Part 32 (2/2)

”Yes, I remember that too.”

”Now you shall see.”

Gyergyai looked Beldi in the eye.

”My friend, I do not know what this letter contains but from your expression I infer your thought. I have heard my father say that a man should not send off the same day a letter written under excitement, but should lay it under his pillow and sleep on it. The advice is not bad. Do not send your letter off before morning; in fact I will not send it to-night.”

Beldi complied with the old man's advice. He put the letter under his pillow, lay down, fell asleep and dreamed. In his dream he was happy with his wife and children. The noise of a wagon pa.s.sing by in the morning awakened him. The first thing that his hand touched was his letter to Banfy. He broke it open, read it through again, and--was very much ashamed that he had written anything of the kind.

”Where was your understanding, Beldi?” he asked himself with a smile, tore the letter in two and threw it into the fire. ”How they would have laughed at you!” he thought. ”They would have said you were an old fool to whom it had occurred late in life to be jealous of the mother of his children on account of a kiss given by a man in his cups and received against the lady's will.” What a weapon he would have given Banfy if he had announced that he was not sure of his wife on Banfy's account. ”We will go straight to Bodola,” he said gently to his servant when he entered, and then he took leave of his host.

”And what about the letter you were going to send?” asked Gyergyai with concern.

”I have already conveyed it--to the flames!” replied Beldi, smiling, and went on his way with his feelings quite changed. As he approached Bodola he noticed from a distance the members of his family who had been watching for him from the castle balcony; as soon as they recognized his carriage they hurried down to meet him. When he reached the foot of the castle hill there they all were,--his wife and children; they threw themselves on his neck with cries of joy and he kissed each one several times over, but especially his dear devoted wife on whom he feasted his eyes. It seemed to him that her eyes were brighter, her face more charming, her lips sweeter than ever. ”What fools men are!” thought Beldi. ”When they do not see their wives they are ready to believe everything bad of them, and when they do see them they forget it all.”

He was so abandoned to his joy that he did not observe that there was a stranger in the family circle, but the stranger made haste to attract his attention. He was Feriz Bey, a handsome, well-built young Turk, with frank, n.o.ble features resembling a Hungarian's.

”You do not notice me, or perhaps you do not remember me,” said the youth, stepping up to Beldi.

Beldi glanced at him and thought he recognized him, but did not venture to call him by name until his younger daughter Aranka hanging on her father's arm said with a childlike laugh:

”Have you forgotten Feriz Bey? I knew him at once.”

Beldi extended his hand to the youth with a cordial greeting.

”My father sends me to you with an urgent message and had you not come I should have ridden after you. When your family rejoicing is over call me, for my mission admits of no delay.”

Beldi was surprised at the serious tone of the youth, and as soon as he reached the castle called him aside to a private room. Then the young Bey gave him a roll fastened with a yellow seal and tied with cords. Beldi broke it open and read as follows:

”May heaven protect and defend you and your family.

Transylvania is in peril; the Grand Seignior is aroused by the conflict between Dionysius Banfy and the Pasha of Nagy Varad. It is reported that this n.o.bleman is in correspondence with the Roman emperor.

See to it that the country bridles Banfy; you have still force sufficient. The Sultan has sworn that if the Prince should not prove a match for him and know how to command he will drive them both out of the country and intrust the control of Transylvania to a pasha. The pashas of Nagy Varad and Temesvar, the princes on the frontier and Tartar Khan have received orders to hold themselves in readiness to make their way into Transylvania from all sides at the first signal. Keep that n.o.ble lord under check for death hangs over your heads by a mere thread.

”Your good friend, ”KUTSCHUK PASHA.”

Beldi's face grew dark as he read these lines. So then it was in vain for him to put Banfy's name out of his mind; this letter called it up again and in an aspect still more hateful. He folded the letter, and in a few words gave the serious youth a reply for his father.

”Inform your father that our action shall antic.i.p.ate the threatened evil. I send my thanks for the warning.”

With this reply Feriz Bey left the castle. Beldi remained alone in his room; deep in thought he paced back and forth, and racked his brain to find out some way to meet the peril, but he saw none. It was not to be expected that a man of Banfy's pride would make any concessions to the Pasha, especially after his victory and in a just cause. And yet the justice of the cause must give way to the welfare of the country.

Deep in these and similar thoughts he did not notice that some one was knocking at his door. When no answer was made to the thrice-repeated knock the door opened and Beldi, rousing himself from his meditation, saw Michael Teleki. Beldi was at first so bewildered that his speech forsook him. ”You seem surprised at my coming,” said Teleki, noticing Beldi's astonishment. ”You are amazed that I should have followed you such a distance after an absence of barely twenty-four hours. Great changes have taken place. Transylvania is threatened by a peril which must be prevented at once.”

”I know it,” replied Beldi, and let Teleki read Kutschuk Pasha's letter with the exception of the signature.

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