[The Poor Plutocrats by Maurus Jokai]@TWC D-Link bookThe Poor Plutocrats CHAPTER XXI 19/32
You must know that before the confiscated gold captured in the Lucsia Cavern was sent to Vienna, every coin of it was marked with a little cross, a very simple official precaution, but it has proved very useful to us.
Now I have come upon these marked ducats among the people here.
They themselves, I believe, are innocent and can give the name of the persons from whom they received them; and so, by tracing the various intermediaries, we shall come at last, upon the original dispensers of these ducats.
I can imagine how Fatia Negra will laugh when he hears that the soldiers of six counties are hunting for him in the depths of the forests and tapping every rotten tree-stump in search of him while he is sitting comfortably in some large theatre and eyeing the ballet-dancers through his opera glass; but he will be very much surprised when, one fine day, without any preliminary siege-operations we shall tap at his own door and enquire: 'Is Fatia Negra at home ?'" Hatszegi laughed heartily. "Not a bad idea, upon my honour! I myself am inclined to think that the worthy highwayman will be sooner found in a coffee house than in a forest.
I only regret that I did not mark my own coins so that I might recognize them again." And so laughing and whistling, he returned to his party which appeared to consist of mere dependents and gave them his orders. "Unpack the horses and get lunch ready," said he, "we will not go any further." Then he turned again to Vamhidy. "Since we are obliged to capitulate to superior force, would you be so good as to pick out with me a nice, round, shadowy spot in the forest where we may encamp and share with each other our provisions which have thus become the spoils of war ?" "Thank you, my lord," replied Vamhidy coldly, "but I have already had my lunch." His lunch, by the way, had consisted of a maize cake baked in the ashes. "Then won't you allow your men to drink my health in a glass of wine, since they are actually on my domains ?" "My _pandurs_ are not allowed to drink; they have to remain sober.
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