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Debts of Honor, a novel by Maurus Jokai |
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Chapter 31. The Bridal Feast |
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_ CHAPTER XXXI. THE BRIDAL FEAST "Poor Czipra! I thought you would bury us all, and now it is I that must give you that one clod of earth the only gift you asked from the whole beautiful world." Topandy himself saw after the sad arrangements. Lorand could not speak: he was beside himself with grief. He merely said he would like to have his darling embalmed and to take her to his family property, there to bury her. This wish of his must be fulfilled. It would be a sad surprise for his mother, to whom Topandy only the day before had written that her son was bringing home a new daughter-in-law. When Lorand had asked Topandy for Czipra's hand, he immediately wrote to Mrs. Aronffy, thinking that what Lorand himself wrote to his mother would be in a proud strain. He anticipated his nephew's letter, told his mother quietly and restrainedly in order that Lorand's letter might be no surprise to her. Now he must write again to her, telling that the bride was coming, and the family vault must be ready for her reception. And curiously Topandy felt no pain in his heart as he thought over it. "Death is after all the best solution of life!" He did not shed a single tear upon the letter he wrote: he sealed it and looked for a servant to despatch it. But other thoughts occupied him. He sought the magistrate. "My dear sir, when do you want to lock me up?" "When you like, sir." "Would you not take me to gaol immediately?" "With pleasure, sir." "How many years have they given me?" "Only two." "I expected more. Well, then I can take this letter myself into the town." "Will Mr. Aronffy remain here?" "No. He will take his dead love home to the country. I have asked the doctor to embalm her, and I have a lead casket which I prepared for myself with the intention of continuing my opposition to the ordinance of God within it: now I have no need of it. I will lend it to Czipra. That is her dowry." An hour later he went in search of Lorand, who was still guarding his dead darling. The magistrate was there too. "My dear sir," he said to the officer. "I am not going to the gaol now." "Not yet?" inquired Daruszegi. "Very well." "Not now, nor at any other time. A greater master has given me orders--in a different direction." They began to look at him in astonishment. His face was much paler than usual: but still that good-humored irony and light-hearted smile was there. "Lorand, my boy, there will be two funerals here." "Who is the second dead person?" asked Daruszegi. "I am." Then he drew from his breast his left hand which he had hitherto held thrust in his coat. "An hour ago I wrote a letter to your mother. As I was sealing it the hot wax dripped onto my nail, and see how my hand has blackened since." The tips of his left hand were blue and swollen. "The doctor, quickly," cried Daruszegi to his servant. "Never mind. It is already unnecessary," said Topandy, falling languidly into an arm-chair. "In two hours it is over. I cannot live more than two hours. In twenty minutes this swelling will reach my shoulder, and the way from thence to the heart is short." The doctor, who hastened to appear, confirmed Topandy's opinion. "There is nothing to be done," he said. Lorand, horror-stricken, hastened to take care of his uncle: the old fellow embraced the neck of the youth kneeling beside him. "You philosopher, you were right after all, you see. There is One who takes thought for two-legged featherless animals too. If I had known,--'Knock and it shall be opened unto you:' I should long have knocked at the door and cried, 'O Lord, let me in!'" Topandy would not allow himself to be undressed and put to bed. "Draw my chair beside Czipra. Let me learn from her how a dead man must behave. My death will not be so fine as hers: I shall not breathe my soul into the soul of my loved one: yet I shall be a gay travelling-companion." Pain interrupted his words. When it ceased, he laughed at himself. "How a foolish mass of flesh protests! It will not allow itself to be overlorded. Yet we were only guests here! '_Animula, vagula, blandula. Hospes comesque corporis. Quae nunc adibis loca? Frigidula, palidula, undula! Nec, ut soles, dabis jocos._' Certainly you will be '_extra dominium_' immediately. And my lord Stomach, his Grace, and my lord Heart, his Excellency, and my lord Head, his Royal Highness all must resign office." The doctor declared he must be suffering terrible agony all the time he was jesting and laughing; and he laughed when other people would have gnashed their teeth and cried aloud. "We have disputed often, Lorand," said the old man, always in a fainter voice, "about that German savant who asserted that the inhabitants of other planets are much nobler men than we here on earth. If he asks what has become of me, tell him I have advanced. I have gone to a planet where there are no peasants: barons clean earls' boots. Don't laugh at me, I beg, if I am talking foolishly.--But death dictates very curious verses." The hand-grasp with which he greeted Lorand, proved that it was his last. After that his hand drooped, his eyes languished, his face became ever more and more yellow. Once again he raised his eyes. They met Lorand's gaze. He wished to smile: in a whisper, straining desperately he said: "Immediately now ... I shall know--what is--in the foggy spots of the Northern Dog-star:--and in the eyeless worm's----entrails." Then, suddenly, with a forced final spasmodic effort, he seized the arms of his chair, and rose, lifted up his right arm, and turned to the magistrate. "Sir," he cried in a strong full-toned voice, "I have appealed." He fell back in the arm-chair. Some minutes later every wrinkle disappeared from his face, it became as smooth as marble, and calm, as those of dead persons are wont to be. Lorand was standing there with clasped hands between his two dear dead ones. * * * * * On the morrow at dawn Lorand rose for his journey and stepped into the cart with a closed lead coffin. So he took home his dead bride. The second letter which Topandy had written to his mother, the sealing of which had sealed his own fate, had not been posted, and could not have prepared them for his coming. At home they had received only the first letter. When that letter of good tidings arrived it caused feelings of intoxicated delight and triumph throughout the whole house. After all they loved him still best of all. He was the favorite child of his mother and grandmother. No word of Desiderius is required for his heart was already united to his darling: and good Fanny was doubly happy in the idea that she would not be the only happy woman in the house. With what joy they awaited him! Could he ever have doubted that the one he loved would be loved by all?--no need to speak of her virtues: everybody knew them: all he need say was "I love her." It was certainly very well he did not send his mother that letter, in which he had written of Czipra and requested his mother's blessing:--well that he had not wounded the dearest mother's heart with those final words--"but if you curse her whom I love--" Curse her whom he loves! Why should they do so? That letter brought a holiday to the house. They arranged the country dwelling afresh: Desiderius took up his residence in the town, handing over to his elder brother his birthright. The eldest lady put off her mourning. Lorand's bride must not see anything that could recall sad thoughts. Everything sad was buried under the earth. Desiderius could relate so much that was pleasant of the gypsy girl: Lorand's letters during the past ten years of silence always spoke of the poor despised diamond, whose faithful attachment had been the sunny side of Lorand's life. They read the bundles of letters again and again: it was a study for the two mothers. Where Lorand had been giving merely a passing hint, they could make great explanations, all pointing to Czipra. Providence had ordered it so! After the first meeting in the inn, it had all been ordained that Lorand should save Czipra from the murderer's knife, in order to be happy with her later. ... Why the gypsy girl was happy already. Topandy's letter informed them that, immediately after the despatch of the letter, Lorand would wed Czipra, and they would come home together to the house of his parents. So the day was known, they might even reckon the hour when they would arrive. Desiderius remained in town to await Lorand. He promised to bring them out, however late they came, even in the night. The ladies waited up until midnight. They waited outside under the verandah. It was a beautiful warm moonlit night. The good grandmother, embracing Fanny's shoulder, related to her how many, many years ago they had waited one night for the two brothers to come, but that was a very awful night, and the waiting was very sorrowful. The wind howled among the acacias, clouds chased each other across the sky, hounds howled in the village, a hay-wain rattled in at the gate--and in it was hidden the coffin.--And the populace was very suspicious: they thought the ice would break its bounds, if a dead man were taken over it. But now it was quite a different world. The air was still, not a breath of air: man and beast sleeps, only those are awake who await a bride. How different the weather! Then, all at once, a wain had stood at the gate: the servants hastened to open it. A hay-wain now rattled in at the gate, as it did then. And after the wain, on foot, the two brothers, hand in hand. The women rushed to meet them, Lorand was the first whom everyone embraced and kissed. "And your wife?" asked every lip. Lorand pointed speechlessly to the wain, and could not tell them. Desiderius answered in his place. "We have brought his wife here in her coffin." _ |
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