"If you are the mayor, yes."
"Of course, of course!" (Who else could be mayor in Bábaszék but Mravucsán, he wondered?)
"They have been crying the loss of an earring, and I have found it. Here it is."
The mayor's face beamed with delight.
"Now that is real honesty, sir. That is what I like. This is the first earring that has been lost since I have been in office, and even that is found. That's what I call order in the district."
Then turning to the Senators, he went on:
"It is only an hour since I sent the crier round the town, and here we have the earring. They couldn't manage that in Budapest!"
Just then he noticed that the stranger was preparing to leave.
"Why, you surely don't mean to leave us already, sir? There is a reward offered for the finding of this earring."
"I do not want the reward, thank you."