The conversation was less animated than usual this evening: Esther seemed to find a difficulty in talking and she said positively that she could not sing; and Michael was becoming quite uneasy and almost inclined to take his departure, when--whether she felt that she was not wanted or not--something or other made Euphrosyne discover, or perhaps pretend to discover, that she had something to attend to in another room. Such a thing had never happened before, and Michael seized his opportunity, blessing her in his heart for leaving them to themselves, but fearing she would be back before he had said what he wanted to say. "Now, Esther," he said persuasively, seating himself on the divan by her side--"now, Esther, tell me what has happened. What is troubling you? you look so sad and out of spirits. What is the matter? I am sure there is something." "My friend," answered Esther, "I _am_ sad, for I am to leave Buda." "Why? where are you going?" cried Michael. "I don't know," said the girl--"I don't know! There! read what he says." And she handed Michael a letter. "The king's writing!" he exclaimed; and then he read with a beating heart:-- "MY LITTLE SISTER[13] ESTHER,--Your parents came of distinguished ancestry. You are an orphan; Mr. Samson got possession of all that belonged to you, and since he has paid the penalty of his crimes, his property has come into our treasury. We have lately heard from Munkács that he has died a natural death, and we are willing to restore a portion of his possessions to you, if you on your part are willing to give your hand to one of our 'Supreme Counts,'[14] a man of very ancient family. If you cannot make up your mind to this, my little sister, then you must go away from here; for your frequent meetings with Mr. Tornay--whose head I will wash for him!--have attracted attention, and will make you talked about. "MATTHIAS." [Footnote 13: "Little sister" and "little brother" are usual forms of addressing the young.] [Footnote 14: _Fö-ispán_, the head and administrator of a county, not a hereditary count.] Michael let the letter drop from his hand in dismay, and then exclaimed passionately, "Why, the king placed me here; and, besides, he asked me himself whether I had made acquaintance with my neighbour." "True," said Esther sadly, "and I told His Highness so myself; but he gave me quite a scolding for letting you come and see me so often." "What!" cried Michael, surprised and even startled; "the king has been here?" "He has indeed," said Esther, the tears springing to her eyes. "Yesterday, while you were out riding the beautiful cream-coloured horse with the green silk trappings, the king came. I had never seen him before, but as he closed the door behind him, I knew in a moment that it was the king and no one else. I felt it somehow, I don't know how."