"Go upstairs, Desi, to the governess and ask her whether she intends to come to the ball to-night, or if the lady of the house is going alone."
Desiderius listlessly sauntered out of the room.
He thought that to-day was scarcely a suitable day to conclude with a ball; still he did go upstairs to the governess.
The young lady answered that she was not going for Melanie had a difficult "Cavatina" to learn that evening, but her ladyship was getting ready, and the stout aunt was going with her.
As Desiderius shut the door after him, Lorand stood with crossed arms before the dandy, and said:
"Do you know what kind of dance it is, in which I have invited you to be my vis-à-vis?"
"What kind?" asked Pepi with a playful expression.
"A kind of dance at which one of us must die." Therewith he handed him the lilac-coloured letter which Hermine had written to him: "Read that."
Gyáli read these lines:
"Gyáli handed over the album-leaf you wrote on. All is betrayed."