Raby succeeded in crossing the frontier, the thick mist which veiled the
moonlight favouring his escape. The shame of the situation nearly killed
him. To be freed by a woman masquerading as a robber-chieftain--and that
woman his wife! His wretched spouse had done him many wrongs, yet this
one, although intended to benefit him, smote him as with a lash, and the
memory of her last words stung him to the quick.
But he had by this reached the adjacent river, whose waters were not
sufficiently frozen over to bear the weight of both himself and his
horse. So he had to dismount and leave the animal behind, and then cross
the ice on foot as best he could.
This was undoubtedly better than arriving at the Austrian frontier on
horseback, for a woman riding alone at that time of night would
certainly arouse the suspicions of the Austrian officials, and they
would probably escort him back to whence he came. So he dragged himself
to the first wayside inn he could find, and explained his presence there
with a story of his brothers having fallen into a snow-drift. The
kind-hearted people believed him, and when it was light, set out to find
his kinsmen. But whom, strangely enough, should they come across but
Raby's two friends, who, after the fight with the heydukes, had set out
to follow him, not without many mishaps in the snow which bore out
Raby's tale.
It was a right merry meeting, and the three could eat and sleep in
safety now that they were free from their pursuers. They thought it best
to say nothing of the heydukes, in case they might be cited as
witnesses. There still lay a two days' journey before them across bad
roads ere they could reach Vienna. His friends' readiness to accompany
him convinced Raby that they were in the service of the Emperor, and not
mercenaries of the Pesth authorities. In view of chance separating them
again, Kurovics made over to Raby thirty gulden so that he might not be
without money.
On Austrian territory, Kurovics became quite communicative, and let out
that he was no Szent-Endre burgher, but a well-to-do landed proprietor,
whose father had been ennobled by Maria Theresa, and that he was in the
Emperor's confidence.
"And won't I just give you a reception if you ever come back to our
country," he cried, "not with passports, but with police and dragoons at
your back. I promise you I'll kill my finest sheep and roast it whole in
your honour, and open a bottle of the best wine my cellar contains to
drink your health in."
"How do I know if I shall ever return?" queried Raby sadly.
But at last they reached Vienna, and put up at the "Dun Stag" by the Red
Tower Gate. Kurovics was evidently well known in the capital, and Raby's
doubts about him were henceforth set at rest for good and all.
Our hero had willingly taken a few days' repose after all the fatigues
of his onerous journey, but Kurovics would not hear of it. "Get to work
directly," he urged, "the Emperor is anxiously awaiting your
explanations. Write down your indictment, and do not wait to change your
clothes, but just come as you are into the palace, and we will come with
you as far as the Hofburg. For you know here in Vienna, everyone who
comes into the city has to report himself immediately, and state his
business here. It is possible that the Vienna police have already
received instructions from Pesth, in this case they will perhaps lock
you up before you can get a hearing with his Majesty, so be beforehand
and get the start of your enemies."
And Raby thought it as well to take this advice, so he proceeded to put
on paper his report as simply and briefly as possible. He was, moreover,
convinced that Kurovics was a genuine friend of the people, for he gave
him many proofs of gross abuse of authority on the part of the Pesth
officials.
Hardly was the ink on the paper dried, than they chartered a coach and
drove off to the Hofburg, in order to be in time for the daily audience
which the Emperor was accustomed to hold for those who sought a
hearing. The audience chamber led straight into the Emperor's own
private cabinet, and was daily, from the hours of ten in the morning
till one o'clock, filled by a crowd of all sorts and conditions of
people, who came furnished with written petitions, or preferring
requests, unannounced and in every-day dress, to seek a personal
audience of the Emperor, which was always granted to them in turn.
Joseph spoke all the languages of the polyglot races he governed, and
was equally versed in all the various _patois_, though he usually
conversed in German with the petitioners of higher rank.
It was a mixed crowd which now stood awaiting the imperial
pleasure--prelates, soldiers, Jews, mourning-clad widows, finely dressed
ladies, and peasants in their varied national costumes, jostled one
another in the ante-chamber in which Raby and his friends found
themselves. There was no precedence of rank observed, for the Emperor
would speak to whomsoever he willed first, though none were overlooked.
All at once a hush fell on the chattering crowd, and only a subdued
whisper was heard here and there, as the moment for the Emperor's
appearance had arrived. Raby was not a little shocked to note how his
imperial master had altered: camp life had apparently not suited him.
His cheeks were hollowed as with sickness, and his features bore the
unmistakable marks of the ravages of both bodily and mental suffering;
only the clear blue eyes he remembered so well of old, were unchanged.
Amid the crowd of suppliants, the Emperor seemed not to observe Raby and
his companions. At last Raby ventured to press into his hand his report.
"What is this?" asked the Kaiser in German, as he pocketed the document
without looking at its contents.
All those who had spoken with the Emperor had to withdraw directly the
audience was over, and Raby and his friends were at last the only ones
left. The Emperor seeing that they still waited, demanded of Kurovics
what it was they sought?
Kurovics thereupon with a low bow, gave him to understand they were only
accompanying the lady.
"I have received her petition already," said Joseph, "what does the girl
want?"
"Does not your Majesty remember me?" asked Raby in a low voice.
The Emperor scanned him sharply with no sign of recognition.
"I have never seen you before," he exclaimed coldly. "What is your
name?"
"Sire, I am Mathias Raby!"
His Majesty clasped his hands with a vivid gesture of surprise.
"Raby! is it possible? Have you lost your reason then that you dress
thus? Whence do you come in this masquerading attire?"
"From the dungeons of the Pesth Assembly House, Sire."
The Emperor seized him by the hand, and drew him without a word into his
cabinet.
Two secretaries there were very busy sorting documents. The Emperor led
the Serb peasant girl up to them.
"Now, gentlemen, say, do you recognise this lady?"
The secretaries were perplexed, and denied all knowledge of the
new-comer.
"Come, come, gentlemen," said the Emperor jestingly, "tell the truth,
for I'll wager that you have often met before, to say nothing of the
lively correspondence you have carried on of late."
The secretaries called heaven and earth to witness they had never seen
the stranger in their lives before, and had not the slightest idea who
she might be.
"This lady is no other than Mr. Mathias Raby."
At these words, in defiance of all court etiquette, both burst out
laughing, and in their merriment the Emperor himself joined heartily.
Only Raby looked grave, and did not share their amusement. Even now
through the paint on his cheeks, the angry colour flamed--a fact which
did not escape the Emperor.
"But however did you manage to put on this disguise?" he asked.
"Simply because I heard your Majesty had ordered I should do so,"
answered Raby.
"I? Why whatever put such a thing into your head, I should like to
know?"
"Here are the instructions I received," and Raby handed him his friends'
paper.
The Kaiser shook his head as he went through it. "Of course I understand
Serb," he said; "but I never wrote this. Where did you get it from?"
"From the leader of the twenty-four men dressed as Turks, who, in your
Majesty's name, dragged me by night from out of the dungeon of the
Assembly House in Pesth. Two of them came hither with me. Your Majesty
saw them in the other room."
"Bring them in here," ordered the Emperor.
One of the two secretaries went then and there to fetch them in, but
returned immediately with the news that the two men had already left the
Hofburg.
"The police must be notified," said Joseph.
But all their trouble was in vain. The two unknowns on leaving the
palace had made direct for the river-bank, where a boat manned by four
oarsmen had awaited them, and carried them away in the fog which
overhung the river.
Here was an enigma to clear up! Why the men had conducted him to the
palace; why they had waited for his meeting with the Emperor and then
deserted him entirely; whether they had been indeed friends or foes in
disguise, Raby could not imagine. It remained an unsolved mystery.