embles."

The priest did not guess to whom Henrietta alluded, yet he himself had
once told her ladyship that Black Mask had a sweetheart to whom he had
been married, not before a priest indeed, but in the sight of Heaven,
and that this woman was very jealous and very brave. "But I beg of your
ladyship," the priest had said on that occasion, "to leave my name out
of the transaction if you repeat this secret, for otherwise, people will
hear one fine morning that the worthy pastor of Hidvar has been found in
his room with a split skull."

Scarcely had the priest quitted the castle than Henrietta had the horses
put to the carriage, took Clementina with her in order to avoid all
suspicion, and drove to Toekefalu. There, in front of the house of rich
old Onucz she stopped and descended. The Wallachian Nabob was much
pleased to have the honour of entertaining so distinguished a guest, and
immediately spread his table and loaded it with preserves, honey, and
fresh cheese. Clementina, who had a good appetite, remained with their
host and made ready to talk scandal of her mistress and insinuate that
the baroness wanted to get some money without her husband's knowledge,
whilst Henrietta locked herself up with Anicza in the latter's bedroom
and talked with her concerning things which had no relationship whatever
with money.

CHAPTER XI

TWO TALES, OF WHICH ONLY ONE IS TRUE

After a couple of days the whole hunting party returned from the
mountains. This was much sooner than they had determined, and the cause
was a very serious accident which had befallen Baron Hatszegi. They
brought him home in an ambulance car to Henrietta's great consternation.
The baroness, sitting by the bedside, heard from the doctor that her
husband's wounds were serious, but that his life was not in danger, and
that he might even be allowed to smoke a cigar if he liked. Then Mr.
Gerzson related how it had happened: "Only imagine, your ladyship! This
irrepressible friend of ours, not content with pursuing game all day
through the thickets, learns, late in the evening, that a gigantic old
bear was trotting towards the ice valley, and, without saying a word to
anybody, must needs leave the company and set off alone, late at night,
on the track, with only a double-barrelled musket and not so much as a
dog to keep him company. The bear enticed Leonard further and further.
At last down he squats before him in the bright moonlight and begins
licking h