Part 27 (2/2)
[Footnote 19: See Note II.]
”The man that does not love Skinner, sirs, Haj! Haj! Haj!
Devil take him for a sinner, sirs, Haj! Haj! Haj!”
It is to be presumed that Kenihazy was equally in love with the melody and text of this sublime rhapsody; for he had sung it unceasingly for the last half-hour.
”I say, Bandi!” cried the justice, at length.
But Bandi went on with his song, screaming rather louder than before.
”Bandi, I say! don't roar in that way!”
Mr. Kenihazy stared; but his voice grew still more loud.
”He's drunk!” said Mr. Skinner, rising with some difficulty, and walking up to and shaking his clerk, who at length raised his head with a ”Holloa! what's the matter?”
”We're in!” said the judge; for no other thought found a place in his head. Upon this, Mr. Kenihazy burst into a laugh so long, so loud, and so uproarious, that it outdid the very chiefs whose portraits ornamented the walls. They never laughed so loud, even after their famous bargain with Swatopluk, who sold them the country of Hungary for a white steed.[20]
[Footnote 20: See Note III.]
”What are you laughing at?” said Mr. Skinner, with an awful display of judicial gravity.
”At them!” responded Mr. Kenihazy, still chuckling. ”They wanted to do us, and we've done them. Done them brown, eh? We are in!”
”Bravo! we _are_ in!” cried the justice. ”The world is to the wise!”
”And to the cunning!” said Kenihazy, tossing off his gla.s.s.
”Ay--but--yes, we are in! Look to yourselves, you rascals! You wanted to have another judge, eh? Very well; oh, _very_ well: we'll see who has the best of it.”
”And who was it they wanted to put in my place?” shouted his friend, in a generous burst of indignation; ”was it not Vincenz Gorogy? a mere boy, who has just left the university?” This was the more criminal in Mr.
Kenihazy's eyes, as _he_ had never been at any university.
”As for that fellow, Tengelyi, let him take care!” snarled Mr. Skinner.
”I've long had a mind----”
”Capital thing, isn't it, that he isn't a n.o.bleman now? He's now easier _come-at-able_.”
”So he is,” murmured the justice; ”but they've sent us to get his papers for him.”
”Yes; and when did they send us?--Late at night, in bad weather, when honest men are wont to stay at home. Think of those devils of robbers that let fly at you from their hiding-places! Did ever a Christian hear of such a thing?”
Mr. Skinner replied, with an expression of profound wisdom: ”You see, Bandi, these gentlemen are ignoramuses on county business: and, to tell you a secret, his Excellency, our lord-lieutenant, is not better than any of the rest. But no matter; he gives his orders, and I do as I please; for every office has its peculiar sphere of action, you know, Bandi.”
”So it has; but no Christian ought to go out in such a night,” said Kenihazy, who would have uttered some severe strictures on the unbecoming behaviour of the lord-lieutenant, but for the rattling of a carriage over the stone pavement of the yard, which attracted their attention.
”Who the deuce is this?” said the justice. ”I thought n.o.body knew of my being here!”
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