“He is busy, with Maurice Jokai, preparing a great book upon the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, a book patronized by the Archduke Rudolph. He will doubtless edit the part relative to the kingdom of Saint Stephen.”
“Ha! ha! He will have a difficult task when he comes to the recital of the battle at Raab against Francis Joseph in person! He commanded at Raab himself, as you must remember well.”
“Yes, he did, I remember,” said the minister. Then, with a smile, he added: “Bah! History is written, not made. Hieronymis Janos’s book will be very good, very good!”
“I don’t doubt it. What about Ferency Szilogyi? Is he also writing books under the direction of the Archduke Rudolph?”
“No! no! Ferency Szilogyi is president of the court of assizes, and a very good magistrate he is.”
“He! an hussar?”
“Oh! the world changes! His uniform sleeps in some chest, preserved in camphor. Szilogyi has only one fault: he is too strongly anti-Semitic.”
“He! a Liberal?”
“He detests the Israelites, and he allows it to be seen a little too much. He embarrasses us sometimes. But there is one extenuating circumstance—he has married a Jewess!”
This was said in a light, careless, humorously sceptical tone.