Page:Imre.pdf/76

74 his head, looking sharply at me in the fluttering gas-light... then glancing quickly away. I had other thoughts, far, far removed from him! I had well-nigh forgot when I was!—forgot him, forgot Szent-Istvánhely........!

But now he laughed out, too, as if in angry derision.

«I say! I knew such a fellow, too.. two or three years ago. And I beg to tell you that he fell in love with.. me! No less! He was absolutely hódult over your humble servant. Did you ever!»

«Really? What did you do? Slap his face, and give him the address of a... doctor of nervous diseases?»

«Oh, Lord, no! I merely declined with thanks the.... honour of his farther acquaintance. I told him never to speak me. He left town. I had rather liked him. But I heard he had been compromised already. I have no use for that particular brand of fool!»

Are there perverse demons, demons delighting to make mortal men blunderers in simplest