But now she had changed her mind. This nocturnal spectacle had put it into her head that here was some evil plot afoot against the Hétfalusy family. She must find out what it was, and if possible defeat it. So she repeated her question:
"What are you doing here?"
At that moment the door of the wayside house opened, and out came Thomas Bodza with a lamp in his hand.
"Who is talking here?" he asked, peering all around him into the darkness.
Some timorous peasant lads behind the door pointed out to him the new arrival, at the same time calling his attention to the fact that the stranger had a pistol in his hand, and it was therefore not advisable to go near him.
The master, however, boldly advanced towards Maria, and held the lamp high above his head the better to read the intruder's face.
"What a fine head that young squire has," growled shaggy Hanák behind his back, "it would look very well on the point of my scythe."
"Hush!" said the master. "I want to speak to him! Who are you, sir, and what do you want?"
"That is what I don't mean to tell to the first blockhead I meet. First of all I should like to know who you are. If you are robbers I shall defend myself against you to the best of my ability; if you are fools I shall try to enlighten you; if you are brave and honest men I will shake hands with you."
The last idea only occurred to Maria when she caught sight of Bodza's face. She had encountered such enthusiasts before now, and had had opportunities of studying them.