nice to get a kiss
from M