The chaplain said with indignation:
“All those people from Pest are such rebels!”
The lady exclaimed suddenly: “There comes the wife of the Councillor of the Governor’s council! She is wearing her silver-wedding hat!”
All thronged to the door. The shop became quite dark as the fat “Mrs. Councillor” passed in front of it. The chaplain and the others took their hats and followed her; let the people think they were in her company. Quite a crowd for Buda, at least six people went down Tárnok Street at the same time. Even the good lady with the big hat remembered some urgent business. She quickly concluded the sale of the loving-cup, bowed, and rushed after the others.
Christopher Ulwing came forward.
“What a bureaucratic air there is in Buda. I prefer your friends who come after closing hours: the lame wood-carver and the old spectacle-maker. Even if they do not carry the world forward, they don’t attempt to push it back.”
Sebastian laughed good-naturedly:
“These too are good people, only different from you on the other side of the river. We have time, you are in a hurry. You are for ever wanting new-fashioned things. Somebody who reads newspapers told the chaplain that your son spoke at the Town Hall. Now you want avenues, lamps, brick-built houses.... What are we coming to?”
The builder looked deeply and calmly into his brother’s eyes.
“Brother Sebastian, we have to change or time will beat us.”