Part 60 (1/2)
It was not the loss of a little money which vexed him so much as the scant respect paid to his counsels.
The other gentlemen continued the game. Heissler suddenly by a grand coup won all the ready-money of the other generals, so that at last there was a great heap of thalers and ducats in front of him, and his three-cornered hat was filled to the brim with money.
The losing party tried to console itself with jests.
”Well, well! lucky at cards, luckless in love!”
”Eh!” said Heissler, sweeping together his winnings, ”I have only had one love in my life, and that is on a battlefield, but there I have always been lucky.”
At that moment a rapid galloping was heard, and after a brief parley with the guard outside, a dusty dragoon courier entered the tent and whispered breathlessly in Heissler's ear:
”Tokoly's advance guard is before Torcsvar, it attacked and cut down the troops posted in the pa.s.s, only the Szeklers still hold out; if we don't come quickly the pa.s.s will be taken.”
Heissler suddenly swept the cards from the table, and s.n.a.t.c.hing up his hat so that the money in it rolled away in every direction, he clapped it on his head, and drawing his sword exclaimed: ”To horse, gentlemen!
Quick! Towards Torcsvar! We shall arrive in good time, I know!”
”Well! wasn't I right?” growled Teleki.
”Oh, there's no harm done! Blow the trumpets, we must strike our tents; let the camp fires burn, and at the third sound of the trumpet let everyone advance towards Torcsvar. A company and a couple of mortars will be enough to guard the pa.s.s. All right now, Mr. Michael Teleki!”
Then he also took horse. Teleki too hastened back to his levies, and soon the whole host was trotting on in the dark towards Torcsvar.
It was the 19th August, such a silent summer night that not a leaf was stirring. Against the beautiful starry sky rose the majestic snowy Alps which encircle Transylvania within their mighty chain; everything was still, only now and then through the melancholy night resounded the din and bustle of the warriors hurrying towards Torcsvar.
Here in the mountain-chasm a wide opening is visible which presently contracts so much that two carriages can scarce advance along it abreast. The road goes deep down between two rocks, and if a few hundred resolute and determined men planted themselves in that place, they could hold it against the largest armies.
On the other side of Moldavia, looking downwards, could be seen the camp-fires of the hosts of Tokoly, who was encamped on the farther side of the Alps, occupying a vast extent of ground.
In front all was dark. After the first surprise caused by some hundreds of dragoons who had penetrated into Moldavia, the Szeklers had quickly blocked the pa.s.s by felling trees across it, retired to the mountain summits, and received the advancing Tartars with such showers of stones that they were compelled to desist from any further advance and turn back again.
Great commotion was observable in the Turkish camp. The Tartars were roasting a whole ox on a huge spit, and cut pieces off it while it was roasting; some jovial Wallachians, a little elated by wine, began dancing their national dances; on a hill the Hungarian hussars were blaring their _farogatos_, whose penetrating voices frequently pierced the most distant recess of the snowy Alps.
But just because the camp had begun making merry the outposts had been carefully disposed. The leaders of the host were youths in age but veterans in military experience; they were keeping watch for everyone.
They met as they were going their rounds and, without observing it, strayed somewhat from the camp and advanced without a word along a mountain path.
At last Feriz broke the silence by remarking gravely to Tokoly:
”Is it not desperating to see a mountain before you and not be able to fly?”
”Especially when your desires are on the other side of that mountain.”
”What are your desires?” said Feriz bitterly, ”in comparison with mine; you have only a thirst for glory, I have a thirst for blood.”
”But mine is a still stronger impulse,” said Tokoly; ”I have a wife.”
”Ah! I understand, and you want to see your wife? I also should like to see her if I am not slain. And is the lady worthy of you?”
”One must have lived very far from this kingdom not to have heard of her,” said Tokoly proudly. ”My name has not given such glory to Helen as her name has to me. When everyone in Hungary laid down their arms, and I myself fled from the kingdom, she herself remained in the fortress of Munkacs and defended it as valiantly as any man could do. Helen stood like a man upon the bastions amidst the whirring of the bullets and the thunder of the guns, extinguished the bombs cast into the fortress with huge moistened buffalo-skins, fired off the cannons against the besiegers with her own hands, and cut down the soldiers who attempted to storm the walls, spiked their guns, and burnt their tents.”