The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-09-07
A BRIGAND'S BALL.

my black eyed demon? When say my"
it is form of speech, for she is not mine.
You, he, l, we all know her We have all
sighed for her, but none of you has had the
happiness that l have had of being in the
dead of night with her in her own carriage.
| 1t is true that her maid was there also, but
nevertheless it was great happiness. And
yet 1 would willingly have deprived myself
of it.
We were at her country house at Kerch-
var. 1t was already very late in the evening
when she suddenly remembered that there
was ball on the following night at the
Casino of Arad, and that she had positively
promised TO be there. She ordered her car
riage, and as was her only guest she beg
ged me to accompany her.
'My dear baron, will you come with meS"
What could answer?
my dear countess, the night is very
dark, we shall be upset, we shall break
some limb, and how can we dance. after
thatP We have the three Koerass to pass,
the bridge over one of them is not firm, and
there is every chance or our being drowned.
The forest near Szalouta is q nest of brig
ands. How can l defend you all alone2
And, then, what is the necessity of going
this evening? We can start tomorrow
morning after we have had our tea, your
superb dapple grays will put us down at
Arad in the afternoon, and we shall have
plenty of time to think about your toilet"
That is word for word what said to her,
but spoke in vain. The more / tried to
dissuade her the more firmly she held out.
She did not want to drive post haste-she
wished to rest after her journey. She did
not care to jump from the carriage, worn
out and heated, into the ballroom. Then,
too, she thought that there was nothing
more beautiful than the stars, the frogs,
and heaven knows what else. Her within
must be gratified though the world should
come to an end.
] could choose: 1 might either accompany
her or remain in the chateau alone. l went
with her, and as a compensation she
granted me the favor of sitting opposite to
her in the carriage The journey was a
charming one. The countess loaded me
with favors. First of all, she placed hat
box on my knees, to which she soon added
her muff; then she burdened me with some
other package, and finally went off to sleep.
1t was in vain that | spoke; she did not
answer. Nevertheless when too sudden a
jolt shook the carriage she condescended to
ask me series of questions about her
workbox, her satchel, her basket, and made
Inquiries as to whether was not seated on
her hatbox. Upon being treasured she
went off to sleep again. Her maid moaned
about her headache. I, in my turn, made
believe to sleep.
Suddenly more violent jolt than any
of the others woke us all up. The carriage
seemed to have half upset. The countess,
who was still drowsy, asked what had hap
pened. The footman got down from the
box and came to the carriage door.
"Excellency, we have lost our way"
"Well, what does it matter2 Is that a
reason for stopping? If there is a good road
before us, we shall arrive in the end"
Eyes, butt
"What do you mean by yes, but2' The
road must surely lead somewhere"
THAT is true; yet fear it does not lead
to good place"
you are crazyl Is there such thing as
u bad place in the world? Where are WEI"
"In the Szalouta forest"
"The forest is not interminable. You
can get out Of it in two hours whether you
go lengthways or breadthways."
eyes, but the coachman fearsn--
1.-THE coachman in his contract did not
reserve the right to fear"
"He fears an accident to your excellency."
"That is not his affair"
"Or for the horses"
"That is no concern of his either"
"The forest is infested with brigands, or
poor boys, as they are called in Hungary"
rl.aS 81, 10 I,l L.,
poor boy alsoW
HE means the poor boys who stea!
horses"
thought it proper to take part in the
conversation.
my dear countess, there is no reason for
testing. You see it was hardly worth while
to start in order to sleep in the depths of
the forest. You may have your horses
stolen or your life taken. If at least only
had my revolver"
ITO have that stolen tooY"
And thereupon the little demon opened
the carriage door, and before could pre-
vent her alighted.
What a magnificent night How de
licious the forest smellsl How the fireflies
sparklel just look, baronr'
Look Why, you can't see three steps
before your
"Yes, yes, you cal. Don't you see light
down there among the trees?"
turned cold We had fallen into a den
of thievesl From the top of his box the
coachman answered in a voice stihed with
fear:
"Excellency, it is the czarda which keeps
its guests" (proverbial expression for say
ing, a tavern from which no one ever es-
capes).
'If it keeps its guests, it is just what we
need. Let us go there"
was in despair
Countess" said /, Sin the name of heav-
en-, what do you mean to dor This is
rendezvous for robbers, where we shall all
have our Threats cut; den, the landlord
If which lives in constant communication
with all the bandits of the country, and
where they assassinate persons every night"
The wicked creature only laughed at me.
She told me that we read Of such things,
but they did not really exist. She added
that she would go to another inn II we
could find one for her, but as there was
only that one she had no choice. And she
ordered the coachman to follow with the