If she rejected the proposal, and declared she did not care for the youth at all, he would lay the second offer before her.

What would she say to that?
Could she possibly be amiable to an old fellow of over seventy, after coldly shutting her heart against a handsome young man?
So the same day Boltay rode out to his country den, which was situated in a romantic little valley in the Carpathians, to pay his ward a visit.
Fanny rushed out to meet Boltay's waggon when he was still a long way off, dragged him down from the coach-box, and, full of childlike gaiety, conducted him all round her little domain; and Boltay kept pinching her cheeks, which were so firm and round that he could scarcely grip hold of them.

It was plain that she did not give so much of her time now to melancholy brooding.
"Why, what a good housewife we shall make of you! There's surely nothing in the world you don't know already.

We must look you out a husband now." "Yes, let's have a husband by all means," laughed Fanny, roguishly clipping Master Boltay round the neck, and kissing his stubbly face with her round red lips.

"Daddy Boltay is the husband for me!" "Go along with you, you rogue!" cried Master Boltay, scarce able to contain himself for joy.