He threw the button out of the window, hastening to do away with such souvenirs.
Presently from the market-square burst forth that indescribable murmur which rises from a distant crowd. The minutes seemed hours as he waited.
At last a trampling of hoofs was heard; it was a lieutenant with an escort of half a dozen dragoons come to conduct Ráby to the court.
"The magistrate, the notary, the councillors, are all re-elected," was the news they came to announce.
Ráby was much annoyed that they should send an armed escort for him.
"I can find the way by myself, and am not afraid of anyone," he said, and with that he took his documents under his arm, and set off to walk to the Town Hall.
His self-possession impressed the crowd who silently made way for him. Besides, they stood in a wholesome awe of the dragoons who were drawn up in the market-place.
Ráby entered the court-room where the commission was sitting. It was intolerably warm, and he could have fairly swooned as he entered the hot oppressive atmosphere, yet his strength of mind conquered his physical weakness and steeled his failing nerves.
He began by making a formal and solemn protest against the way in which the election had been conducted, but it was not listened to.
Then the district commissioner read out Ráby's protest and asked the complainant to formulate his grievance.