Tothy and Baczo, however, sat tightly in their seats, stiff and upright as two large wooden idols, knitting away furiously with downcast eyes. It looked for all the world as if their attention was totally concentrated on their work as they changed needles with dizzying speed.

‘That would certainly be a vile thing indeed, if it’s true! But how did you come to hear about it?’ asked Roza Abady when her son had completed his story.

‘I’m sorry, but that I can’t tell you.’

‘From that good-for-nothing Laszlo, I presume?’

‘No. Not from him.’

‘From whom then? Some anonymous mischief-maker?’

‘You must forgive me, Mama, but I cannot betray a confidence.’

‘So it’s a confidence, is it? And you can’t even tell me! All right, but I must tell you that your dear father taught me never to listen to informers. I never have, and I never shall!’

The old lady did not speak for some moments. Then she lifted her head with the gesture of an autocrat, and gave her orders: ‘When you have finished speaking with Azbej, send him to me.’

So the matter was closed for that day.

Balint spent the rest of the afternoon visiting Staniszlo Gyeroffy, Laszlo’s former guardian, to find out details of the Kozard property.

The next day towards noon the round little lawyer bowed his way into Balint’s study.

‘At your Lordship’s most humble service, and begging your Lordship’s pardon for not coming here at once, but the telegram was only put in my hands late last night on my return from the county court in Torda where I was attending a matter of great importance for the most Gracious Countess. I am indeed ashamed for the delay.’

The words poured out from his little red-lipped smiling mouth, which looked surprisingly soft and melting in the middle of his bristly hedgehog face. His large plum-shaped eyes looked balefully at Abady who was sitting behind his desk.

‘Sit down!’ ordered Balint curtly.

Azbej went to fetch a small chair from beside the wall, even though there was an armchair nearer at hand. Moreover he only sat on the edge of it, though it was not clear if he did this out of respect or because he was forced to by the shortness of his legs. He placed his two hairy hands on his knees like an attentive pupil summoned to his teacher.

‘A year ago you took a ten-year lease of the Szamos-Kozard property from Count Laszlo Gyeroffy?’

‘Indeed that is so, your Lordship. Or, to be strictly accurate, it was not I but my wife. I used her dowry to pay ten years’ rent in advance. I myself, if your Lordship pleases, would not have possessed such a large sum. Where would I have found it? His Lordship Count Gyeroffy needed a substantial sum in a hurry and I could think of no other way to solve the problem and to be of service to the Noble Count’s family. It was a pleasure to be in a position to do it.’

‘I can readily believe that! You made a fat profit on the deal! For those 90,000 crowns you obtained not only 1,800 acres of prime farm land and 300 acres of grazing but also the entire stock and farm equipment on top of it all, did you not?’

What could be seen of Azbej’s cheeks between the tufts of black beard reddened visibly. He was not prepared for Balint’s being so well-informed.

‘That all had to be bought in if we were to give the Noble Count what he wanted … and, if your Lordship pleases, as I was managing my wife’s little property, you see, this … and in any case, the stock and farm equipment were hardly worth mentioning, with respect to your Lordship …’ And he started to explain that most of the bullocks were old, that there were very few cows or young calves in the herd, hardly a pig, that the flocks of sheep were all mixed breeds. He spat out figures and sale prices with ever-increasing speed and then added: ‘… and most of those were so poor they had to be sold or replaced. That too was a terrible expense!’ Then he added and subtracted more figures in a confused rush, his technique being to dazzle by a display of acrobatic mathematics. And all the while he was closely watching Abady’s face to see if there were any signs of his relenting.

Balint’s expression remained hard. He let Azbej speak on until at last the little lawyer himself became muddled by the rush of his own eloquence and brought his monologue to an end, wiping his forehead which by now was dripping with perspiration.

A short silence followed. At last Abady spoke. ‘You will please provide me with all the figures.