That year saw the appearance of a strange and new phenomenon in Vienna,
namely the first Hungarian newspaper. Then for the first time did the
Magyar feel he had a purpose in life, and see that by providing the
world with a certain quantity of news (whether true or otherwise it
mattered not to him), he could get for that same news a certain amount
of money.
Such was the _debut_ of the _Magyar Hirado_; it was edited in Vienna,
and then circulated in Hungary forthwith. Little it mattered to its
readers what were the news it contained; as long as there was something
to read was the main concern of its eager public.
And so it was that a copy of the _Magyar Hirado_ found its way to the
Assembly House in Pesth, for the head-notary, Tarhalmy, had been
extravagant enough to invest in one. His neighbours borrowed it freely,
and many were the messages that Mariska received to ask her to procure
for the senders the loan of the coveted news-sheet. And even the girl
herself was not without curiosity to see what this famous journal
contained, though she was too ignorant of Hungarian to be able to
understand its contents. She fondly imagined that everything that
happened in the world would be written down there as news, and she often
tried to spell out the strange Magyar sentences.
One day, however, after more futile efforts than usual, she summoned up
courage to ask her father the question she had at heart!
"Father, is poor Mathias Raby released?"
Tarhalmy looked at her sadly, he guessed well enough the reason of her
study of the _Magyar Hirado_.
"This time he is free, child," he answered; "but if he runs into danger
again, he won't get off so easily."
"Is he really a bad man, father?"
"He is the best man alive, and both just and honourable."
Mariska shook her head with a puzzled air, yet she would find out still
more now that the ice was broken.
"And the men who prosecute him--are they just also?"
Tarhalmy did not shirk the answer: "No, they are unjust men," he said
shortly.
Mariska grew bolder still, "How is it that a man who is really good can
be ruined by those who are evil?"
"Because it is the way of the world, my child," returned her father.
"Are you vexed with Mathias Raby?" she inquired in a low voice.
"No, I love him as if he were my own son," was the answer.
"And yet you cannot defend him against those who intend him ill?"
"I cannot."
"And why not?"
"Because I myself am on their side."
The girl gazed at him in astonishment.
"My father taking the part of the unjust against the just, how can that
be?"
"It is a big question which cannot be judged by ordinary standards.
Besides, how should a child like you understand?"
Yet Tarhalmy marvelled at the girl's questions; they reached their mark.
But he felt he owed her an explanation.
"I will try and make it clear," he said. "Our Emperor is a very
well-meaning man who has the welfare of this country at heart. He
honestly wants to benefit the people he rules over. But one thing he
does not understand, and that is the love of the Magyar for his native
land and his Hungarian institutions. If our mother is sick, do we cease
to love her? And so it is with Hungary, we, her children, know her
weakness and her wants, but we do not cease to love her the less. The
Emperor does not understand us; he wishes to civilise us before we are
ready for it, to mould us to his own ideals of a nation. He does not
want, as other rulers have done, to crush us, but he would have us
develop by new and unfamiliar methods. Against force we could oppose
force, yet he does not attempt to coerce us, but seeks only to impose on
us the weight of his authority. Thus it is that he sends orders which no
one obeys, and there are none of his officials who dare carry them out.
The whole body of Hungarian opinion in this land is dead against his
reforms, and will continue to oppose them tooth and nail."
Now all this did not trouble Mariska; she understood so little of it.
Moreover, what her father said must be true. Yet she could not see what
the Emperor's dealings with Hungary had to do with Raby's imprisonment.
"It is a bit difficult for my little girl to grasp, isn't it?" went on
Tarhalmy kindly. "Unfortunately the Emperor does not understand how to
deal with our constitution. For instance, the members of our governing
body are chosen every three years, so that if any among them are proven
to be unworthy of the office, they can be rejected at the end of their
term. But the Emperor stretches his prerogative, and rules that these
offices are to be held for life. And as long as he persists in tampering
with our constitution and interferes with the existing order in the
state, so long will Hungarians put every hindrance in the way of his
emissaries. Nay, they would rather condone the misdeeds of corrupt
officials than reach the hand of fellowship to an idealist like Raby,
who is inspired by a noble belief in the righteousness of his mission,
and sincerely imagines he is going to free the people of this land from
long-standing ills. That is why they make him suffer for his boldness,
and will make him suffer yet more, if an evil chance brings him hither
once again. He will find the anger of the entire nation aroused against
him. Moreover, now that the whole nation is incensed with the Emperor
for carrying on the war against the Turks with his Russian allies, and
is refusing him both subsidies and recruits, it is less likely than ever
to view those who carry out his reforms with favour. And meantime, we
honest well-meaning folk who only desire to live at peace with God and
our neighbour as Christians should do, have to stand shoulder to
shoulder with rogues and vagabonds to protect our country's interests."
The head-notary turned sadly away and left the room, and Mariska sunk
into a silent reverie. Her father returning, suddenly put his head in at
the door.
"Are you quite sure, little one, that you understand all I have been
saying?" he asked somewhat anxiously.
"Father dear, I am going to write it all down straight away," returned
the girl, "and may I send it to Raby?" she added shyly.
"You may if you like," whispered Tarhalmy, strangely touched at her
request.
And Mariska set about making herself a new pen in order to do justice to
the projected document.