When Balint arrived and was shown into Adrienne’s sitting-room, he found her as usual half sitting, half lying on the pile of cushions in front of the fire. He sank down beside her and it seemed to him that today she received his kisses with more response than before, as if she were tacitly trying to tell him that she wanted to be forgiven. Though no words passed her lips she seemed to say: Even if I can’t give you more at least I can give you this with all my heart! But please don’t ask for more! They remained for a long time, mouth to mouth and body to body, barely speaking apart from an occasional endearment, never a sentence or question that had to be answered. Adrienne’s wavy hair fell in disorder round her shoulders until they had to pull apart so that she could sit up and pin her rebellious mane back into place. As she did so Balint leant back, away from her, his eyes drinking in the beauty of her slim waist and the line of her arms as they curved above her head.
The door from the bedroom door opened. Pal Uzdy came in, silently, his slow measured steps making no sound as he walked slowly to the fireplace. There he turned stiffly, straightened up his long thin body and without any polite hesitation or greeting, said: ‘What are you doing here in the dark?’
‘Talking!’ said Addy defiantly.
‘So! So! Indeed! That’s very good. Of course! Of course!’ Uzdy spoke slowly and deliberately, pausing between each repeated word, a smile of mockery on his cadaverous face. As he spoke it was clear that his eyes were taking in the pile of cushions strewn on the floor, some of which showed clearly by their disarray that they had been lain upon for a considerable time.
‘Artistic subjects, of course! The arts … culture. Very absorbing, I know. It’s a pity I don’t understand such things. Anyway I have not time for them. I arrived from Almasko this instant, and I’ve a great deal to do!’
Uzdy now turned to Abady and, looking down at him from his great height, said: ‘I didn’t know you were here, otherwise I wouldn’t have dared …’
At these words he laughed softly and pulled at his long moustaches. Standing there by the fireplace, his body lit from behind by the leaping flames of the fire, he could well have been taken for a devil, long thin legs outlined in red fluttering reflections of light, long thin form towering to an unearthly height. His feet were pressed closely together so that his body gave the impression that it swayed slightly with the uncertain outline of a disembodied apparition. Slowly he looked from his wife to Balint and then back to his wife again. His right hand, Balint noticed, was hidden under his coat, just where he kept the little Browning pistol that he had pulled out in the Casino when he had shot at the light bulb above Kamuthy’s head. Balint wondered if he were about to draw it now and shoot him. Whatever he does, I won’t even speak! thought Balint, and laughed to show Uzdy that he was not afraid.
‘Everything’s ready at Almasko, Adrienne. If you so wish we could move back next week,’ Uzdy said to his wife.
‘Whenever you like!’ she replied. ‘One day’s notice is enough for me.’
Uzdy turned to Balint. ‘Would you care to join us? They tell me you like shooting and you’ll find some excellent roebuck in my woods. I don’t know much about it myself but they tell me there’s good sport to be found there. If it would amuse you?’ Then without any apparent reason he burst out laughing before going on: ‘Roebuck! Yes, roebuck! It’s only a sort of game, of course, but some people like it.’
‘You’re most kind, but I have to go to Budapest tonight. There’s a sitting of the House.’
‘Of course! Of course! Parliament, politics … Very important, politics! Well, perhaps when you come back? You will be coming back, will you not, sooner or later? Then perhaps you will do me, do us the honour? That’s right, isn’t it, Adrienne? He must do us the honour, both of us. Even if our place cannot compare with Denestornya, at least we can offer you a hearty welcome, an old-fashioned Hungarian welcome. Right?’
‘I will come with pleasure as soon as I return,’ said Balint. ‘And I’ll bring my new Schonauer rifle, if I may?’
‘That won’t be necessary. I have several excellent guns. I don’t often shoot for sport but I like shooting at targets! You can use any of my guns … anything of mine, can’t he, Adrienne? As you please. Bring your own if you wish.’
‘Naturally!’ said Adrienne drily, ashamed of her husband’s strange, sneering manner, so superficially polite, so laden with menace.
‘Very well, then I’ll count on your coming! And don’t think I don’t mean it; this is not just a conventional invitation, don’t think that! Send a wire to our post box at Nagyalma and a carriage will meet the train at Hunyad. That’s our station.’
‘I’ll let you know as soon as I get back!’
‘Very well, then. Au revoir — until we meet again.’
Uzdy stepped forward, leaned down over his wife, took her face between his long fingers and kissed her swiftly and unexpectedly on the forehead.
‘Don’t move!’ he said. ‘Please stay! Au revoir.’ He walked swiftly to the door, opened it, said ‘au revoir’ again without looking round and went out, closing the door behind him so quietly that they could hardly hear the click of the lock.
Adrienne and Balint looked at each other in silence. For some moments they did not move. Balint sensed that Adrienne had been deeply affected by her husband’s mocking ambiguous phrases. What had Uzdy meant by that invitation? Did he have some sinister ulterior motive, a shooting accident perhaps? After all such things happened. Guns did go off unexpectedly through someone’s ‘carelessness’! These thoughts were soon chased from his mind by Adrienne who came to him, buried her face in his shoulder and held him tightly to her. He noticed that she was crying, soundlessly, but with sobs that racked her whole body. For a long time she continued, holding him ever more tightly as she fought to control the tears she could not stop. She went on so long that Balint began to be worried not only about her but also because if they did not soon separate the maid would come in to light the lamps and would find them in each other’s arms. However, it was not possible to push her away and so they remained for a long time, Adrienne pressing herself ever closer to him as if in his arms she was seeking a refuge from life.
‘Addy, my darling Addy!’ he repeated over and over again, stroking her hair, her neck, her arms, as one does to a child crying for protection from some nameless horror. Even though Adrienne’s whole body, from shoulders right down to her legs was pressed deeply into his, her full breasts crushed against his chest, he felt no desire other than the burning wish to help, calm and console her and bring her back to the world. He prayed that she would understand him, trust him, realize once and for all that he was her friend, for ever on her side against the whole world. For a long, long time they remained entwined together in the chaste embrace of orphans, brother and sister, abandoned and having only each other for comfort.
‘Forgive me! Forgive me!’ She put up her hands to arrange her hair which had once again fallen about her shoulders with some strands, wet from her tears, clinging to her face. ‘I am very ashamed … I’ve never …’
Balint was very moved. He did not know what to say, how to reply, so he took her hand and kissed it, saying:
‘Addy! My little monster! My darling Addy!’
Adrienne managed a mirthless gallant little smile.
‘Yes,’ she said. ‘You are right! You have to leave tonight?’
‘I must, alas! This has been marvellous, hasn’t it?’