The Elopement by Alexander Petöfi
Andrew von Csornay, an old man, bids farewell to his young wife Anna, who is secretly arranging to elope early the next morning, while he goes to his club and wins a game of chess with a triumphant "Checkmate" — unaware that he has himself been checkmated in life, since Anna is his wife and Carl is his nephew. In the little village, gossip spreads about the elopement of Madame Andrew with her nephew, Carl von Csornay; some blame old Andrew for marrying so young and beautiful a girl, others pity him and fear the scandal and grief may kill him. Meanwhile Carl and Anna meet in Pesth. As their carriage nears the hotel, another carriage passes, and Anna screams in terror, fearing they have been seen; the passenger is a merchant from their home town. Carl hopes the merchant will "lose his eyesight," and both wrap themselves in their cloaks. Once safely in their hotel room, Carl reassures Anna that the merchant did not recognize them, or he would have spoken to them. Carl declares Anna now belongs to him wholly — her brown hair, red lips, black eyes, swan-like neck — and Anna affirms she belongs to him. They are happy for a time, but the intoxication of sensual love fades, and they awaken to the realization that they have no money and nothing to eat. At that moment a stranger knocks and enters, asking for Carl von Csornay by name. Carl, confused and frightened, believes they have been discovered. The stranger asks Carl to sign a paper, announces he will return in exactly one year, and departs. The paper proves to be a draft for a large sum of money, enough to let the lovers live in luxury for a year; the money is paid to them promptly. Anna and Carl marvel at this seemingly miraculous provision, likening it to manna from Heaven, and conclude the merchant must not have recognized them after all — otherwise he would surely have told old Andrew. They comfort themselves that at year's end the stranger will return with more money, as he promised. Six months after Anna's departure, a young man — Carl — appears suddenly at old Andrew von Csornay's home, his face marked by suffering and desperate resolve. Andrew has just returned from his club in a melancholy mood, uncertain whether it is from his wife's disappearance or from having been beaten again at chess by the priest. Seeing Carl, the old man turns white and trembling and sinks into his chair. Carl seizes his hand, begging forgiveness and offering to do anything to make amends. Andrew asks where "the woman" is; Carl answers that she is not there, and the old man breathes a sigh of relief. Carl then confesses the whole story, asking to be pitied rather than avenged: his happiness did not last, and he lived in a virtual hell, for though Anna has the face of an angel, all manner of devils dwell in her heart — she is the worst-tempered woman he has ever known, and he could not bear it, so he ran away and left her. Andrew replies that he pities Carl but that Carl in turn should pity him, since Anna stayed with Carl only six months, whereas she stayed with Andrew a full year. Carl is astonished that Andrew, too, suffered so, since everyone believed them happy. Andrew explains that no one saw what passed between them alone, and that when he learned of the elopement he actually blessed Carl, since no one could have done him a greater kindness. He reveals that, as soon as the merchant told him where the pair were, he himself sent Carl the yearly allowance — so that Carl would have no inclination to return and no want of money to hinder him from staying away. The text ends here, mid-conversation, without further resolution.
By Alexander Petöfi · First published 1921 · Genre: Satire, Romantic Satire, Psychological Fiction · 1,273 words
First lines
"But where shall we go?"
"To Buda Pesth."
Similar titles
- Mr Incouls Misadventure by Edgar Saltus
- Tales Sketches Of Young Couples by Charles Dickens
- A Wayside Comedy by Rudyard Kipling
- The Ladies by Rudyard Kipling
- The Love Affair Of George Vincent Parker by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- The Belle Of The Season by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Genres
- Satire — The work is fundamentally satirical, using ironic reversal and mockery to critique romantic love and marriage—particularly through the revelation that both the uncle and nephew suffered equally from the same woman, subverting the expected tragic elopement narrative.
- Romantic Satire — The elopement and passionate declarations are central to the plot, but the romantic elements are deliberately undercut by the ironic disillusionment that follows, creating a satirical commentary specifically on romantic idealization versus reality.
- Psychological Fiction — The work explores the inner states of the characters—their initial passion, rapid disillusionment, and psychological suffering—revealing how romantic infatuation and reality diverge in the human mind.
- Tragicomedy — The narrative combines tragic elements (social scandal, emotional devastation, broken marriage) with comedic irony (the absurdity that both men desperately wanted the same escape), creating a darkly humorous tone.
Tags
romantic · love · adventure · escape · passion · drama · Hungarian literature · 19th century · poetry · narrative · emotional · coming-of-age
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The Elopement is listed on Textopian as a short story by Alexander Petöfi, dated 1921 CE.
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- Work type: Short story
- Author: Alexander Petöfi
- Date: 1921 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Romantic Satire, Psychological Fiction, Tragicomedy, Social Commentary
- Length: 1,273 words
- Structure: 1 section, 52 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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