Read They Were Found Wanting Online

Authors: Miklos Banffy

They Were Found Wanting (79 page)

And so ended an era in which nothing whatever had been achieved. The balance sheet consisted only of omissions, the worst of which had been the defence of the nation. Four years had been lost; and Hungary was now less prepared even than Italy or insignificant little Serbia.

The express had long since left the Danube. Evening came and Balint found himself still staring through the darkening light onto a sad, sooty, seemingly endless plain. The first snows had melted and it had then frozen again. The train rushed northwards across ice-covered fields. The smoke from the engine swirled overhead and from time to time, whenever the stoker opened the furnace door, bright red glowing sparks were reflected on the frozen earth outside.

In half an hour he would arrive, get out, seat himself in the
carriage
which had been sent for him; and in another half-hour he would be at the Szent-Gyorgyis’ country place where he would do what he had promised in the telegram he had that morning sent to Adrienne;

It had been his only reply to her letter, and read:


A
T NOON TODAY I AM LEAVING FOR JABLANKA AS
YOU HAVE ORDERED ME TO DO


Translators’
note
: This last phrase seems to be a Freudian slip on the author’s part for though it hardly makes sense in relation to Balint and Adrienne, it may possibly be an unconscious echo of an important moment in Miklós Bánffy’s own life when he found himself obliged to renounce his love for the well-known actress, Aranka Varady. Some years later, after his father’s death, they married and Katalin Bánffy-Jelen is their daughter.

Copyright
 
 

First published in English in 2000
by Arcadia Books Books, 15-16 Nassau Street, London, W1W 7AB

 

This ebook edition first published in 2011

 

All rights reserved
© Miklós Bánffy, 1937
© Translation from the Hungarian, Patrick Thursfield and Katalin Bánffy-Jelen, 2000

 

The right of Miklós Bánffy to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

 

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly

 

ISBN 978–1–908129–03–1

 
 

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