JOHN ARANY 221 the oak-clad plains. At length he reached the marshy district of Ecsed and crossed the bridge, where he met a gendarme, who looked with some suspicion upon the poor wanderer. But Arany's troubles were not yet over. The way to his native village of Szalonta led across the hot, sandy plains straight to Debreczen. But he would not for the world meet any of his former professors or fellow-students. How condescendingly they would pity him if they knew that after surrendering his rank as a college student to become astrolling player, he had been unsuccessful. He dared not go near the college but passed along the back streets. His store of food was exhausted, and bodily fatigue was added to the grief and shame which tortured him. When he came to the houses of country pastors, which were always open to travellers, he was afraid to put his hand to the latch lest the pastor should ask him, "What are you doing here, you tramp ? " He felt keenly in his own person all the misery of home- lessness which he afterwards described so vividly in the story of Nicholas Toldi. How strange is life ! A few years later another young actor was wandering through the same district. He too had given up a college career and obtained in exchange a life full of privations. He tramped along, but although he was hungry, ill, and cold, a prophecy of future great- ness gleamed in his large bright eyes. This second actor, who later on became Arany's most intimate friend and his equal in genius, was Alexander Petőfi. At last, after two days' walking, Arany arrived at Szalonta. His relatives and friends met him either with reproaches or with sarcasm. His less intimate acquaintances regarded him with suspicion. Digitized by Microsoft ®
