"First of all, because Father János would be the laughing-stock of the place."
"Why do you trouble your head about the priest?"
"Secondly, because it would give Veronica reason to think I am only marrying her for the sake of the umbrella."
"But she will know it later on in any case."
"I shall never tell her."
"Have you any other reasons?"
"Oh, yes. I dare say they would not even give me the check; it is probably not made out in any particular name; so how am I to prove to them that it is mine? It really belongs to the person who has it in his possession. And perhaps they would not even give me the girl, for if her fortune is as large as we think it, she can find as many husbands as she has fingers on her hands."
Veronica felt giddy. It was as though they were driving nails into her flesh. She could not quite understand all they were talking about—of umbrellas, receipts, large fortunes. What fortune? But this much she had begun to understand, that she was only the means to some end.
"Well, well," began Sztolarik again after a short pause, "the affair seems to be pretty entangled at present, but there is still worse to come."
"What more can come?" asked Gyuri in an uncertain voice.