They were silent on their return, only Madame Krisbay remarking:
"What a mouldy smell there was in there!"
Veronica had caught sight of a beautiful rose on a large bush near the half-ruined walls of the bastion.
"What an exquisite flower!" she exclaimed.
The old caretaker had a legend about that too. From this spot beautiful Maria Czobor had sprung from the walls, and thrown herself down the precipice, for her father wished her to marry an officer in the Emperor's army, and she was in love with a shepherd. The latter had planted a rose-bush on this spot, and every year it bore one single blossom. Gyuri dropped behind the others, and begged the old man to give him the rose.
"My dear sir, what are you thinking of? Why, the poor girl's spirit would haunt me if I were to do such a thing!"
Gyuri took out his purse and pressed two silver florins into the man's hand, upon which, without further ado, he took out his knife and cut the rose.
"Won't the young lady's spirit haunt you now?" asked Gyuri, smiling.
"No, because with part of the money I will have a Mass said for the repose of her soul."
Gyuri ran after the ladies with the rose in his hand, and offered it to Veronica.