"Ma foi! that is a vain question from you, Rudolf.

As if you did not know that it is usual to spend something on young women." "But I know exactly what happened to Abellino when he forced six hundred florins into the girl's hand, and the manner in which she flung them back in his face was equivalent, among friends, to at least three boxes on the ears.

I remember it well, because it led to a duel, and I was one of the seconds of Abellino's opponent." "Ah ca, that's true! But you know how often it happens that when one has flung back a paltry five or six hundred florins between the eyes of the giver, one does not do the same with sixty thousand florins, when offered afterwards.

I do not say this from any wish to injure Madame Karpathy, for, of course, nothing happened between them.

But it is true, nevertheless, that she accepted the offer, and promised her dear mother, worthy Mrs.Meyer, that she would listen to Abellino's words, or to his sixty thousand florins, which is the same thing; and when luck unexpectedly suggested to old Jock that he should sue for her hand, in order to spite his nephew, the girl had sense enough to choose the better of two good offers, and accepted him.