The petition was begun three times, and as often torn in pieces. Panna
wanted it to be very energetic, very vehement. The gardener softened
the passionate expressions and suppressed the violent appeals. Of
course he was not a practised writer, and he had serious difficulty in
putting his thoughts into the correct form. But at last the
composition was accomplished, and Panna read it ten times in succession
till she knew every letter by heart. Her influence had been more
dominant than the gardener's, and the petition was still very forcible.
In awkward, but simple, impressive language, it accused the judge of
partiality, described Abonyi and his crime in the darkest colors,
quoted the cases of the shooting of Marczi and the hanging of Bandi,
and finally demanded for Molnar's death the death of his murderer.
With this document Panna again went to Ofen, and this time she really
obtained the audience. The whole scene affected her soul like some
strange, wonderful face beheld in a dream. First she waited in the
ante-room, among hundreds of other persons, most of whom were dressed
in splendid uniforms, and covered with the stars of orders.
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