They Were Divided - Miklos Banffy [108]
All this flashed through his mind, and his heart constricted with pain.
And then the unexpected happened.
Roza Abady touched Adrienne’s sleeve with her left hand and in gentle tones said, ‘Why, Adrienne! Didn’t you see me?’
The younger woman turned, startled by something so unexpected. For a moment she was lost for words, but she quickly recovered herself, greeted the old lady in her turn and lifted Countess Roza’s hand to her lips. There was more in this spontaneous gesture than the mere politeness of a younger woman for an older, for in those days grown women kissed old ladies’ hands only if they were close relations. In Adrienne’s gesture gratitude was almost equally blended with humility. Then, across the table, she greeted Balint, who had risen when she turned towards them.
Countess Roza waved to Balint’s empty chair and said, ‘Won’t you join us? We’re rather squeezed, but do come and sit with us … or are you with friends?’
‘Thank you. I’d love to for a moment if I may. I just came in to get something.’
Adrienne spoke hesitantly in rather an embarrassed tone, but the old lady was completely calm and as cheerful as if nothing had ever come between them. She even seemed happy, and indeed she was happy because her desire to play the role of the gracious royal lady always surged up in her whenever she had a chance of giving, and especially when that gift would be unexpected and surprising, and appear to come from the great height of her queenly throne. In her happiness now there was also mingled a real element of goodness as well as a certain faint and forgiving irony for the obvious embarrassment of her son as well as that of Adrienne, though she was careful not to let any of this appear. She rambled on naturally – perhaps indeed almost too volubly – so as to help the others regain their equanimity, telling Adrienne all about Abbazia and how she had spent the winter there, and then asking for news of Adrienne’s father, Akos Miloth, of her sister Margit, and even of her little girl Clemmie who she had heard was at school in Switzerland – so sensible to have her brought up there!
‘I came here to buy her some chocolates,’ said Adrienne, ‘and also some for the head-mistress and her room-mother. I always do, every time I come back, just to show how much I appreciate them.’
Then, apparently without any reason, she added, ‘I only just arrived – on the five o’clock train this afternoon,’ and Balint wondered if she said this so as to show that she had known nothing of the Abadys’ movements and so had not contrived this meeting in collusion with him.
They exchanged a few more words and then Adrienne got up and said goodbye, disappearing into the throng of busy shoppers at the counter. A little later they saw her go out carrying three parcels. As Adrienne passed near Countess Roza she bowed her head gracefully to the old lady … and in her eyes Balint could catch the glint of tears.
A quarter of an hour later Balint took his mother back to her hotel. They walked in silence and they did not speak, even when they separated in the great hallway of the Hungaria, except merely to confirm what they were doing that evening. Balint was anxious to look in at the Casino to hear all the latest news. When they said goodbye he kissed her hand but held it in his for a fraction longer than usual. Countess Abady patted her son’s cheek with her chubby little hand.
These two almost imperceptible gestures were all that was needed to mark the gratitude of the son and the acknowledgement of reconciliation by the mother. It was enough for both of them.
When Balint arrived the Casino was crowded. Storms were brewing