Part 29 (2/2)

”Don't you listen to Bela, my little Elsa,” said one of the older women; ”you are still a free girl to-day. You just do as you like--to-morrow will be time enough to do as he tells you.”

But this opinion the married men present were not prepared to endorse, and one or two minor arguments and lectures ensued anent a woman's duty of obedience.

Bela had said nothing while these chaffing remarks were being pa.s.sed over his head; and now that public attention was momentarily diverted from him, he took Elsa's hand and pa.s.sed it under his arm.

”You had better go to your mother now, hadn't you?” he said, with what seemed like perfect calm. ”You said just now that you wished to speak to her.”

Elsa allowed him to lead her away. She tried vainly to guess what was going on in his mind. She knew, of course, that he must be very angry.

Eros Bela beaten in an argument was at no time a very pleasant customer, and now he surely was raging inwardly, for he had set his heart on exerting his authority over this matter of the csardas and had signally failed.

But she could not see how he felt, for he kept his face averted from her inquiring gaze.

Kapus Irma greeted her future son-in-law with obvious acerbity.

”I hear you have been teasing Elsa again,” she said crossly. ”Why can't you let her enjoy herself just for to-night, without interfering with her?”

”Oh! I am not going to interfere with her,” he replied, with a sneer.

”You have given her such perfect lessons of disobedience and obstinacy that it will take me all my time in the future to drill her into proper wifely shape. But to-night I am not going to interfere with her. She has told me plainly that she means to do just as she likes and that you have given her leave to defy me. Public opinion, it seems, is all in her favour too. So I have just brought your dutiful daughter back to you, and now I am free to make myself scarce.”

”To make yourself scarce?” exclaimed Irma. ”What do you mean?”

”Just what I say. I am not going to stay here, where I am jeered at by a lot of loutish, common peasants, who seem to have forgotten that I am paying for their enjoyment and for all the food and drink which they will consume presently. However, that's neither here nor there. Everyone seems to look upon this entertainment as Elsa's feast, and upon Elsa as the hostess and the queen. I am so obviously in the way and of no consequence. I go where I shall be more welcome.”

He had dropped Elsa's arm and was turning to go, but Irma had caught hold of his coat.

”Where are you going?” she gasped.

”That's nothing to do with you, is it, Irma neni?” he replied dryly.

”Indeed it is,” she retorted; ”why, you can't go away like that--not before supper--you can't for Elsa's sake--what would everybody say?”

”I don't care one bra.s.s filler what anybody says, Irma neni, and you know it. As for Elsa, why should I consider her? She has plenty of friends to stand by her, it seems, in her disobedience to my wishes. She has openly defied me, and made me look a fool. I am not going to stand that, so I go elsewhere--or I might do or say something which I might be sorry for later on--see?”

He tried to speak quietly and not to raise his voice, but it was also obvious that self-control was costing him a mightily vigorous effort, for the veins in his temples were standing up like cords, and his one eye literally shone with a sinister and almost cruel glow.

Kapus Irma turned to her daughter.

”Elsa,” she said fretfully, ”don't be such a goose. I won't have you quarrelling with Bela like this, just before your wedding. Just you kiss him now, and tell him you didn't mean to vex him. We can't have everybody gossiping about this affair! My goodness! As if a csardas or two mattered.” . . .

But here Bela's harsh laugh broke in on her mutterings.

”Don't waste your breath, Irma neni,” he said roughly. ”Even if Elsa were to come and beg my pardon now I would not remain here. I don't care for such tardy, perfunctory obedience, and this she will learn by and by. For to-night, if you and she feel ashamed and uncomfortable, well!

so much the better. Village gossip doesn't affect me in the least. I do as I like, and let all the chattering women go to h----l. Good-night, Irma neni--good-night, Elsa! I hope you will be in a better frame of mind to-morrow.”

And before Kapus Irma could detain him or utter another protest, he was gone, and she turned savagely on her daughter.

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