The Village Notary Part 19

"No."

"And you?"

"G.o.d forbid!"

"And you?"

"I learnt it when a child, but----"

"And you?"

"A little!"

Mr. Shaskay, who seemed greatly amused by these questions, and the answers which they elicited, said he hoped Mr. Kishlaki was now satisfied that the illiterate were in the majority; and James hastened to the gate, where he implored every new comer to vote for his brother.

But Shoskuty, desirous to carry out the resolution of the county magistrates, placed two a.s.sessors behind the screens for the purpose of explaining the names on the urns to the voters.

The ballot was being proceeded with on this improved and practical principle, when Tengelyi, accompanied by Kalman Kishlaki and others, approached the gate. A single look showed him the absurdity of the proceedings. "How, in the name of Heaven," said he, addressing Shoskuty, "can you, dare you, allow this gross violation of the county law?"

"Violation!" cried Shoskuty. "What violation? What do you mean, sir?"

"Did not the county magistrates give an order that the voting should be secret?"

"And because they gave that order, sir, we obey that order, sir! Or do you think, sir, that we sit here for the mere joke of the thing? What are the screens for, I should like to know? Secret voting, indeed! What do you call this, sir? Hasn't the draught given me a cold already? and how dare you say, sir, that I violate my instructions?"

"You cannot go on in this manner!" said Tengelyi, with great warmth; "I'll speak to the lord-lieutenant. This election is null and void."

"Hold you tongue, sir notary!" cried Slatzanek, angrily; "don't you mistake this place for one of your alehouse clubs. You may give your vote if you please, and for whom you please, but we won't be lectured, and, least of all, by the like of _you_."

"Stop, sir!" cried Kalman. "Tengelyi is right. There can be no secret voting in the presence of two people."

"I thought so too," said old Kishlaki, "but the majority----"

"Sir, I _do_ pray----"

"_Rogo humillime_----"

"I say----"

"_I_ am going to explain it!" cried Slatzanek, Shoskuty, and another a.s.sessor; but Shoskuty's shrill voice overcrowed them, and the baron said:--

"My dear young sir, I _do_ pray you will consider what your honoured father was pleased to observe just now, namely, that the majority of this deputation are agreed on all the arrangements of this ballot, and that it is quite ridiculous to talk of errors or faults. And besides, are you not aware that no act is valid in Hungary without the _testimonium legale_ of two magistrates? Very well, then, the gentlemen behind the screen will--if need be--prove that the Cortes gave secret votes--_absque ira et studio_--quite independent."

Kalman laughed. Tengelyi spoke, though no one listened, of the sanct.i.ty of the laws, and the proceedings came to a stand-still. Mr. Skinner, to whom Catspaw had whispered, advanced, and, seizing Tengelyi by the collar, said, "Be off, sir; you have no business here, not being a n.o.bleman!"

The astonishment which these few words created was prodigious. Shoskuty wrung his hands; Shaskay sighed and looked up to heaven; Slatzanek looked fierce and scornful; and old Kishlaki, who felt most for Tengelyi, exclaimed, "Did I ever!--no, I never!" Saying which he fell back into his chair.

Tengelyi's face was purple with rage; but the justice, addressing the deputation, said, "Strange though it may seem to you, gentlemen, this man is not n.o.ble; I move that he shall not be allowed to vote."

Tengelyi had meanwhile regained his self-possession. "And who," said he, "is there to prove that I am not n.o.ble?"

"_Onus probandi semper privato inc.u.mbit!_" said the recorder.

"Of course it does!" cried Shoskuty. "_Inc.u.mbit privato_, which means you must give us proof of your n.o.ble descent, or you may go and be ---- for all I care. n.o.ble descent is proved----"

The worthy baron's memory failed him, and the recorder resumed the argument.

"Have you a royal donation, sir, the 'Armales,' or have you an authentic Transsumtum, or the Statuaries with the clause 'c.u.m nos,' or, at least, according to Verbotzi I. 6., the receipts for the quartalitium?"

"Why," said Tengelyi, pettishly, "there is not a man in all Hungary who can give such satisfactory proofs of his n.o.ble descent as I can, but----"

"Very good sir; give them!" cried the recorder. "Perhaps you claim a prescriptive right; but that too must be proved with doc.u.ments. You prove it with extracts from baptismal registers, royal grants of land--come sir, give us something of the kind!"

"My papers are in my house."

"Then bring them here. As soon as you bring those doc.u.ments we will admit you to the vote," said the recorder, with a sneer.

"Of course," cried Shoskuty. "Show us your papers!"

"But I always enjoyed the privileges of a n.o.bleman; I always paid my contributions to their rates."

"_Fraus et dolus nemini opitulatur!_" cried Shaskay. "Why did you not register your patent in the county?"

"Because no one ever doubted of my n.o.bility," said the notary, trembling with pa.s.sion. "Because I stood for a justice seat, and was actually appointed to a notariat."

"It's a good thing for a man to have his patent properly registered,"

said the recorder: "if you had been more cautious, you would have avoided this awkward inquiry. But your having pretended or been appointed to a post of honor cannot decide any thing. It's not legal evidence. Are there not plenty of instances of the recorders having neglected their duties, by allowing the number of n.o.blemen to increase in the said illegal manner, to the no slight detriment and prejudice of the tax-paying population?"

The notary found it impossible to repress the feelings of scorn which the recorder's last words called forth. "Ay, ay, sir," said he, "you are indeed a generous man. What a blessing to the tax-payers if they could always have you for an advocate!"

"Don't stand losing your time!" cried Shoskuty; "tell them to go on with the ballot, and let Mr. Tengelyi send for his doc.u.ments."

"I insist on giving my vote," said Tengelyi. "A n.o.bleman cannot lose his rights on the ground of an information; and pending the proceedings I have a right to my present position."

"Mr. Tengelyi is right," said a young solicitor; "the act of----"

"De 21 Julii 1785?" added the recorder, shaking his head. "The said bill enacts that while the inquiry on the n.o.bility cujuscunque is pending, the defendant is to remain in his former position."

"Which means in the fourth estate, which is the notary's case until he procures his doc.u.ments," suggested Slatzanek.

"I have always pa.s.sed for a n.o.bleman--have I not?" said Tengelyi, turning round upon Mr. Catspaw. "You ought to know, for you have known me these thirty years."

"All I can say," said the little attorney, rubbing his hands, "is that my worshipful master, the sheriff, has always treated Mr. Tengelyi as he would a n.o.bleman; but then all the world knows that my master is a most _charitable_ gentleman, though indeed he gets no thanks for his goodness. I never saw Mr. Tengelyi's doc.u.ments. His patent is not registered. To tell you the truth, he came from some distant place; and there are cases in which----"

"Knock him down! kick him out!" roared the crowd; and Karvay, whose voice was most conspicuous in the general confusion, advanced and seized Tengelyi.

"Come on, any man who is tired of his life!" cried Kalman, taking his stand in front of the old man. "Tengelyi is my friend; and whoever touches him is a dead man, even if he had as many lives as a cat!"

The gallant Captain Karvay retreated almost as quickly as he had advanced. Kishlaky hastened to his son's side, and reminded him of his alliance with the Rety party. Baron Shoskuty spoke with great energy about the sanct.i.ty of the place; and the recorder was heard to p.r.o.nounce the ominous word "Actio."