"It is true that he is the one man in the world who insults me to my face with impunity whenever he meets me, and even presumes to chalk upon the walls of my own castle denunciations against me from the book of the Prophet Nehemiah, so that I was obliged to forbid him ever to appear before me under pain of being thrown headlong out of the window; yet to show you what an obedient servant I am of yours, madame, I will not baulk you of your desire, or desire you to choose another master, but will send and invite him to come up here at once.

Everyone shall see that in my house, my wife is the master." And with that Leonard kissed his wife's hand and withdrew.
Early next day the pastor arrived.

Margari informed him of her ladyship's desire to learn the Roumanian language, and the words almost stuck in his throat when he added that his Reverence would receive a hundred florins every month for it.

Fancy! a hundred florins a month for teaching a lingo only spoken by bumpkins.
Todor Ruban--that was the priest's name--was at once conducted to her ladyship.

He was an elderly man, of an open, cheerful countenance; his fine, long white hair fell in thick locks on his simple black cassock, which showed considerable signs of wear.
Henrietta was not in time to prevent the old pastor from kissing her hand.
"This is no slavish obsequiousness towards a great lady," said he, "but the respect of a poor pastor for an angel whom Heaven by a peculiar act of grace has sent down to us.