Gyuri

“ When Pista saw that his comrade was dead, he tried in vain to release himself from his grasp; but the stiff dead arms were clasped so tightly round his neck, it was impossible to extricate them.
The terrified boy, finding himself face to face with the dead, who held him with such irresistible power in his fearful embrace, while the glazed and motionless eyes looked straight into his own, struggled fearfully through the snow, and dashed into the rushes, where the villagers who had come out to search for them most providentially found him, still crying out—"Gyuri, awake! Gyuri, let me go!" ”

“ Gyuri was silent too, though he felt inclined to cry out:
"I am rich at last, for in the handle of that umbrella there are unknown treasures."
It is remarkable that if good luck befalls a man, his first wish (for he still has wishes, even if they are all fulfilled) is to communicate it to others; he would like trumpets sounded, heralds to be sent round to announce it to the whole world. [Pg 211] But then comes doubt, the everlasting "perhaps." And so it was with Gyuri.
"What is the umbrella like, Miss Veronica?" he asked. ”

“ Then Gyuri began to question her about Glogova. Was it very dull? Veronica looked at him, surprised. How could Glogova be dull? It was as though some ignorant person had asked if Paris were dull.
"Is there a wood there?"
"A beautiful one."
"Do you ever go there?"
"Of course."
"Are you not afraid?"
"Afraid of what?"
"Well, you know, woods sometimes have inhabitants one might be afraid of."
"Oh, but the inhabitants of our woods are more afraid of me than I of them."
"Can any one be afraid of you?" ”

“ Gyuri thought this great nonsense. Such old gentlemen always attached themselves so to their belongings, and thought such a lot of them. Why, one of his professors had a penholder he had used for forty years!
One episode in connection with the umbrella remained fixed in Gyuri's memory ever after. One day they rowed out to the "Yellow," as they call a small island situated just where the Maros and the Tisza met, and where the fishermen of Szeged cook their far-famed "fish with paprika" (a kind of cayenne grown in Hungary, and much used in the national dishes) . ”

“ Though, of course, you do not really seek the truth; even if it comes to meet you, you get out of its way. I ought to have said, do not despise the night when you are trying to find the way out of a thing. Night will show you what to do, without your even noticing it. If it can do it in no other way, it brings you gentle sleep, and gives you advice in dreams.
After a time the wind dropped, the music at the "Frozen Sheep" ceased, and Gyuri heard nothing but a rhythmic murmur, and all at once he seemed to be in the woods of Glogova, chasing butterflies with Veronica. ”

“ Sztolarik was impressed by the apparent sincerity of Gyuri's sorrow.
"That's quite another thing," he said. "If that is how you feel I will stay here with you. Let us go and look for the girl ourselves, and find out what she thinks on the subject."
When they went out, they found great confusion reigning in the courtyard, but Mrs. Adamecz was loudest in her lamentations.
"I knew this would be the end of it. A legend should never be tampered with by a mortal's hand, or it will fall to pieces. Oh, our dear young lady! ”

“ THE UMBRELLA AGAIN.
Many years passed, and things had changed very much in Besztercebánya, but the thing that will interest us most is the door-plate on the house formerly inhabited by old Gregorics, on which is to be read: "György Wibra, lawyer."
Yes, little Gyuri is now a well-known lawyer; people come to him from all sides for advice, and young girls smile at him from their windows as he passes. He is a very handsome young man, and clever. He has youth and health, and his whole life before him, what more can he want? ”

“ Mr. Sztolarik burst out laughing, the walls of the empty church re-echoing with the sound. [Pg 273] When they were outside, and the priest had gone in with the keys, the old lawyer took the two rings out of the paper they were wrapped in and pressed them into Gyuri's palm, saying quaintly:
"According to your logic of half an hour ago, you must now marry old Mrs. Adamecz, so go and ask for her hand at once."
Gyuri gave no answer to this cruel thrust, and went into the kitchen, where the widow was frying pancakes.
"I say, Mrs. Adamecz, where have you put the old handle of the church umbrella?" ”

“ But for all that, wisdom has never yet dried our tears.
Sztolarik said all he could think of to console Gyuri, but the young lawyer was quite cast down at the thought that his dreams would never now be realized; his whole life was before him, dark and threatening. But the world was the same as of old, and everything went just the same as though Widow Adamecz had never burned the handle of the umbrella. ”

“ I expect it was Klincsok's idea, for he started the collection. There are still plenty of good Christian hearts to be found."
Then he turned to Gyuri.
"I will introduce you to Klincsok, he is a very worthy man."
Gyuri wished the worthy Klincsok in Jericho, and he could even have found him a companion for the journey, for behind him was the first demon, again whispering: "Go and look for your inheritance!"
"But I suppose they kept the old handle?" he asked.
"I do not think so," answered the priest. "It was only of common wood; I believe Mrs. Adamecz asked Veronica for it." ”

“ There were some trees there, but they were as rare as the hairs on the head of an old man. First came a birch, then a hazelnut bush, then a black-thorn, then a bare piece of ground without any trees, and then again a few old trees. So it was rather difficult to find a suitable tree; one was too big, another too small; so Gyuri went on and on in search of one, and got so far that soon the carriage was out of sight, and only Veronica's red sunshade was to be seen in the distance, like a large mushroom. At length his eyes fell on a young birch, which grew near to a small precipice. ”

“ He was surprised to see such a well-dressed young man before him—a rarity on the borders of the Glogova woods.
"How can I show you my gratitude?" he exclaimed, with a certain pathos which reminded one strongly of the pulpit.
He took a few steps in the direction of the stream, intending to wash his hands and face, but he stumbled and felt a sharp pain in his back.
"I must have hurt myself last night, when I fell, I cannot walk very well."
"Lean on me, your reverence," said Gyuri. "Luckily my carriage is not far off. János, you go on cutting down that tree, while we walk slowly on." ”

“ Let us go back to the village."
"I have no time for that; you know I have to be at the gates of Heaven, and I can't stay away for long."
"Well, what am I to do, how am I to get my umbrella?"
St. Peter turned his back, and began to walk back the way he had come, but stood still beside a large oak-tree, and made a sign to Gyuri to approach. Gyuri obeyed.
"I'll tell you what, my friend, don't think too long about it, but marry Veronica, and then you will have the umbrella too."
"Come," said Gyuri, catching hold of the golden crook. "Come and ask her brother to give his permission." ”

“ Gyuri was a favorite at school, always the first in his class, and a model of good behavior.
The old man used to stay for weeks in Szeged and enjoy the boy's society. They were often seen walking arm in arm on the banks of the Tisza, and when they and Kupeczky talked Slovak together, every one turned at the sound of the strange language, wondering which of the many it was that had been invented at the Tower of Babel. ”

“ The girl looked at him coldly, her eyes were like two bits of ice.
"Leave me alone," she said, "what do you want with me?"
The young man caught hold of her hand, and Veronica did her best to free herself from his grasp, but he would not let go her hand till he had forced a ring on to her finger.
"That is what I want," he said.
"That is what you want, is it?" laughed the girl bitterly. "And this is what I want!" And she tore off the ring and threw it away, across the meadow, into the grass. Poor Gyuri fell back a few steps. ”

“ NIGHT BRINGS COUNSEL.
While the two ladies were occupied with these trifles, and Klempa with his beard sealed to the table slept the sleep of the just, Gyuri had also retired to his bed, but found it impossible to sleep. It was not from indigestion, for Mrs. Mravucsán's excellent supper had not disagreed with him; it was his brain which was hard at work, going over all the incidents that had taken place that day. He seemed to have lived through years in the last few hours. What an age it seemed since he had looked for the umbrella in Mrs. Müncz's shop! ”

“ They had never before caught such a big fish in the Tisza.
"Perhaps the handle of the umbrella was of gold?"
"Not a bit of it; it was only of wood."
"Perhaps the linen was particularly fine?"
"Rubbish! Is there any linen in the world worth one hundred florins? It was plain red linen, and even that was torn and ragged."
"Then you have not told us the tale properly."
"I've told you the whole truth."
Kupeczky remarked to Gyuri:
[Pg 76] "I would not mind betting the old gentleman has a tile loose."
"A strange man, but a good one," answered Gyuri. ”

“ Sztolarik gazed placidly at the crowd assembled around him.
"Now," he said, "I have only to stand up in [Pg 283] their midst and ask them if any of them have seen Veronica. But it will be quite unnecessary, for Veronica herself will soon be here. Look out of the window," he called up to the bell-ringer, "and tell me if you can see the young lady."
"Yes, I can see her, she is running through the Srankós' maize-field."
"She lives!" exclaimed Gyuri ecstatically, but his joy was soon at an end, for he thought: "If there is nothing the matter with her she must have run away from me." ”

“ He took Kupeczky into his house, and the old professor had to be with the boy day and night, and taste every bit of food he was to eat. If Gyuri went outside the gates, he was first stripped of his velvet suit and patent leather shoes, and dressed in a ragged old suit kept on purpose, and allowed to run barefoot. Let people ask in the streets, "Who is that little scarecrow?" And let those who knew answer, "Oh, that is Gregorics's cook's child." ”

“ Then again, the old gentleman's words rang in his ear:
"The umbrella will once belong to you, and you will find it useful to protect you from the rain."
The bystanders could not imagine why Gyuri seemed so much put about at the mayor's death; [Pg 131] in their opinion it was quite right of the old man to take his departure, he had dragged on with his gouty old leg quite long enough, and should now make room for younger men; he had not lived his life for nothing, for were they not going to have his portrait painted and hung in the Town Hall, a grand ending to his life? ”

“ But Gyuri was already gone, through the priest's garden, across Magát's clover-field, and his heart began to beat, for from there he could see Veronica in her green dress, without a hat, only a little red silk shawl round her shoulders. Across Szlávik's corn-field, then into Gongoly's meadow, and they were face to face.
[Pg 284] The girl drew a sobbing breath when she saw him, and began to tremble violently.
"Where is the fire?" she asked.
"Don't be frightened, there is no fire. My guardian had the bell rung so as to make you return home. Why did you run away?" ”

“ THE TRACES LEAD TO GLOGOVA.
One fine spring afternoon, a light sort of dog-cart stopped before Mrs. Müncz's shop, and a young man sprang out of it, Gyuri Wibra, of course.
Rosália, who was just standing at her door, speaking to Mr. Mravucsán, the mayor, and Mr. Galba, one of the senators, immediately turned to the young man with the question:
"What can I do for you, sir?"
"Are you Mrs. Müncz?"
"Yes, sir."
"I want to buy an umbrella."
The two gentlemen, surprised, looked up at the cloudless sky.
"What the devil does he want to buy an umbrella for?" muttered Mravucsán. ”

“ They left the room together, and found Gyuri waiting for them a little further along the corridor. “Aren’t you well, sir?” the attendant asked the doctor, with an anxious note in his voice.
The man’s anxiety was not feigned. He was really a faithful servant in his devotion to the old doctor, although Muller had not misjudged him when he decided that this young giant was capable of anything. Good and evil often lie so close together in the human heart.
The doctor’s emotion prevented him from speaking, and the detective answered in his place. “It is a sudden indisposition,” he said. ”

“ Oh, Jónás, Jónás, why did you treat us so? If your senses had left you, why must you follow them? You had enough sons who would have taken care of you!"
She would have gone on like this all day, if Gyuri had not stepped into his dog-cart and driven off to the scene of the fair as she had advised him.
After putting a few questions to the bystanders, he found Móricz Müncz, a short, stout man, his [Pg 152] pock-marked face looking like a turkey's egg. He was as ugly as a Faun. ”

“ So he first of all beat his drum the required number of times, and then with stentorian voice, shouted the following:
"Be it known to all whom it may interest, that a gold earring, with a green stone in it (how was he to know it was called an emerald?) , has been lost, somewhere between the brickfield and the church. Whoever will bring the same to the Town Hall will be handsomely rewarded."
Gyuri paused a moment at the sound of the drum, listened to the crier's words, and then smiled at the look of excitement on the peasant girls' faces. ”

“ Toward afternoon the cramp was much worse, and he began to spit blood. Anna was frightened, and began to cry, and ask if he would not have a doctor or a priest. Gregorics shook his head.
"No, no, I am quite ready to die, everything is in order. I am only waiting for Gyuri. What time is it?"
The church clock just then struck twelve.
"It is time the coach arrived. Go and tell [Pg 87] Matykó to wait outside by the gate, and carry Gyuri's bag in when he comes."
Anna wrung her hands in despair. Should she own she had not sent off the telegram? No, she dare not tell him ”