"Will it bore your ladyship if we have a little talk together ?" "I am a good listener." "During the last few days a joyous rumour has flashed through our capital which has made every one happy who has heard it." "What rumour is that ?" "That your ladyship intends to spend the coming winter in the capital." "It is not yet certain." "You drive me to despair.

Surely, my friend Karpathy is not such an ungallant husband?
Why, he should fly to execute his wife's wishes!" "I have never told anybody that I wanted to reside at Pest." "The lady is secretive," thought Kecskerey.

"I know that they are making their palace at Pest habitable.

We shall get to the bottom of it presently." "Yet the Pest saloons will be very attractive this winter, and we shall form some very elegant sets.

The Szepkiesdys are coming up, and we may also expect to see there Count Gergely with his mother, young Eugene Darvay, the handsome Rezsoe Csendey, and that genial prince of buffoons, Mike Kis." Fanny toyed indifferently with her fan; not one of all these persons interested her in the least.
"And I know it as a fact, that our feted friend Rudolf is also going to spend the winter there, with his handsome wife." Hah! what impression will that make?
Will she be able to conceal the smarting pain she felt at that moment?
But no, she did not betray herself; she merely said, "I don't fancy we shall go to Pest." With that she rose from her seat.