THE LAST DAY.
It was well known in Transylvania that the Porte had proclaimed Toekoely
Prince and given into his hands armies wherewith he might invade the
Principality and conquer it, so General Heissler gave orders to the
counties and the Szeklers to rise up in defence of the realm, which they
accordingly did.
The Hungarian forces were commanded by Balthasar Mackasi and Michael
Teleki himself; the leader of the Germans was Heissler, with Generals
Noscher and Magni, and Colonel Doria under him, all of them heroic
soldiers of fortune, who, all the way from Vienna to Wallachia, had
never seen the Turks otherwise than as corpses or fugitives.
When Toekoely was approaching through Wallachia with his forces, Heissler
quickly closed all the passes, and placed three regiments at the Iron
Gates, while he himself took up a position in the Pass of Bozza, and
there pitched his camp amidst the mountains.
The encamped forces were merry and sprightly enough, there was lots to
eat and drink of all sorts, and the Szeklers were quite close to their
wives and houses, so that they did not feel a bit homesick--only Teleki
was perpetually dissatisfied. He would have liked the forces to be
marching continually from one pass to another and sentinels to be
standing on guard night and day on every footpath which led into the
kingdom.
The third week after the camp had been pitched at Bozza he suddenly
said to the general with a very anxious face:
"Sir, what if Toekoely were to appear at some other gate of the kingdom
while we are lying here?"
"Every avenue is closed against him," answered Heissler.
"But suppose he got in before we came here?"
"The trouble then would not be how he got in but how he could get out
again."
But Teleki wanted to show that he also knew something of the science of
warfare, so he said with the grave face of an habitual counsellor:
"I do not think it expedient that we worthy soldiers should be crammed
up into a corner of the kingdom. In my opinion it would be much safer
if, after guarding every pass, we took up a position equi-distant
between Toercsvar and Bozza."
Now for once Teleki was right, but for that very reason Heissler was all
the more put out. It was intolerable that a lay-general should suggest
something to him which he could not gainsay.
And the worst of it was Teleki would not leave the general alone. "I am
participating in nothing here," said he, "make use of me, give me
something to do, and I will do it--occupation is what I want."
"I'll give it you at once," said Heissler, and putting his arm through
Teleki's he led him to his tent, there made him sit down beside him at a
round table, sent one of the yawning guards to summon Noscher, Magni,
Doria and the other generals, made them sit down by the side of Teleki,
sat down at the table himself, and drawing a pack of cards from his
pocket, gave it to Teleki with the words:
"Here's some occupation for you--you deal!"
"What, sir!" burst forth Teleki, quite upset by the jest, "play at cards
when the enemy stands before us?"
"How can we be better employed when the enemy is _not_ before us? Do you
know how to play at landsknecht?"
"I do not."
"Then we'll teach you."
And they did teach him, for in a couple of hours they had won from him a
couple of hundred ducats, whereupon Teleki, on the pretext that he had
no more money, retired from the game.
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:
"Toekoely's advance guard is before Toercsvar, it attacked and cut down the
troops posted in the pass, only the Szeklers still hold out; if we don't
come quickly the pass will be taken."
Heissler suddenly swept the cards from the table, and snatching 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 Toercsvar! 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 Toercsvar. A company and a couple of mortars
will be enough to guard the pass. 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 Toercsvar.
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 Toercsvar.
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 Toekoely, 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 pass 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 Toekoely:
"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 Toekoely; "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 Toekoely 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."
At this Feriz grew enthusiastic.
"We will save this brave woman; is she still defending herself?"
"No. My chief confidant--a man whom I trusted would carry out my ideas,
a man whom I found a beggar and made a gentleman--betrayed her, and they
now hold her captive. Believe me, Feriz, if they gave her back to me I
would perchance for ever forget my dream of glory and renounce the crown
I seek, but to win her back I'll go through hell itself, and you will
see that I shall go through this mountain chain also, for though I have
not the strength to fly over it, I have the patience to crawl over it."
Feriz Beg sighed gloomily.
"Alas! I have no one for whose sake I might hasten into battle."
Early next morning Toekoely came over to Feriz's quarters and told him
that he had just received tidings that Heissler had arrived during the
night, having galloped without stopping through Szent Peter to Toercsvar.
Teleki, too, was with him.
That name seemed to electrify the young Turk.
He leapt quickly from his couch, and, seizing his sword, raised it
towards Heaven and cried with a savage expression which had never been
on his face before: "I thank thee, Allah, that thou hast delivered him
into my hands!"
The two young generals then consulted together in private for about an
hour, after sending everyone out of their tent. Then they came forth and
reviewed their forces. Feriz selected his best Janissaries and Spahis,
Toekoely the Hungarian hussars and the swiftest of the Tartars, and with
this little army, numbering about six thousand, they marched off without
saying whither. The vast camp meanwhile was intrusted to the care of the
Prince of Moldavia, who was charged to stand face to face night and day
over against the Transylvanian army, and not move from the spot.
Meanwhile the two young leaders, with their picked band, made their way
among the hills by the dark, sylvan mountain paths, whose wilderness no
human foot had ever yet trod. Anyone looking down upon them from the
rocks above would have called their enterprise foolhardy. Now they had
to crawl down precipitous slopes on their hands and knees; now gigantic
rocks barred their way, which enclosed them within a narrow, mountainous
gorge whence there was no exit; here and there they had to cling on to
the roots of the stout shrubs growing out of the crevices of the rocks,
or pull themselves up, man by man, and horse by horse, by means of ropes
fastened to the trunks of trees. In these regions nought dwelt but
savage birds of prey, and the startled golden eagle looked down in
wonder from his stony lair at the panting, toiling host--what did such a
multitude of men seek in that desolate wilderness?
* * * * *
The Transylvanian gentlemen from the vantage-point of a lofty mountain
ridge watched the two opposing hosts facing each other in front of the
defiles. Now the Szeklers would burst forth from the woods on the
straying Tartars and drive them back to their tents, and now like a
disturbing swarm of wasps the Tartars and Wallachians would force the
Szeklers back to the very borders of the forest. It was great fun to
watch all this from the lofty ridge where stood Heissler, Doria, and
Teleki observing the manly sport through long telescopes.
Suddenly the sentinels brought to Heissler a Wallachian who had given
the pickets to understand that he had brought a message from the Prince
of Wallachia to the commander-in-chief.
"No doubt it is to tell you once more not to go into Wallachia again,
for the enemy has eaten it up," said Teleki, turning to Heissler, who
had got to the bottom of the Prince's former craftiness. "What is your
master's message?" he said, turning towards the Wallachian.
"He sends his respects, and bids you be on your guard against Toekoely,
for he has a large army and is very crafty; but instead of opposing him
in the direction of Wallachia you would do better if you saw to it that
he did not break into Transylvania, and you ought to beware of this all
the more as only three days ago he departed from the main host along
with his chief Sirdar, with a picked army of six thousand men, which has
since vanished as completely as if the earth had swallowed it up."
"What did I say?" remarked Heissler, with a smile to Teleki. "You may go
back, my son, from whence you came," he said to the Szekler.
But Teleki shook his head at this.
"It is quite possible," said he, "that while we are halting here, Toekoely
may issue forth somewhere behind our very backs."
Heissler pointed at the snow-capped mountains.
"Can anything but a bird get through those?"
"If Toekoely lead the way--yes."
"Your Excellency has a great respect for that gentleman."
"Truly, Mr. General, I should advise you to summon hither the regiments
left at the iron gate, and bring up some more cannons."
Heissler did not even reply, but beckoned to him to be silent.
At that instant a wild yell suddenly struck upon the ear of the general,
and looking back towards Zernyest he saw a large column of smoke rising
heavenwards, while the outposts came galloping up towards the camp.
"What is that?"
"Toekoely has got through the mountains!" was the terrifying report, "the
Tartars have burnt Tohair and plundered the camp."
"To horse, to arms, every man!" roared Heissler, and drawing his sword
leaped upon his horse. Doria, Noscher, and Magni quickly marshalled
their squadrons, Macskari quickly got together his squadrons, and
descended into the plain.
They had scarce got into battle array when they were joined by the boyar
Balacsan, the refugee Moldavian nobleman, who kept on foot two regiments
of the Hungarians and Wallachians at his own expense.
The cry of the ravaging Tartars was now audible close at hand in the
village of Tohair, which was blazing away under the very eyes of the
Transylvanian hosts. Balacsan's soldiers, eager for the fray, begged
leave of Heissler to drive them from the village, and rushing upon them
with a wild yell, quickly drove the Tartars back through the burning
streets; while Heissler, with the main body of the army, galloped
towards Zernyest with the greatest haste. He also succeeded in occupying
it before Toekoely had reached it.
Here the soldiers rested after their tiring gallop. Heissler distributed
wine and brandy among them, then marshalled them, and sent to the front
the military chaplains. Two Jesuits, crucifix in hand, confessed all the
German soldiers, and the Rev. Mr. Gernyeszeg preached a pious discourse
to the Calvinists.
Meanwhile Toekoely's army had advanced upon Zernyest. On one side of him
were the snowy Alps, on the other a reed-grown morass, which in the hot
days of August was quite dried up and could easily be crossed.
As soon as the Szeklers saw the Turks, with their characteristic
pigheadedness they seized their pikes and would have rushed upon them
with their usual war-cry: "Jesus! Help, Jesus! Help!"
Their leaders drove them back by beating them with their sword-blades,
and exhausted the whole vocabulary of abuse and condemnation before they
could prevent them prematurely from beginning the battle.
Teleki meanwhile summoned to his side his trusty servant, and as he was
dressed in a black habit--for they were still in mourning for the
Prince--with few jewels on it, he detached his diamond aigrette and
gold chain, and adding his signet-ring to them, gave them to the servant
that he might take them before the battle to Gernyeszeg, and give them
to his daughter, Dame Michael Vay.
The old servant would have asked why he did this, but Teleki turned away
from him and beckoned him to go away.
Then he had his favourite charger, Kalman, brought forth, and after
stroking its neck tenderly, trotted off to the front of his forces and
addressed them in these words:
"My brave Transylvanians, now is the time to fight together valiantly
for glory and liberty in the service of his Imperial Majesty in order to
deliver our country, our wives and children, from Turkish bondage and
the tyranny of that evil ally of theirs, Toekoely, for otherwise you and
your descendants have nought but eternal slavery to expect. Grieve not
for me if I, your general, fall on the field of battle. Behold, I bring
my white beard among you, and am ready to die."
While he was saying these words his adjutant, Macskari, came to him and
began to explain that the Transylvanians had been placed in the rear and
were grumbling loudly at having been so set aside.
On hearing this Teleki at once galloped up to Heissler.
"Sir," said he, "you are a bad judge of the Hungarian temperament in
warfare if you place them in the rear; the Szekler, in particular, has a
great aptitude for the assault, but don't expect help from him if you
keep him waiting in the rear till the front ranks are broken."
Generals, on the eve of a battle are, very naturally, somewhat impatient
of advice, especially if it be delivered by a civilian. Heissler
therefore snubbed the minister somewhat unmercifully, whereupon Teleki
galloped back to his men without saying another word.
Meanwhile the Turkish army had slowly begun to move; on the left wing a
regiment of Tartars stealthily entered the reeds of the morass and began
to surround the right wing of the Transylvanians; but their experienced
general, perceiving their approach from the undulatory movement of the
reed-stalks, speedily ordered Doria to advance against them with six
squadrons of dragoons, whereupon Teleki also sent thirteen regiments of
Szeklers against them under Michael Henter, and soon the two stealthily
crouching hosts could be seen in collision. The Szeklers, with a wild
yell, rushed upon the Tartars, who turned tail after the first onset,
and fled still deeper among the reeds. Doria pursued them everywhere,
the discharge of the artillery fired the reeds in several places, and
they began to burn over the heads of the combatants.
At that moment Toekoely suddenly blew the trumpets and advanced into the
plain with thirty-two squadrons, who rushed upon the foe with a
sky-rending howl. There was a roll of musketry as the assailants drew
near, and nine of the thirty-two squadrons bit the dust, hundreds of
riders fell from their horses.
But the rest did not turn back as they used to do. Feriz Beg was leading
them, they saw his sword flashing in front of them, and felt sure of
victory.
At the moment of the firing a bullet had struck the youth in the breast;
but he regarded it not, he only saw Teleki before him, dressed in black.
He recognised him from afar, and galloped straight towards him.
Beneath the savage assault of the Turkish horsemen the German dragoons
gave way in a moment, their ranks were scattered; against the slim darts
of the Spahis and the light csakanyis of the hussars the straight sword
and the heavy cuirass were but a poor defence. The first line was cast
back upon the second, and when General Noscher was struck down by a dart
in the forehead, the centre also was broken.
The Szeklers simply looked on at the battle from the rear.
"What think you, comrades," they said to one another, "if they only
brought us here to look on, wouldn't it be better to look on from yonder
hill?"
And with that they shouldered their pikes, and without doing the
slightest harm to the Turks, went off in a body.
The cavalry, who still had some stomach in them, on perceiving the
flight of the infantry, also suddenly lost heart, and giving their
horses the reins, scampered off in every direction.
Heissler thus was left alone on the battle-field, and up to the last
moment strenuously endeavoured to retrieve the fortunes of the day. All
in vain. Balacsan fell before his very eyes on the left wing, and
shortly afterwards, General Magni staggered towards him scarce
recognisable, for he had a fearful slash right across his head, which
covered his face with blood, and his left arm was pierced by a dart. It
was not about himself that he was anxious, however, for he grasped
Heissler's bridle and dragged him away.
Heissler, full of desperation, fought against his own men, who carried
him from the field by force. At last he reached the top of a hillock
and, looking back, perceived one division still fighting on the
battlefield. It was the picked division of Doria who, in its pursuit of
the Tartars, had been cut off from the rest of the army, and seeing that
it was isolated had hastily formed into a square and stood against the
whole of the victorious host, fighting obstinately and refusing to
surrender. This was too much for Heissler. He tore himself loose from
his escort, and returned alone to the battlefield. A few stray horsemen
followed him, and he tried to cut his way to Doria through the
intervening hussars.
A tall and handsome cavalier intercepted him.
"Surrender, general, it is no shame to you. I am Emeric Toekoely."
Heissler returned no answer but galloped straight at him, and, whirling
his sword above his head, aimed a blow at the Hungarian leader.
Toekoely called to those around him to stand back. Alone he fought against
so worthy an enemy till a violent blow broke in twain the sword of the
German general, and he was obliged to surrender.
Meanwhile Doria's division was overborne by superior forces; he himself
fell beneath his horse, which was shot under him, and was taken
prisoner.
The rest fled.
Michael Teleki fled likewise, trusting in his good steed Kalman. He
heard behind him the cries of his pursuers; there was one form in
particular that he did not wish to have behind him, and it seemed to
Teleki as if he were about to see this form.
This was the chief sirdar, Feriz Beg. Mortally wounded though he was, he
did not forget his mortal anger, and though his blood flowed in streams,
he still felt strength enough in his arm to shed the blood of his enemy.
Suddenly Michael directed his flight towards a field of wheat, when his
horse stumbled and fell with him.
Here Feriz Beg overtook the minister, and whirling around his sword,
exclaimed:
"That blow is from Denis Banfy!"
Teleki raised his sword to defend himself, but at that name his hand
shook and he received a slash across the face, whereupon his sword fell
from his hand; but he still held his hand before his streaming eyes and
only heard these words:
"This blow is for Paul Beldi! This blow is for the children of Paul
Beldi! This blow is for Transylvania!"
That last blow was the heaviest of all!
Teleki sank down on the ground a corpse.
Feriz Beg gazed upwards with a look of transport, sighed deeply, and
then drooped suddenly over his horse's neck. He was dead.
* * * * *
Next day when they found Teleki among the slain, and brought him to
Toekoely, the young Prince cried:
"Heh! bald head! bald head! if you had never lived in Transylvania so
much blood would not have flowed here."
Thus the prophecy of Magyari was fulfilled.
Then Toekoely ordered the naked, plundered corpse to be clothed in
garments of his own and sent to his widow at Goergency.
In exchange for the captured generals, Heissler and Doria, Toekoely got
back his wife Helen. This was his greatest gain from the war.
Both of them now sleep far away from their native land in the valley of
Nicomedia.
THE END.
_Jarrold and Sons, Limited, The Empire Press, Norwich._
Dr. Maurus Jokai's Novels
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_Debts of Honor_
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Transcriber's Note: The following typographical errors present in the
original edition have been corrected.
The advertisements were moved from the front of the book to the back. A
period was added after "Distant Lamps".
In Chapter I, "deposited it in front of the Divan" was changed to
"deposited it in front of the Divan".
In Chapter III, "Feriz Beg grew quiet furious at Toekoely's cold repose"
was changed to "Feriz Beg grew quite furious at Toekoely's cold repose".
In Chapter IV, a quotation mark was added after "commandants of the
fortress of Szathmar".
In Chapter V, "as to everyone of which he was able to prove" was changed
to "as to every one of which he was able to prove", "found everthing
wasted and ravaged" was changed to "found everything wasted and
ravaged", and "we are have not come here for you to pepper us" was
changed to "we have not come here for you to pepper us".
In Chapter VI, "s ized his shaggy little horse" was changed to "seized
his shaggy little horse".
In Chapter VII, "he had put the Szathmarians" was changed to "he had put
the Szathmarians", "for the Szathmar army" was changed to "for the
Szathmar army", "he had only required of Kaszonyi" was changed to "he
had only required of Kaszonyi", and "kept them well supplied them with
drinking-water" was changed to "kept them well supplied with
drinking-water".
In Chapter VIII, a malformed ellipsis in "That damsel's name is Azrael
... Allah is mighty!" was corrected.
In Chapter IX, "they ward of with their bosoms" was changed to "they
ward off with their bosoms", and "a female Ibbis" was changed to "a
female Iblis".
In Chapter X, a quotation mark was removed before "Eh, eh! worthy Beg,
thou must needs have been drinking".
In Chapter XI, a quotation mark was added before "the camp is now
aroused".
In Chapter XII, "Ersekujvar" was changed to "Ersekujvar".
In Chapter XIII, "a dirty Turkish cavasse in sordid rags, entered the
courtyard" was changed to "a dirty Turkish cavasse in sordid rags
entered the courtyard", "without stopping from Szamosujvar" was changed
to "without stopping from Szamosujvar", and "she reached Szamosujvar in
the early morning" was changed to "she reached Szamosujvar in the early
morning".
In Chapter XIV, "the panic of Nagyened" was changed to "the panic of
Nagyenyed", and "for Beldi lives at Bodola" was changed to "for Beldi
lives at Bodola".
In Chapter XV, "well aquainted with the mood of an eastern Despot" was
changed to "well acquainted with the mood of an eastern Despot", "for
him it to level towns to the ground" was changed to "for him to level
towns to the ground", and a malformed ellipsis in "Mercy! ... Mercy!"
was corrected.
In Chapter XVI, "the time when Haissar was burnt" was changed to "the
time when Hiassar was burnt", "I sware by Allah it is not to be done"
was changed to "I swear by Allah it is not to be done", "whispered in
her hear with malicious joy" was changed to "whispered in her ear with
malicious joy", "in all probabilty been helped" was changed to "in all
probability been helped", and "sorry matted coveyance" was changed to
"sorry matted conveyance".
In Chapter XIX, a period was added after the chapter number, "Rest
to night?" was changed to "Rest to-night?", and "plunged over into the
abss" was changed to "plunged over into the abyss".
In Chapter XX, "the muderris in his official capacity" was changed to
"the muederris in his official capacity".
In Chapter XXI, a period was changed to a question mark after "where
have you put it", and "reached Michael Teleki at Gernyizeg" was changed
to "reached Michael Teleki at Gernyeszeg".
In Chapter XXII, a period was changed to a comma after "shaking his
chains".
In Chapter XXIV, "demanded an audience of the noble Dano Solymosi" was
changed to "demanded an audience of the noble Dano Solymosi".
In Chapter XXV, "You, Zuefikar, my son" was changed to "You, Zuelfikar, my
son", and "Koertoerely, the old hound" was changed to "Koertoevely, the old
hound".
In Chapter XXVII, "Thus Aranki's letter" was changed to "Thus Aranka's
letter", a missing period was added after "as if nothing had happened",
and a missing quotation mark was added after "we cannot now withdraw our
feet".
In Chapter XXX, "Ersekujvar" was changed to "Ersekujvar", and "During
the seige of Vienna" was changed to "During the siege of Vienna".
In Chapter XXXI, "always arid of fame and glory" was changed to "always
avid of fame and glory".
In Chapter XXXII, a period was added after the chapter number, and a
period was changed to a question mark after "And is the lady worthy of
you".
The original text contained numerous inconsistencies in spelling and
hyphenation, frequently reflecting inconsistent Anglicization of
Hungarian names. In some cases, when the translator's preferred form was
obvious, the spelling has been modified to reflect the dominant usage or
to conform with the original Hungarian text; in many cases, where no
single spelling was obviously preferred, inconsistent spellings have
been retained.