CHAPTER TWENTY-ONEThe festivities at the Pilvax that night had a carnival air about them; Petöfi and the other leaders of the day’s demonstrations were being fêted as heroes, and they were exultant.
I noticed two things at once: Lajos was not there; and Alexandru was, sitting a little apart and looking thoughtful. His face lit up as soon as he saw us — and clouded when he realized Katalin was not with us. I knew I was going to have to speak to him immediately, whatever Mattias might think, but to my surprise it was Mattias himself who, taking my arm in a firm grip, said, “Let’s go over here — I want a word with Zarescu.”
I rather hoped he didn’t also want to fight. Alex stood up a little stiffly as we approached him, but Mattias immediately startled him — and me — by holding out his hand
