"I can prove it," continued Zulfikar, firmly, took a folded letter out of his turban and gave it to the captain.
In the letter were these words. "I, Gregory Sotar, inform the captains that the bearer of this letter, Zulfikar, is my faithful war spy. He is to be allowed free pa.s.s everywhere." The captain gave back the letter sullenly and motioned to two soldiers to lead him to Banfy, and in case the latter did not recognize him, strike him down at once.
Banfy recognized him at the first glance as Pongracz, once servant of Bala.s.sa, and motioned to his servant to leave him alone with him.
"So you have turned Turk?" Banfy asked.
"Do not ask, my lord, I have a great deal to say beside that. Let me tell my story quietly to the end and I will be brief. Emerich Bala.s.sa turned me out of his house when he learned that I had a.s.sisted you in carrying off Azraele."
"Good," said Banfy, contracting his eyebrows. "The girl has fled from me too and I do not know where she has gone."
"I do, my lord. But the worst of it is that there are others who know too. Near Gregyina-Drakuluj there is a hidden dwelling among the rocks that is her property."
"Still," cried Banfy, frightened. "How do you know that?"
"Bala.s.sa entered a complaint to the Prince that his wife had been stolen. The affair is not so trifling as you think. Azraele is the Sultan"s daughter, who was betrothed to Ali and carried off by Corsar.
Bala.s.sa"s poison alone saved Corsar from a silken rope, while Bala.s.sa has given up his native land for the sake of the girl. This woman has brought misfortune to everybody who has rejoiced in the possession of her. Now it is your turn. After the Prince had promised the disgraced Ladislaus Csaki everything in his power if he would discover the place where you had concealed the girl, Csaki craftily commissioned the Lieutenant of the circuit to make inquiries among the people whether a panther had not been seen in the forest, for he felt quite sure that this tamed beast would wander widely. In this way they got trace of the hiding place among the rocks, saw the girl,--and all is betrayed."
"h.e.l.l and the devil!" said Banfy, turning white.
"Hear the rest. Csaki communicated his plan to Ali Pasha, who was the one concerned; according to this plan, when Ali fell upon Banfy-Hunyad, Csaki with his thousand Wallachians was to go up into the mountain under pretext of a hunt and storm Gregyina-Drakuluj."
"Unheard of knavery!" cried Banfy, with his hand on his sword.
"It is possible, my lord, that you may yet get there in time," added the deserter, cunningly,--"if you do not delay too long."
"Let us start at once," said Banfy, pale with rage. "I"ll teach these sycophants to touch the possession of a free n.o.bleman while he himself is fighting against the foe of his fatherland. A few hundred men will be enough to hold Ali Pasha in check here; with the rest I"ll wager that I can make it uncomfortable for Ladislaus Csaki if he crosses my borders."
And at once Banfy sent orders to his men to start for Marisel in perfect silence; he ordered the few troops remaining to light a great many fires in the forest to make the enemy believe that the entire force was still there, and he himself hurried on to Azraele"s hiding place. For Zulfikar he counted out five hundred gold pieces for his information.
Ali Pasha, according to agreement, had attacked by night with his entire force the line of military posts left by Banfy and held by a few hundred men; had driven them back after a short resistance and leaving behind two thousand dead and all his baggage, and swallowing down his vexation at a great defeat, had hurried away to ward Gross Nagy Varad. From him too Zulfikar received the thousand gold pieces stipulated; he had done a service alike to the Hungarian and to the Turk, and had allowed himself to receive pay from both parties.
CHAPTER XIV
THE COURT OF JUSTICE IN THE BANQUET HALL
A blast of hunting horns echoed from the mountains of Batrina and the din of the chase drew nearer. A group of distinguished-looking riders was seen in the cavalcade and at their head rode Ladislaus Csaki.
"After him! After him!" rang out from all sides. Evidently the beast had been started when the group of riders, coming out of a thicket into a clearing, met a group from the other direction in which all recognized Dionysius Banfy as leader, and astounded they cut short their chase.
Banfy rode toward the group with a scornful smile. "Welcome, my lords, to my estate! I am very glad that this good fortune is mine. Probably you have lost your way, otherwise you are my guests and so welcome.
But why do you stare at me so wildly? you call to mind the Hindoo proverb; "He who hunts a deer in the forest often comes upon lions.""
"We consider you neither deer nor lion," replied Csaki, blushing in his confusion to his very ears;--"but we expected to find ourselves on lawful ground."
"Quite right," replied Banfy, with an offended laugh. "You are on my territory and that is comparatively lawful. I really do not know how I can express my pleasure at this honor. Doubtless you are weary; I invite you to my house at Bonczida to a friendly meal."
"Thank you," replied Csaki, angrily, "but at present we cannot accept."
"That is my affair. I am not accustomed to allow those to go away hungry and thirsty who have come to me as guests. I cannot treat you as poachers so I must look upon you as my guests, I suppose."
"There is still a third condition possible."
"I recognize none."
"Your Excellency shall learn it at once from me."
"Very good, but there will be time for that over the midday meal. Let us turn our horses toward Bonczida, my lords."
"I have already said that we would not accept the invitation."
"What do you say? have you then so poor an opinion of my hospitality as to think that I will not myself drag you away by force? You must not overlook Bonczida: since you already know my game, you must now make acquaintance with my domestic animals. At all events, I shall take you with me, even by force."
"Have done with jesting, Banfy; it is not in place here."
"I think that it is you who are jesting, for I am perfectly serious when I say that I intend to take you with me even against your will."
"We will see."
"You may be a.s.sured that you will," said Banfy; he blew his horn and from all sides appeared armed men out of the forest. Csaki"s men were surrounded.
"This is certainly treason!" cried Csaki, infuriated.
"Oh no, only a little Carnival fun," replied Banfy, laughing. "This once the game catches the hunter. Forward, my men, take the horses of these gentlemen by the bridle and follow me with them to Bonczida. If any one of them does not go willingly, fasten his legs firmly to the stirrups."
"I protest against this violence," said Csaki, raging. "I call upon you to bear witness that I have entered a protest against this law of violence."
"And I, on my part, call on everybody to witness," said Banfy, laughing as he imitated him; "that I have invited these gentlemen in the most friendly fashion to a banquet."
"I protest it is violence!"
"It is diversion--Hungarian hospitality."
Some of the gentlemen laughed and the rest cursed. Finally, since Banfy had the power, Csaki"s men sullenly yielded to the act of violence and allowed themselves to be led away to Bonczida.
Along the road Csaki called out to all who met them. He called on them to bear witness that Banfy was doing them an act of violence, while Banfy in turn laughingly strove to make it clear to them that the n.o.ble gentleman was a little befogged and that they were playing him a joke befitting n.o.bility.
"You will be sorry for this yet," snarled Csaki, beside himself with rage.
As they were pa.s.sing through a village one of Csaki"s suite, a young n.o.bleman called Szantho by his comrades, made his way out of the throng and before they could pursue him, was out of sight.
"The Devil take him!" said Banfy. "However we can sport merrily without him can we not, my Lord Ladislaus Csaki?"
Gradually Csaki regained his composure and laid aside his anger. As they came to Bonczida he wore a smiling countenance for he saw that it would be unbecoming and ridiculous in the presence of ladies to wear an angry expression, so without annoyance he allowed himself to be presented to Madame Banfy and Madame Apafi as a guest picked up by the way.