"Sir," I answered, turning towards him: "did you not teach me the heroic story of Mucius Scævola? did you not yourself teach me to recite 'Romanus sum civis?'
"Do with me what you please: I shall not prove a traitor: if the Romans had courage, so have I to say 'longus post me ordo idem petentium decus.'"
"Get you hence," brawled the director; and the pedellus led me away.
Two hours afterwards they told me I might go home; I was saved. Just that implacable director had proved himself the best in his efforts to rescue us. One or two "primani," who had amused the tribunal with some very broad lies, were condemned to a few days' lock-up. That was all.
I thought that was the end of the joke. When they let me go I hurried to Lorand. I was proudly conscious of my successful attempt to rescue my elder brother.
CHAPTER VIII
THE END OF THE BEGINNING
Her ladyship, the beautiful wife of Bálnokházy, was playing with her parrot, when her husband entered her chamber.
The lady was very fond of this creature—I mean of the parrot.