"Please come as soon as possible, my dear Henry. I am eagerly awaiting your arrival. The southern part of Hungary is beautiful and charming, and will surely attract an engineer. You will be well worth your time. Sincerely wish you! Mark Vidal" Yes, I have no regrets about this trip.But do I need to speak out for everyone to share?Or is it better not to mention a word?In fact, who would believe it? I think even the Prussian Wilhelm Hofmann of Königsberg, "The Gates of Despair," "King Tracio," "The Chains of Fate," "Night Tour of St. Sylvester" ", I am afraid that he would not dare to publish this novel, and Edgar Allan Poe did not have the courage to include it in "Weird Tales".

My brother Marc, although only 28 years old, was quite popular in the salons as a portrait painter.He was awarded the Gold Medal and the rosette of an officer of the Order of Honor, and for that he was fully deserved.Among the portrait painters of his time, he was outstanding and independent, and Bona was very pleased and proud to have such a disciple. Unlimited tenderness and family affection have closely linked our two brothers together.I have a little paternal affection for him because I am 5 years his senior.Both of our parents passed away when we were young.As the eldest brother, I take on the responsibility of raising and educating my younger brother.Because he has shown amazing talent for painting since he was a child, I intend to cultivate his hobby in this area, and I am convinced that he will achieve outstanding achievements.

But this was only the eve of Marc's independent creative path, which sometimes encountered "blocks"--a word one readily borrows from the vocabulary of modern technology.If it was written by an engineer from the Northern Company, what is the fuss about? Now, Mark is getting married soon.He has lived in Raz, a major town in southern Hungary, for some time.He first spent several weeks in Budapest, where he painted several very successful portraits and earned a fortune.He was deeply moved by the enthusiasm of the Hungarian people for artists, especially French artists.After leaving Budapest, he did not take the train to Gedien, where there was a branch line to Raz, but took a boat along the Danube to Raz.

In Raz, Dr. Rothlicz's family was one of the most prominent families in all of Hungary.His family is rich, coupled with his superb medical skills, practicing medicine has also brought him a lot of wealth.Every year, he spends a month traveling all over France, Italy and Germany.Patients, rich or poor, waited anxiously for his return.Because he never refused to heal the poor.He is generous and generous, and his reputation spreads far and wide. The Rothlich family consisted of the doctor, his wife, son Captain Haralan and daughter Mira.Mark often visits the family.He couldn't resist the young girl's elegance, couldn't help but be moved by her passion and beauty.Probably, this is the reason why he stayed in Laz and never returned.All in all, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Mira Routledge delighted Mark, and so did my brother, who delighted Meera Routledge.He totally deserves it!yes!This is an upright young man, of medium height, with a pair of piercing blue eyes, chestnut hair, and a poetic forehead.I have no doubt that a solid instinct led him to choose the young Hungarian woman as his wife.

Through the passionate descriptions in Mark's letters, I got to know Mira Routledge, and I couldn't wait to get to know her in person.Mark asked me to come to Raz as the head of the family for at least five or six weeks.His fiancée - as he reiterated to me - was also eager to see me... only when I arrived would they be able to set a date for the wedding.Before that, Mira wanted to see for herself the uncle whom people admired so much—look! ... She has to judge for herself what kind of family she will enter into ... Yes, only after Mark introduces Henry to her can she finally marry ... and so on and so on! ...

All this, Henry tirelessly recounted in his letters, I felt that he was madly in love with Miss Mira Routledge. As I said, I only met the teenage girl through Mark's warm words.In fact, she just needs to dress up beautifully, put on a graceful posture, and stand in front of the camera, and that's it. It's a very simple thing.If Mark sent me a picture of her, wouldn't I be able to admire her beauty? ... Ah, no!Mark didn't want to... Mark said she would stand in front of me alive in person and dazzle me.So, I don't think Mark would have insisted on her being photographed! ……No!The two of them insisted that the engineer Henri Vidal put aside his affairs and show up in the Rötlichs' living room, all dressed up.

Do you still need to spend so much time trying to persuade me?You don't have to.I will never refuse to attend my brother's wedding.Before Miss Meera becomes my sister-in-law, I will soon be in Raz as promised. Besides, as Mark pointed out in his letter, I would love to know that this trip was a good way to see that part of Hungary that attracts so many tourists.There is a place where the Magyars live, which is very legendary. The locals have repeatedly rebelled against the Germans. It occupies an important position in the history of Central Europe. As for the journey, I made the following arrangements: go by the Danube and return by train.In this way, I can sail on that beautiful river by boat in Vienna. Even if I can't enjoy the beautiful scenery of 2,790 kilometers along the way, at least I can enjoy the two countries of Austria and Hungary. Erg, Budapest to Raz in Serbia, the most relaxing river.Raz, will be the end of my journey, I don't have time to visit all the cities on both sides of the Danube.The Danube passes between Varasi and Moldavi in ​​Turkey and Bessarabi in the Kingdom of Bulgaria. After flowing through the famous Iron Gate Gorge, it passes through Vidin, Nicopoli, Ruschuk and Sili Sterry, Braila, and Galatz finally flow into the Black Sea in three branches.How many beautiful towns on both sides of the river have been nourished by its rich water flow!

As I planned, six weeks would be enough to complete such a journey, spending half a month between Paris and Raz. Mira Rotelich will not be too impatient and will definitely give me this time to visit. Fan.Then spend half a month with my brother, and finally spend the same amount of time back in France. I asked Northern Company for leave and was granted.After dealing with a few urgent matters and processing a few documents that Zimak needs, I am ready to set off. Preparations don't take much time.My luggage is extremely simple, a small suitcase in my hand, a bag on my shoulder, that's all.

I don't have to worry about the language barrier at all.I have traveled to the northern provinces and know a little bit of German.Furthermore, it should not be difficult to understand Magyar.Besides, French is more prevalent in Hungary—at least in high society, and my brother never had any language difficulties outside of Austria. "You are French, and you enjoy citizenship on Hungarian soil," a Hungarian member of parliament said to a French compatriot of mine. These friendly words revealed the Magyar people's deep affection for the French nation. In my last reply to Mark I asked him to pass on Miss Myra Rotlich, who I was as impatient as the future brother-in-law was to see the future sister-in-law, and so on.I'm leaving right away, but I can't fix a date for reaching Laz, because I might linger on the "Blue Danube" performed by a famous waltz.I'm about to go.If the Rothlichs agreed, and Mark had no objection, they could fix a date for the beginning of May.I wrote again: Please don't blame me if I don't write to tell me which city I'm in when I'm traveling.I write now and then, just to reckon for Miss Mira how far I am from her hometown... Anyway.If necessary, I will send a telegram, simply and plainly, giving me the date and hour of arrival at Raz.Even minutes, if it can be that precise.

Since I can only take the boat in Vienna, I applied to the Secretary-General of the Oriental Company for a regular passport, which allows me to stop at any station on the road from Paris to Vienna.This is purely a business transaction between companies, and I have not encountered any difficulties with my application. The day before departure, April 4, I went to the Secretary General's office to collect my passport and bid him farewell.After issuing my passport, he congratulated me, saying that he knew that I was going to Hungary on this trip, and that my younger brother Mark Vidal was getting married. He knew that Mark was a famous painter and a well-known social person in the high society. .

"I also understand that the Rothlich family that your brother is about to enter is the most prestigious family in Raz." "Has anyone talked to you about this?" I asked him. "Yes, to be precise, yesterday, at the gala hosted by the Austrian ambassador." "Who told you? . . . " "An officer of the Budapest garrison. He had been in the company of my brother in the Hungarian capital. He spoke highly of his brother, saying that he had been treated with the same kind of hospitality in Raz as he had done in Budapest, presumably. You know all this so well that it won't surprise you, my dear Vidal..." "And that officer has no shortage of good things to say about the Rotelichs? . . . " I asked. "Of course. The doctor's reputation spread throughout the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Everyone respected him as a man. In short, it was a happy marriage, because Miss Mira Rotelich was also a peerless beauty..." "My dear friend, I may assure you that Mark thinks she is as beautiful as a fairy, and is infatuated with her!" I said again. "Great, dear Vidal, please convey my best wishes to your brother. But... there is one thing... I don't know if I should tell you..." "tell me what?……" "Mark didn't mention it to you. A few months before he came to Raz..." "Before he came to Raz? . . . " I wondered. "Yes...Miss Mira Rotlich...It seems, my dear Vidal, that my brother may not know anything about it..." "Tell me, dear friend, I don't know, Mark never hinted at me..." "Well, it seems that—and this is not surprising—Miss Rothlich has been courted by many people, and one person in particular, certainly not the first, who has been sincerely in love with her. At least, my embassy I was told so by an officer friend of mine, who was in Budapest three weeks ago." "That rival..." "He was flatly rebuffed by Dr. Rothlich. I don't think there's any need to be alarmed..." "There's nothing to worry about, because if there is something, Mark will definitely mention that rival in the letter. Since he didn't mention a word, it seems that the matter is insignificant..." "That's true, my dear Vidal. However, there have been some gossips about that figure's proposal to Miss Rothlich, and you'd better know..." "Perhaps, since it didn't come out of nothing, it would be great if you could tell me..." "Yes, the news is absolutely true..." "It's a good thing it's over," I said. "That's all that matters." I'm going to say goodbye. "By the way, my dear friend," I asked, "has your officer friend told you the name of your rival?" "Tell me." "what is his name?……" "William Storitz." "William Storitz? . . . but the chemist's son?" "Exactly." "It is the scholar who is famous for his inventions in physiology! . . . " "Germany is proud of it, dear Vidal." "Hasn't he passed away?" "Yes, a few years ago, but his son is still alive. He, according to my friend, this William Stolitz is not simple, a worrying character, and one should be careful..." "We'll be on our guard, my dear friend, until the day that Mira Routledge becomes Mrs. Mark Vidal." At this point in the conversation, I will no longer inquire about other news.We shook hands amicably and said goodbye, and I returned home to finish the final preparations before departure.