For some minutes their courage remained unshaken; but after that they ceased to boast, and began to look at each other in silent consternation, while their faces grew paler every instant. At last one or two rose and stood aloof; the others followed their example, and some grinding their teeth with rage, others chattering with terror, they all began to leave the room.
Only two remained beside the cask: Numa, who stood with his arms folded, leaning against the foot of the bed; and Lupuj, who was sitting on the rim of the cask with his back turned to the danger, and smoking furiously.
As soon as they were alone, the latter glanced behind him, and saw that the flame was within an inch of the powder.
"I"ll tell you what, Decurio," he said, springing up: "we are only two left, don"t let us make fools of each other; let us come to an understanding on this matter."
"If you are tired of waiting, I can press the match lower."
"This is no jest, Numa; you are risking your own life. How can you wish to send us both to h.e.l.l for the sake of a pale girl? But I"ll tell you what--I"ll give her up to you if you will only promise that she shall be mine when you are tired of her."
"Remain here and win her--if you dare."
"To what purpose?" said the Wallachian, in a whining voice; and in his impatience he began to tear his clothes and stamp with his feet, like a petted child.
"What I have said stands good," said the Decurio; "whoever remains longest has the sole right to the lady."
"Well, I will stay, of course; but what do I gain by it? I know you will stay too, and then the devil will have us both; and I speak not only for myself when I say I do not wish that."
"If you do not wish it, you had better be gone."
"Well, I don"t care--if you will give me a golden mark."
"Not the half: stay if you like it."
"Decurio, this is madness! The flame will reach the powder immediately."
"I see it."
"Well, say a dollar."
"Not a whit."
"May the seventy-seven limbed thunderbolt strike you on St. Michael"s day!" roared the Wallachian fiercely, as he rushed to the door; but after he had gone out, he once more thrust his head in and cried:--
"Will you give even a florin? I am not gone yet."
"Nor have I removed the match; you may come back."
The Wallachian slammed the door, and ran for his life, till exhausted and breathless he sank under a tree, where he lay with his tunic over his head, and his ears covered with his hands, only now and then raising his head nervously, to listen for the awful explosion which was to blow up the world.
Meanwhile Numa coolly removed the match, which was entirely burnt down; and throwing it into the grate, he stepped over to the bed, and whispered in the young girl"s ear: "You are free!"
Tremblingly she raised herself in the bed, and taking the Decurio"s large and sinewy hands within her own, she murmured: "Be merciful! O hear my prayer, and kill me!"
The Decurio stroked the fair head of the lovely suppliant.
"Poor child!" he replied gently, "you have nothing to fear; n.o.body will hurt you now."
"You have saved me from these fearful people--now save me from yourself!"
"You have nothing to fear from me," replied the Dacian proudly; "I fight for liberty alone, and you may rest as securely within my threshold as on the steps of the altar. When I am absent you need have no anxiety, for these walls are impregnable; and if any one should dare offend you by the slightest look, that moment shall be the last of his mortal career. And when I am at home you have nothing to fear, for woman"s image never dwelt within my heart. Accept my poor couch, and may your rest be sweet!--Imre Bardy slept on it last night."
"Imre!" exclaimed the girl, starting. "You have seen him, then?--oh!
where is he?"
The Decurio hesitated. "He should not have delayed so long," he murmured, pressing his hand against his brow; "all would have been otherwise."
"Oh! let me go to him, if you know where he is."
"I do not know; but I am certain that he will come here if he is alive--indeed, he must come."
"Why do you think that?"
"Because he will seek you."
"Did he then speak--before you?"
"As he lay wounded on that couch, he p.r.o.nounced your name in his dreams. Are you not that Jolanka Bardy whom they call "The angel"? I knew you by your golden locks."
The young girl cast down her eyes. "Then you think he will come?" she said in a low voice. "And my relations?"
"He will come as soon as possible; and now you must take some food and rest. Do not think about your relations now; they are all in a safe place--n.o.body can hurt them more."
The Decurio brought some refreshment, laid a small prayer-book on the pillow, and left the orphan by herself.
The poor girl opened the prayer-book, and her tears fell like rain-drops on the blessed page; but, overcome by the fatigue and terror she had undergone, her head ere long sank gently back, and she slept calmly and sweetly the sleep of exhausted innocence.
As evening closed, the Decurio returned; and, softly approaching the bed, looked long and earnestly at the fair sleeper"s face, until two large tears stood unconsciously in his eyes.
The Roumin hastily brushed away the unwonted moisture; and as if afraid of the feeling which had stolen into his breast, he hastened from the room, and laid himself upon his woollen rug before the open door.
The deserted castle still burned on, shedding a ghastly light on the surrounding landscape, while the deepest silence reigned around, only broken now and then by an expiring groan, or the hoa.r.s.e song of a drunken reveller.
Day was beginning to dawn, as a troop of hors.e.m.e.n galloped furiously towards the castle from the direction of Kolozsvar.
They were Imre and his comrades.
Silently and anxiously they pursued their course, their eyes fixed upon one point, as they seemed to fly rather than gallop along the road.
"We are too late!" exclaimed one of the party at last, pointing to a dim red smoke against the horizon; "your castle is burning!"
Without returning an answer, Imre spurred his panting horse to a swifter pace. A turn in the road suddenly brought the castle to their view, its blackened walls still burning, while the red smoke rose high against the side of the hill.
The young man uttered a fierce cry of despair, and galloped madly down the declivity. In less than a quarter of an hour he stood before the ruined walls.