Part 50 (1/2)
She laughed.
”I understand the allusion. My figure _has_ become a little st.u.r.dy, I know. What else has a person to do in a little country town but grow fat?”
”It is a sign of peace of mind,” I said.
I offered her my arm-chair, and in this act of politeness she read another allusion.
”It has good strong legs, I hope?” said she, as she sat down in it.
I must candidly admit that her figure had grown p.r.o.nouncedly rotund, but this by no means injured her beauty. She really looked quite appetizing!
I was very glad, too, to see her again.
”Don't take my remarks amiss,” I said; ”it is so good for the poor slave when a smiling lady's face lights up the gloom of his dungeon. A sweet, melodious woman's voice sounds so consolingly amidst the clanking of his fetters.”
”I am glad to see that you preserve your good humour, for I have come to you on a very serious business.”
”What! Then it was _not_ tender sympathy for the poor captive that brought you hither?”
”That also--I may even say princ.i.p.ally. Every day I read in the _Fovarosi Lapok_ how many and what sort of visitors you receive--n.o.ble ladies, pretty actresses, and what not. Well, thought I, if they may go and see him, it is only my duty to go too. At the same time there are other circ.u.mstances which have brought me here.”
At this she furtively looked around her.
”Won't they hear what we are talking about through that door?”
”Have no fear. That room is empty. My fellow-prisoner is provided with a separate apartment.”
”I have come to inform you of something. I have pet.i.tioned the office of wards to relieve you from your guardians.h.i.+p.”
”And you've very good cause, too, I think, seeing that I myself have been under guardians.h.i.+p for some time.”
”That's not my reason, however. But my position has now become such as to make it indispensable for me to have the free disposal of my money.”
”May I guess the cause? Another misfortune has happened. We have lost our heart again, eh?”
Bessy covered her blus.h.i.+ng face with her silk veil.
”Eh, but how you do always detect a thing at once! You would have made a capital magistrate.”
”But it is such a natural thing to suppose. You are so young, you know.”
”I am well advanced in the thirties.”
”You are only four years over thirty. I ought to know, for I was at your christening. Then you have once more discovered your ideal?”
”This time I most solemnly believe that I really have found him.”
”But no provisional person, I hope?”
”Don't insult me, please.”
”I'm above such a thing. But, as your guardian, I would not have given my consent to it; so I was bound to suppose that that was why you wanted to be freed from my guardians.h.i.+p.”