"You know more than I," said the minister; "what I wished to say of this affair is a secret which not even walls may hear."
"I understand," said Beldi, and at once gave orders that no one should come into the entrance hall, stationed guards under the windows and had the curtains drawn. Only one way was left unguarded, and that was a door in the arras at the back of the room, which led by a narrow hallway to his wife"s sleeping room, an arrangement often found in the houses of the Hungarian n.o.bility. By way of precaution Beldi closed even that door.
"Do you feel safe enough?" he asked Teleki.
"One thing more. Give me your word of honor that in case the information communicated to you does not meet your approval you will at least guard it as a secret."
"I promise solemnly," replied Beldi, tense for the development. With that Teleki drew out a sheet of parchment folded several times, spread it out and held it under Beldi"s eyes without letting it go out of his hands. It was the League formed against Banfy signed and sealed by the Prince. The farther Beldi read in the doc.u.ment the gloomier he grew.
Finally he turned to Teleki and thrust the paper from him with loathing.
"My lord, that is a dirty piece of work!"
Teleki was prepared for such a reception and summoned his usual sophistry to his aid.
"Beldi," he said, "this is no time for strait-laced notions. It is the end and not the means in this case. This is the worst only because it is the last. It is the last because there is no other way left. If anybody in the country has attained to such despotism that the arm of the law is no longer strong enough to bring him into the courts, then he has only himself to thank if the state is compelled to conspire against him. The man who cannot be reached by the executioner"s axe is struck by the dagger of the a.s.sa.s.sin. When Dionysius Banfy set at naught the commands of the Prince and began war on his own account he put himself outside the law. In such a case when the justice of the state has lost its authority it is natural to take refuge in secret justice. If anybody has wronged me and the law cannot procure me satisfaction I make use of my own weapons and shoot him down wherever I find him. If the country is wronged by anybody who escapes punishment, it must make use of the jus ligatum and have the man seized. The general welfare demands this and the general peril drives us to it."
"G.o.d"s hand controls us," said Beldi. "If he will destroy our fatherland let us bow our heads and die with a quiet conscience--die in the defence of liberty; but let us never raise our arms to the destruction of our own hereditary justice. Rather let us endure the evils that have their origin in this freedom, than lay the axe to its very root. Let war and conflict over freedom enter our land rather than any conspiracy contrary to its laws. The one sheds the blood of the nation but the other kills her soul. I disapprove of this League and will fight against it."
At this Michael Teleki rose, fell on his knees before Beldi and said with his hands raised to heaven:
"I swear by the Almighty Living G.o.d: so may he grant me salvation, protect my life, prosper my wife, my children, as I am your true friend; and because I know that Banfy"s every effort is directed to destroy you and your home therefore do I announce to you that if you love your life, that of your wife, your children, you must meet this impending danger by signing the League. Now I have said all that I could to save you and the fatherland and that too at my own peril. I wash my hands in innocence."
Beldi turned in calm dignity toward the Prince"s minister and said in a tone of firm conviction:
"Fiat just.i.tia, pereat mundus."
A few minutes after Teleki"s arrival at Bodola a rider came bounding into the castle yard. It was Andrew the faithful old servant of Madame Apafi, who inquired for Madame Beldi, handed her a letter from the Princess and added that this was the more urgent as he had recognized Teleki"s carriage in the courtyard, which he should have preceded.
Madame Beldi broke open the letter, and read:
"MY DEAR FRIEND: Michael Teleki has gone to your husband. His purpose is to ruin Banfy secretly by Beldi"s hand. The n.o.bles have taken an oath to break the law. Fortunately every one of them has a wife in whose heart the better feelings are not yet dead. I have called on each one separately to guard her husband against Teleki"s malice. I hope to attain the greatest result through you. Beldi is the most distinguished among them; if he agrees to the League the rest will follow his example; but he is also the most honorable man and the best husband. I count on your firmness; use every means.
"Your friend, "ANNA BORNEMISSA."
Madame Beldi almost gave way when she read this letter. Teleki had been talking for half-an-hour with her husband and the servants had brought word that every one had been ordered away from the lords"
vicinity, even from the entrance hall. The entire situation became clear to the lady"s mind at once. She was terrified! perhaps it was already too late and she could not get to her husband. What should she do? Then she remembered the secret way from her room to her husband"s and she hurried along, reached the arras door, stood there and listened. She heard only the voice of Teleki, who spoke with growing pa.s.sion amounting to vehemence. She looked through the key hole and saw how Teleki knelt before her husband and with upraised hands and oaths sought to persuade him. At this sight Madame Beldi was terror-stricken. Why did the proud, powerful man kneel before Beldi?
What was he swearing so pa.s.sionately? Suddenly Banfy"s name rang on her ear. Horror seized her, and at the moment when Beldi answered: "Let justice prevail though the world fall," she thought in her ignorance of Latin that her husband had consented, and in her despair she pressed the latch of the door. When this did not open she pulled at it with frenzied strength and shouted pa.s.sionately; "My husband, my beloved master! Lord of my heart! Do not believe one word Teleki says, for he will ruin you!"
At this pa.s.sionate outcry the man started up in affright and Beldi arose with annoyance, went to the door and said to his wife angrily: "Stay in your own province, my wife."
Madame Beldi lost her presence of mind entirely. The thought that her husband might a.s.sent to Teleki"s plan made it impossible for her to comprehend the situation. She forgot that even the best man is ashamed to have it publicly known that he is under the control of his wife, and merely to prove the contrary would be inclined to be untrue to the very convictions he would have followed without compulsion.
Consequently Madame Beldi rushed into the room, sank down at her husband"s feet, clung to his knees and called out in an impa.s.sioned voice:
"Sweet lord of my heart! By the Almighty G.o.d, I implore you, do not believe this man. Do not be influenced by him to bring innocent blood on your head. You have always been just. You cannot turn hangman!"
"Wife, you are mad!"
"I know what I am saying. I saw him on his knees before you. He who believes in G.o.d does not kneel before any man. He means through you to ruin Dionysius Banfy. Woe to us if you do that, for if he is the first you will be the second."
When Teleki saw his secret disclosed in this way he was furious.
"If my wife did that to me," he said, violently, "I would tear her eyes out of her head. If anybody wished to help me for my own safety I should thank him for it rather than leave him to be met by my wife in an insulting way."
Beldi called out angrily to his wife to leave at once.
"I shall stay even if you kill me: for this is a case of life and death. Here the peace of your family is at stake and in that I have a right. I too may speak. I beg, I entreat you, undertake nothing against Banfy."
Beldi was ashamed of this attack upon his manly supremacy and could hardly control himself. When his wife mentioned Banfy he started as if a viper had stung him. The effect of this name did not escape Teleki and he said ironically and with meaning:
"It seems women pardon certain things more readily than their husbands." The sharp allusion went through Beldi"s soul like lightning. The kiss came into his mind. The kiss! Pale and speechless he seized his wife by the arm and her sob only serving to fan his jealousy, he dragged her through the arras door and locked it behind her. There she lay sobbing violently, cursing the princely counsellor loudly and beating against the closed door with her hand. Beldi sat down white as death and with teeth set, called out to Teleki:
"Where is the doc.u.ment?"
Teleki spread it out before him on the table. Without a word Beldi took his pen and with steady hand wrote his name under that of Michael Apafi"s. A smile of triumph played about Teleki"s lips. When that had been accomplished there was once more a threatening, an accusing knock at Beldi"s heart. He laid his hand on the paper and turned with serious glance toward Teleki.
"I make one condition," he said, hoa.r.s.ely. "If Banfy does not oppose his arrest with weapons right and justice must be granted him according to legal forms."
"It shall be so--just so," replied the Prince"s counsellor, and reached for the paper.
And still Beldi did not give it up. Still he did not let it go out of his hand.
"My lord," he said, "promise me also, that you will not put Banfy to death secretly, but when he is arrested you will bring suit against him according to the usual mode of procedure, in a regular court of justice. If you do not a.s.sure me of this, then I will tear this paper in two and throw it into the fire with the Prince"s signature and mine."
"I a.s.sure you, on my word!" promised the Princely counsellor, at the same time inwardly smiling at the man who while he was still upright showed himself weak, and when he had already fallen strove to show himself firm.
With the League signed Teleki went the same day to Ladislaus Csaki, from him to Haller and then to Bethlen. As soon as they saw Beldi"s name they signed, for all hated Banfy. In every house the husbands fell out with their wives. Nowhere did Teleki escape calumny.
Nevertheless the League was established.
So Transylvania made her own grave.
CHAPTER XVIII
WIFE AND ODALISQUE
Since that painful interview Madame Banfy had not seen her husband.
Fate had willed that Banfy should remain away continually; he was hardly back from the a.s.sembly at Karlsburg when he was called to Somlyo where his troops had taken a stand against the Turks. During the few hours he had spent in his house in the intervals, his wife had secluded herself from him and had not admitted any of the retinue to her presence. She did not leave her room, and received n.o.body.
One day both husband and wife were invited to be G.o.d-parents at Roppand, in the house of Gabriel Vitez to whom a son had been born, and who knew nothing of the existing variance. It was impossible to refuse the invitation. On the appointed day Madame Banfy from Bonczida, and her husband from Somlyo, to their mutual surprise met at the house of rejoicing. At first they shrank from meeting each other; their inclination had long sought such a meeting but pride had restrained them. So they were both glad and indignant at this accident but could not express both feelings. In a circle of friends their conduct must be such that no one should know that this meeting was not of daily occurrence with them.
Toward the close of the festivity and banquet, which lasted until late at night, Vitez took care that all his guests should be lodged with due comfort. The wives were with their husbands, the young girls had an apartment to themselves and the young men the rooms a.s.signed to the hunters.
For Banfy and his wife a pavilion in the garden had been fitted up, which promised to be the quietest spot as it was quite separated from the noisy court. As an especial mark of attention the master himself conducted them there. It had been some time since they had slept under the same roof but in the presence of so many acquaintances they could not show their feelings and were compelled to accept the provision made for them. It was not enough to accompany them there himself but the host indulged in many jests and finally left them alone after many times wishing them good-night.