What indeed!
Mankind has a singular propensity for thrusting his nose wherever he hears laughter or noise; and considering this weakness, what should be more natural than that all the inhabitants of the kitchen should press to the door of the beer-room to hear what was going on, and consequently that Mistress Vicza, with her eyes burning like two coals, should immediately follow in the track of the "linen folk?"
But no sooner did the sparkling eyes, the rosy cheeks, and the elastic figure of Mistress Vicza make its appearance, than the hussar started from his post beside Vendel, and bounded towards the door.
"Ah, sweet one! I have not seen you yet," he exclaimed, proceeding brevi manu to span the small waist of the pretty hostess.
"For shame, sir!" exclaimed Mistress Vicza, extricating herself from the hussar's grasp; and then, running over to her husband, she began to caress and fondle him—drawing his cap over his head, and trying to make room for herself on the bench beside him—though, at the very moment she was kissing the dear old man, her bright eyes glanced slily at the handsome hussar. (Pro memoria to every married man—when his wife kisses up one of his eyes, let him look well after her with the other.)
Our hero, in order to repair his fault, after looking about him and twisting his moustache, turned suddenly towards the group of servants assembled at the door, and seizing the nearest, a plump, rosy-faced little girl, with long plaited hair tied with gay ribbons, he imprinted a hearty kiss on her cheek, on which she screamed so loudly that he started back in alarm, bounding over the tables and chairs in his way.
"I'll settle your wits for you, master, if you can't behave better than that!" cried a deep voice in echo to the scream.
"How now! what is the matter, countryman?" said the hussar, peering into the bold countenance of the hardy peasant.
"'What is the matter?' that girl there is my bride; and I'll soon let you know what the matter is, if you dare to touch her again!"
"Ah! is that the case? who knows but that she would prefer me, after all?" replied the hussar, and, leaping over the table, he once more seized this living organ of sound, who screamed louder than before.