"Michel Anchal is here also!" roared the terrified Albanians, falling back aghast, and creating a panic among those behind them by declaring that they were surrounded.
At these tidings, the Turkish host, hara.s.sed from before and behind, resolved itself into a disorderly ma.s.s, on which, at break of day, the Hungarian infantry began rolling enormous ma.s.ses of stone and rock.
Ali Pasha attempted first on one side and then on another to break through the enemy"s lines, but was everywhere driven back with fearful loss by the missiles hurled down from above. The boldest warriors, who had fought man to man in a hundred battles, fled back pale and trembling before the thundering ma.s.ses of rock, which so completely smashed everything that came in their way that horse and rider were undistinguishable.
Ali Pasha tore his beard in impotent rage on perceiving that he and all his host were at the mercy of an army even now much weaker than his own.
"There is neither help nor refuge, save with the Most High G.o.d!" cried he, breaking his sword in twain in his despair; and drawing out his pistols, he pointed them at his own heart.
At that moment a hand s.n.a.t.c.hed his weapons from him, and Ali Pasha saw Zulfikar before him.
"What wouldst thou do, madman?" cried he. "Thou wouldst not have me fall into the hands of the unbelievers?"
"I would deliver you and your host out of their hands," said Zulfikar.
"By the shadow of Allah, thou dost speak brave words, and if thou couldst but do as thou sayst, I would make thee the foremost of my captains."
"I desire no such honour. Promise me a thousand ducats, and send me as a messenger to Banfi."
"So that thou mayst betray my position to him, eh! thou cur?"
"I"ve no need to do that. He can see it for himself from yon hill-top.
You are as good as dead and buried already, so that you have no choice but to trust to me. You may hold out for a couple of days perhaps; but then you and your bravest heroes must perish with hunger just like me.
We are all in the same evil case, there is nothing to choose between any of us."
"And what wouldst thou do, wretched slave?"
"Induce Banfi to withdraw his troops from the road leading to Kalota, and thus leave us a loophole of escape."
"And dost thou think that possible?"
"It may, or it may not be so. Where death is certain, a man cares not what he risks. If I can speak to Banfi this evening, you may be able to escape the same night. If I succeed, well. If not, we shall be no worse off than we are now."
"The fellow speaks boldly. Do as thou dost desire. I"ll trust thee.
Allah alone reads the secrets of the heart. Go!"
Zulfikar laid down his arms, and went all alone down to the narrow pa.s.s leading to Kalota. When he came to the Hungarian outposts, his eyes fell upon rows of dead Turks who had been hung up on the trees along the wayside. This sight did not appear to disturb the renegade in the least.
He stepped boldly among the Magyars, and as they seized him, said quickly to them in the purest Hungarian--
"Bring me to Denis Banfi. I am his spy!"
"You lie!" cried they. "Sling him up."
"I can prove it," continued Zulfikar, with a loud voice, and taking a neatly-folded parchment out of his turban, he handed it to the captain.
The letter contained these words--
"I, Gregory Soter, hereby declare to all the commanders of the Hungarian troops that Zulfikar, the bearer of this letter, is my faithful war-spy.
Let him pa.s.s free everywhere."
The captain gave back the letter, not without grumbling, and bade two of his soldiers lead Zulfikar to Banfi, but they were to cut him down at once if the general did not acknowledge him. However, at the first glance Banfi recognized in him Pongracz, Bala.s.sa"s former servant, and motioned to his men to leave them alone together.
"So you have turned Turk?" said Banfi.
"This is no time for questions, my lord. "Tis for me to speak, and to the point. I"ll be brief, if you"ll let me. Emerich Bala.s.sa expelled me from his house when he learnt that I had helped you to abduct Azrael."
"Good!" said Banfi, contracting his brows. "The girl has flown from me too--whither, I know not."
"Yes, my lord, you do; and the worst of it is, others know it also.
Close to the Gradina Dracului there is a habitation among the rocks, and there she dwells."
"Silence!" cried Banfi, aghast. "How know you that?"
"Bala.s.sa has lodged a complaint with the Prince about the abduction of the girl. The matter is not such a trifle as you imagine. Azrael is the Sultan"s daughter, who, after being betrothed to Ali Pasha, was carried off by Corsar Beg, whom Bala.s.sa"s poison alone saved from the silken cord, while Bala.s.sa himself has become a homeless vagabond because of her. She has been the ruin of all who ever possessed her. It is your turn now. The Prince having promised the disgraced Ladislaus Csaky everything he likes to ask, if only he can ferret out the girl"s hiding-place, Csaky slyly commissioned the Patrol-officer to make inquiries among the people whether a panther had been seen anywhere in the woods, for he well knew that it is the habit of this wild beast to roam about in search of prey. Its track led them to the rocky retreat, the girl has been seen, and everything discovered."
"Devils and h.e.l.l!" cried Banfi, turning pale.
"Listen further. Csaky communicated his plan to Ali Pasha, and it was agreed between them that while the Pasha attacked Banfi-Hunyad, Csaky with two thousand Wallachs was to scour the mountains under the pretext of a hunt, and storm the Devil"s Garden."
"What infernal villainy!" cried Banfi, striking his sword with his fist.
"It is just possible, my lord, that you might still arrive in time,"
added the renegade insidiously, "if you do not stay here too long."
"We"ll be off at once," cried Banfi, pale with rage. "I"ll teach these lickspittlers to invade the domains of a free n.o.bleman at the very moment when he himself is fighting against the enemies of his country. A few hundred men will be sufficient to keep Ali Pasha in check from this side. With the rest I wager I"ll be able to pull Master Ladislaus Csaky out by the ears if I catch him trespa.s.sing."
And immediately Banfi commanded his men to set out for Marisel as swiftly and as silently as possible, and bade the little band he left behind him light many large fires in the wood, so as to make the enemy believe that the whole host was bivouacking there, while he himself hastened towards the imperilled hiding-place. To Zulfikar he paid five hundred gold pieces for his timely warning.
The same night Ali Pasha fell with his whole host upon the two or three hundred Hungarians whom Banfi had left behind him; scattered them after a brief resistance, and hastened back to Grosswardein, swallowing as best he could the indignity of a great defeat, for he left behind him two thousand dead, and the whole of his baggage.
From him too Zulfikar received the covenanted one thousand gold pieces, thus doing a service to the Turks and to the Hungarians at the same time, and making both of them pay him for his pains.
CHAPTER V.
THE BANQUET TRIBUNAL.
The blast of hunting-horns resounded from the Batrina Mountains, the hubbub of the chase came nearer and nearer; a group of well-dressed, well-mounted gentlemen led the way, and at their head rode Count Ladislaus Csaky.
"After him! after him!" resounded on all sides, and the pack were already in full cry, when the cavalcade, emerging from the thicket into an open glade, suddenly encountered another party coming from the opposite direction, in whose leader they all recognized Denis Banfi.
Csaky with considerable confusion called the beaters back.
Banfi rode up to the group with an ironical smile.
"Welcome, gentlemen, to my domains. Delighted, I"m sure, at my great good fortune. Probably you have lost your way; but, if not, you are my guests, and consequently doubly welcome. But, pray, why do you stare at me so wildly? You really remind me of the Hindoo proverb, which says, He who beats the woods for a stag, oftentimes falls in with a lion."