For Makkabesku was a proud man in his way and thought a great deal of his gentility. He expected to be addressed as "Domnule!"[32] and was delighted when his guests took notice of his coat of arms hanging up in the guest chamber,—to-wit, a black bear with three darts in its heel—and enquired as to its meaning; when he would explain that that black bear with the three darts which was also painted on a sheet of lead and swung backwards and forwards in front of the house between two iron rods was not a sign-board, but his family crest.
[32] Sir.
Late one afternoon Baron Leonard Hátszegi might have been seen on foot crossing the bridge which led to the Mikalai csárdá, and entering its courtyard. He came on foot with a small box under his arm and his double-barrelled gun across his shoulder. Makkabesku greeted him from the verandah while he was still a long way off.
"God be with your lordship! Is anything amiss that your lordship comes on foot?"
"Yes, at that cursed tyira lupului[33] the axle of my coach gave way. I have always said that that bad bit of road ought to be seen to, this is at least the sixth time that this accident has befallen me."
[33] Wolf-corner.
"God is the cause thereof, your lordship. Whenever the stream overflows it damages the road."
"That is no consolation for me. My fellows are struggling with the coach yonder and cannot set it upright again, so badly damaged it is. It is a good job I was driving my own horses, for otherwise my neck might have been broken. As it is one of my heydukes has sprained his hand. Send help to them at once, or they are likely to remain there all night. Where's your little girl?"
"Ah, my lord! your lordship will always be having your little joke.—Flora, come hither!"
A pretty little maid came out of the inn at these words, and smiled upon the nobleman with a face toasted red by the kitchen fire.