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The joy of the Gregorics soon turned to bitterness, for they could not manage to find out where the Bohemian estates were. Gáspár went off to Prague, but came back after a fruitless search. They were unable to find any papers referring to the estates; not a bill, not a receipt, not a letter was to be found. "It was incomprehensible, such a thing had never happened before," Boldizsár said.
I can only read what I see written here; you must at least understand that, gentlemen." "It is incomprehensible," groaned Gáspár. "The curious part of it is," remarked Boldizsár, "that there is no mention of that woman and her son." "Yes, of course," answered Gáspár, "it does seem strange." The lawyer hastened to reassure them. "It can make no difference to you," he said.
Another purchaser has turned up, and he offers 20,000 florins for 'Lebanon." This was evidently a great blow for Gáspár. "Impossible," he stammered. "Is it Boldizsár?" "Yes." Gáspár was furious; he began to swear like a trooper, and waved his stick about, thereby knocking down one of Mrs. Sztolarik's flower-pots, in which a rare specimen of hyacinth was just blossoming. "The wretch!" he hissed.
Sztolarik met Boldizsár that evening at the club, and made no secret of the fact that Gáspár had been to see him that morning, and offered him 5000 florins more for the orchard. But Boldizsár was not surprised, and only answered: "Well, I will give 30,000."
At this name Boldizsár turned deathly pale, and dropped gasping on to a chair. His lips moved, but no sound came from them, and Sztolarik thought he would have a stroke, and rushed out for some water, calling for help as he went; but when he returned with the cook armed with a rolling-pin and a jug of water, the old gentleman had recovered, and began to excuse himself.
The doctor said he had died of some illness with a long Latin name, which no one had ever heard, and said that if he had been called sooner he might have saved him. Boldizsár was soon on the spot, also his brother Gáspár with all his family. Mrs. Panyóki, the eldest sister, was in the country at the time, and on receipt of the news late the same evening, exclaimed despairingly: "What a deception!
"I doubt it," said the lawyer; "the first offer was 15,000 florins." Boldizsár showed no surprise. "Well, I offer 20,000." Not till after he had said it did it occur to him that the orchard was not worth even 15,000 florins, and he turned impatiently and asked: "Who is the fool who offers so much?" "Your brother Gáspár."
That sly Prepelicza had easily found out in Besztercebánya that Pál Gregorics had more than one brother living, and he decided that if one of them paid him 250 florins for the secret, the other would perhaps be inclined to pay something too. So he got into the train, travelled to Besztercebánya, and looked up Boldizsár.
So one day the brothers came to terms, and Sztolarik was very surprised when, the next day, the door opened, and in walked Boldizsár and announced that he had thought things over, and come to the conclusion that "Lebanon" was decidedly not worth 50,000 florins, and he had given up all idea of buying it. "That does not matter," said Sztolarik, "your brother will give us 48,000 for it."
Hardly had the man gone, when the expected letter arrived, containing the news that Gyuri agreed to the sale of the orchard, and Sztolarik was just going to send one of his clerks to Gáspár, when the door opened, and in walked Boldizsár Gregorics, puffing and blowing from the haste he had made. "Pray take a seat, Mr. Gregorics. To what do I owe the honor of your visit?"
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