orkeny_toth family by Unknown Author

Author:Unknown Author
Language: eng
Format: epub

CHAPTER TWO

Major Varro slept till late afternoon.

Mariska and Agi were scurrying about—cooking, baking, sewing, and washing—while the master of the house received callers. Many who had missed the triumphant march at noon crowded in to catch a glimpse of the esteemed visitor. Toth propelled them quietly, on tiptoe, to the major’s bedroom, where the door had been left ajar.

“Come on, take a look,” he whispered to the curious group.

He did not rush them. Anyone could stare at the sleeping major as long as he wished. Among the visitors were the schoolteacher, Miss Bakos, the local pastor, Father Tomaji, Sandor Soskuty, the engineer, and many other leading citizens. The last of them was Lorinc, a railroadman and Toth’s next door neighbor. Everyone thought they were close friends because they’d worked on the railroad together, but, in reality, Lorinc was jealous of Toth.

Some years ago he had been injured as the result of a faulty train shunting, and his unpleasant personality had gotten worse after his accident. For months his whole upper torso, except his left arm, had been in a cast, and, after it was removed, an irritating itch remained. Beware the fury of a man with an itch! When the major arrived, Lorinc caused quite a stir by ostentatiously pulling down all the shades in his house. But now he not only put in an appearance, he even brought along a bottle of Mountain Rose Wine. He hoped to find the major awake, thinking they might sit down and drink some wine together and gradually become friends. Then, maybe he could lure the distinguished man away from Toth to his own house. But he was no luckier than the others. He got no farther than the door of the major’s bedroom where he stopped and gaped. Frankly, there wasn’t much to see. From where he stood there was nothing visible other than the bare sole of the major’s right foot sticking out from under the blanket. Still, he was overwhelmed.

“What a nice tiny foot he has!” he remarked.

“It’s a perfectly normal foot,” Toth retorted, growing suspicious.

“I’m not saying it’s not normal!” whispered his envious neighbor.

“It certainly sounded that way.”

“Well, I didn’t mean it that way,” Lorinc protested. He was the kind who couldn’t hide his nasty nature very well. “I was a bit surprised that’s all. I never knew a human foot could look like that.”

“Like what?”

“Forget it! I never said a word!” he said, beating a fast retreat. “His feet are perfectly normal.”

“Stop this nonsense! Let me tell you Lorinc, every major has feet like that.” Toth went on berating his neighbor as he pushed him out the door.

But the bad seed had been sown. Later Toth returned to the room, peered in, and examined his guest’s foot with deep concentration. He viewed it as if it had been an independent entity and not part of a human body. But a part of what, then? Maybe it belonged to a lizard or some other cold-blooded creature or perhaps a

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