"What can be the reason why this woman is so happy and contented?
Her husband is incapable, I'll swear, of making her so.

There's falsehood, there's fraud somehow." "There _may_ be falsehood and fraud, my friend," replied Kecskerey, coolly clasping one of his knees with both his hands, and swaying himself to and fro in a rocking-chair.
"If I could only prove that that woman was in love with some one; if any one were able to show the world in the clearest, the most sensational manner that she had secret relations with anybody----" "But, as a member of the family, that would naturally bring disgrace upon you also." "They are playing a game against me." "It may be so.

The old man is quite capable of overlooking his wife's infidelity in order to do you out of the inheritance." "But it cannot be, it cannot be! Our laws would not allow such a scandal." Kecskerey burst out laughing.
"My friend, if our laws were disposed to make very conscientious investigations concerning the proper descent of all our great families, endless confusion would arise in the making out of our family trees." "But I tell you I will not allow a downtrodden beggar-woman to force her way into an illustrious family, and rob the rightful heirs of their inheritance by saddling her decrepit husband with brats that are the fruit of her base amours." At these words Kecskerey laughed louder than ever.
"Since your return you have become quite a moral man, I see.

You would have been glad to have had one of these same base-born brats yourself a year ago." "Joking apart, my friend, you see that I am a ruined man, a man whom infernal intrigues have sent to the devil.

If what I fear really happens, I shall blow my brains out.