The Pobratim Part 53

"You think it's when she turns up her nose, but that's not it, for it's when she turns up her toes and is carried out of the house."

Captain Panajotti laughed, and so did Ivanka; but her mother, seeing her laugh, could hardly control her vexation, so she said something which she intended to be very sarcastic.

"Oh! you are vexed, _babica_, because I explained you the riddle."

"Vexed! there's nothing to be vexed about. I'm only sorry that, at your age, you have such a bad opinion of women."

"_I_, a bad opinion, _takomi Boga!_ I haven't made the riddle; I've only heard it from my father, and he says that riddles are the wisdom of a nation. So, to show you that I have the best regard for you, here's a b.u.mper"--and thereupon he filled his gla.s.s to the brim and stood up--"to your precious health, mother-in-law."

Then, pretending to stumble, he poured the gla.s.s of wine over her head and face.

Giulianic uttered an oath, and struck the table with his fist; Ivanka and Milenko thought he had gone too far. Still, the poor woman looked such a pitiful object, with her turban all soaked and her face all dripping with wine, that they all burst out laughing.

Mrs. Giulianic, unable to control her vexation, and angry at finding herself the laughing-stock of the whole company, forgot herself so far as to call Uros a fool and a drunkard. He, however, went on, good-humouredly:

"I'm so sorry; but, you see, it was quite unintentional, _Bogami_, quite unintentional. But never mind, don't be angry with me; I'll buy you another dress."

"Do you think my wife is vexed on account of her dress?" said Giulianic, proudly. "Thank Heaven! she doesn't need your dresses yet."

"Oh, yes!" said Uros, mopping up the wine with his napkin, "I know that you can afford to buy your wife dresses; but as I spoilt this one, it is but right that I should pay for it. I can't offer to buy you a yard of stuff, can I? And, besides, a dress is always welcome, isn't it, mother-in-law?"

"Well, never mind about the dress," quoth Giulianic.

"Oh! if you don't mind it, your wife does; but there, don't be angry, don't be wriggling with your nose. When I marry your daughter, my pretty Ivanka----"

"You marry my daughter!" gasped the father.

"You, indeed!" quoth the mother.

"Yes, _babica_; then I'll buy you the dearest dress I can get for money in Trieste. What is it to be, velvet or satin? plain or with bunches of flowers? What colour would you like? as red as your face is now?"

"When you marry Ivanka, you can buy me a bright green satin."

"Well, here's my hand upon it; only you'll look like a big parrot in that dress. Isn't it true, father-in-law?"

"A joke is a joke," answered Giulianic; "but I wish you wouldn't be 'father-in-lawing' me, for----"

"Well, I hope you are not going to break off the engagement because I happened to christen mother-in-law with a gla.s.s of good wine, are you?"

"Your engagement?"

"Of course."

"I told you I don't mind a joke, still this is carrying----"

"Don't mind him, poor fellow," said Captain Panajotti. "The poor fellow is daft."

"If anybody is engaged to my daughter," continued Giulianic, "it's your friend there, Uros Bellacic!"

"Oh! I like that," said Uros, laughing. "I'm afraid the wine's all gone up to your bald pate, old man." Then turning to Captain Panajotti, he added: "He doesn't know his own son-in-law any more,"

and he laughed idiotically.

Giulianic and his wife looked aghast.

Thereupon, thumping the table, Uros exclaimed:

"I tell you I'm going to marry your daughter, though, if the truth must be known, I don't care a fig for her, pretty as she is. I've got----"

"And I swear by G.o.d that you'll never marry her!" cried Giulianic, exasperated.

"That's rich," quoth Uros. "On what do you swear, old bald-pate?"

"I swear on my faith."

"And on your soul, eh?"

"On my soul, too."

"With your hand on the Cross?" asked Uros, handing him a little Cross.

"I swear," answered Giulianic, beyond himself with rage.

"Well, well, that'll do; don't get angry, take it coolly as I do. You see, I'm not put out. As long as you settle the matter with my father, Milos Bellacic, I'm quite satisfied."

"Milos Bellacic your father?"

"Of course."

"Then you mean to say that you are----?"

"Uros Bellacic. Although the wine may have gone a little to my head, still, I suppose I know who I am."

"Is it true?" said Giulianic, turning towards Milenko.

"Yes!" replied the young man, nervously, "Didn't you know it?"

"No."

"Didn't I tell you?" whispered his wife.

"Oh! you always tell me when it's too late," he retorted, huffishly.

"And now, what's to be done? Will you release me from my oath?"

Ivanka looked up, alarmed.

"Decidedly not; I'll never marry a girl who doesn't want me, whose father has sworn on his soul not to have me, for whose mother I'm a drunkard and a fool."

The dinner ended in a gloomy silence; a dampness had come over all the guests, and, except Ivanka and Milenko, all were too glad to get rid of one another.