"We'll see about that one of these days in the fencing-school."
"What! That swindling fencing! Wrestling is the thing to test a man's mettle. That fashionable gymnastic rubbish is a mere farce. I should like to see a fellow do what I can do when I go out on my puszta.[23] I have a stout gulgásy[24] there, Peter Gyuricza, with whom I am wont to wrestle. A stalwart fellow, hard as a stone; he can keep the upper hand over a hundred steers. Twice out of three bouts have I floored Peter Gyuricza, and Peter Gyuricza has only floored me once."
[23] The Hungarian steppe or great plain.
[24] Neat-herd, peculiar to Hungary.
"A pretty pastime, certainly."
"It is not to be learnt by pen-scribbling or brush-daubing, anyhow."
That I had to let pass, for there's no getting over the truth. It is not only true that I was no Samson, but it is also true that, compared with a hundred oxen, my poor Pegasus was but a sorry beast of draught. But Muki Bagotay was not even content with this triumph, he wanted to absolutely trample me beneath his feet; and as if he had only just observed for the first time the picture of Bessy painted by me, he chose to make that the bone of contention.
"Meanwhile, till I possess the original, I appropriate this picture."
Bessy protested. "No, no, I will not part with that."
But Muki thereupon took the picture from the table and held it aloft, so that Bessy could not get it out of his hand. She begged, implored, raved, but Muki only laughed and said he meant to stick to the picture.