Part 35 (1/2)
”I was born in Leutomischl”[93]--here he let his head fall regretfully on his breast.
[Footnote 93: A Bohemian town. He meant by this that he belonged to Czech officials who had been forced upon Hungary.--TR.]
I with corresponding pantomime replied that that need not make any difference between us.
”My father was”--here with both hands he took aim with an imaginary gun.
It now occurred to me _why_ he made all these gestures. Such is often the way with those who have taught themselves a foreign language without a master, and cannot find quickly enough the word they want. I hastened to his a.s.sistance.
”A forester?”
”Yes, a forester. He had sons”--he lifted up both hands, and then one finger.
”Eleven?”
”Yes, eleven. I myself was”--he held the palm of his hand quite low down towards the floor.
”The youngest?”
”Yes, the youngest.”
”My father gave me”--here followed a very suggestive gesture.
”Yes, a _very rigorous_ education.”
”But it was all”--he lightly tapped the hollow of his hand, as much as to say ”No good!”
”He wanted me to be”--he laid the palms of his hands together as if in prayer.
”A priest?”
”Quite right! I wouldn't”--a snap of the fingers, and then a lizard-like dart into the palm of the hand.
”You mean to say you took French leave of the Seminary?”
At this we both laughed. The gesture next following--a smack on the palm of the hand ill.u.s.trated by a little equitation on the back of a chair--gave me to understand that my visitor had then become a soldier.
”At four-and-twenty I was a lieutenant. I lay at Cracow for two years. I served in the Hungarian war from beginning to end. I am now thirty-four years old. And still I am only a lieutenant. Curious, isn't it?”
I agreed with him that it was certainly most surprising.
”My other comrades--no, not _comrades_, that's a French word.”
”_Bajtarsai?_”[94] I suggested.
[Footnote 94: ”Your comrades”--the Hungarian equivalent.]
”Yes, of course! my other _bajtarsai_ all became captains and majors, and have got decorations. I've nothing! Nothing, I tell you! And I'm pretty plucky too. I'm a good horseman--I've never given offence--I understand my duties. What do you think the cause is?”
I really was curious myself to know the cause of this misadventure.