"NEXT TIME WE MEET!"
Since her father's departure, Dora had held the reins of government, and
held them, too, with a firmer hand than Master Peter had done.
In a couple of weeks she had made the sleepy governor, if not active, at
least less dilatory; the men-at-arms had been well drilled by himself
and Talabor, and the serving men and women had been bewitched into some
degree of orderliness.
News of her father she neither had nor expected. Probably she would hear
nothing until he came or sent for her. She knew nothing positively as to
what was taking place outside, though the servants from time to time
picked up fragments of news in the villages, so contradictory as to
convey little real information. But the air, even in this out-of-the-way
region, was full of rumour and presentiment, which affected different
characters in different ways, but had the general result of making all
more careful than usual.
Without being in the least alarmed, Talabor was one who showed himself
particularly circumspect at this time; and, as if he had some sort of
instinct that trouble might be at hand, he gradually got into the way of
helping the seneschal in all that he had to do. And his assistance,
though uncalled for, was most welcome to the poor man, who felt a good
deal burthened, now that he had to bestir himself to greater speed than
was his wont.
Some of the servants liked Talabor for his unpresuming ways, resolution,
and courage, while the rest sought to curry favour with him because the
young clerk was evidently in the master's good graces, and they believed
him to be a power in consequence.
By degrees, and without even noticing it, Talabor quite took the
governor's place. The servants, being accustomed to receive their orders
from him, and to go to him in all difficulties, finding moreover that
Talabor was always ready with an answer and never at a loss what to do,
while the old seneschal forgot more than he remembered, soon almost
overlooked the latter and put him on one side.
Even Dora, who was perhaps more distant with Talabor now than she had
ever been before, came at last to giving her orders to him, instead of
to the governor. And the governor, finding himself thus in the shade,
would now and then suddenly awake and become jealous for the
preservation of his authority, and at such times would seize the reins
with ludicrous haste, while Talabor would as quickly take up again the
part of a subordinate.
Such was the state of affairs when the governor and Talabor were sitting
together one evening in a tolerably large room occupied by the former.
On the table before them were a good sized pewter pot and drinking cups
to match. The two had been talking for some time. The governor was
looking as if he had been annoyed about something, and Talabor could not
be said to look cheerful either, in fact, he had rarely been seen to
smile since Master Peter's departure. He missed him greatly, for
latterly, as long as he was at home, Peter had often had the young man
with him in the evenings, when the candles were lighted, or when a
blazing fire supplied the place of tallow and wax, these latter being
still considered luxuries.
Master Peter possessed a few books which he greatly valued--a copy of
his favourite Ovid, and a Bible, for which he had given a village and a
half, besides one or two others. He made Talabor read to him from all in
turn; and often by way of variety, he had long conversations with him,
and told him stories of his hunting adventures.
Talabor was a good listener, and he not only enjoyed but learnt a good
deal from the narratives of his younger days, in which Master Peter
delighted. Dora, too, was more often present than not, and sometimes
joined in the conversation, which made it more interesting still, and
then Talabor felt as if he were almost one of the family. Of course,
there could be nothing of this sort now. Dora gave her orders, sometimes
made suggestions, but he never saw her except in the presence of others
and on matters of business. He had quite satisfied himself, however,
that there had never been anything between her and Libor, and that was a
satisfaction. She had not deceived her father, she had never either sent
or received a single letter unknown to him, and in fact she was just as
upright and honourable as he had always thought her.
As to why Libor had spread the reports which Talabor had traced to him,
and why he had enlisted Borka's aid, unless it were to magnify his own
importance, that, of course, he could not guess; but he had so
frightened the maid that he was satisfied not only that she had told him
the truth so far as she knew it, but that for the future she would keep
it to herself, on pain of being denounced as a traitor to her master, of
whom she stood in great awe.
"This won't do!" cried the governor, as he brought his hand down on the
table with a mighty bang. "This won't do, I say! Here are the woods
swarming with wolves, and one good hunt would drive the whole pack off,
and yet you, Talabor, would have us look idly on while the brutes are
carrying off the master's sheep and lambs regularly day after day."
"Not idly, sir, I did not say idly; but they have the shepherd and his
boys to look after them, and they are good shots, especially the
shepherd, and then he has four dogs, each as big as a buffalo," Talabor
rejoined, rather absently.
"Buffalo!"
"Calf, I mean, of course; but it would certainly not be wise to take the
garrison out hunting just now."
"And why not? You are afraid of the Tartars, I suppose, like the rest!"
"No, sir! but if they do come, I should prefer their being afraid of us!
Besides, there is no good in denying it--the wind never blows without
cause, and there has been more than one report that the Tartars have
actually invaded us."
"Always the Tartars! How in the world should they find their way through
such woods as these unless you or I led them here?"
"If once the filthy creatures flood the country, it seems to me from all
that ever I have heard, that not a corner will be safe from them.
They'll go even where they have no intention of going, just because of
their numbers, because those behind will press them forward in any and
every direction."
"Well, it's true, certainly, that the last time I was with the master in
Pest, I heard they had done I don't know what not in Russia and
Wallachia. People said that wherever they forced their way they were
like--excuse me--like bugs, and not to be so easily got rid of, even
with boiling water! And they are foul, disgusting folk, too! they poison
the very air; and they eat up everything, to the very hog-wash!"
"So, Governor, you agree with me then! It's the man who keeps his eyes
open who controls the market! Who knows whether we mayn't have a
struggle with them ourselves to-day or to-morrow!"
"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed the governor. "Our walls are strong, and, if only
there are not very many of them----"
"Eh, sir, but numbers will make no difference! We are so enclosed here
that the closer they are packed the more of them our arrows will hit."
"True! true!" said the governor, with more animation now that there was
a question of fighting, "but they shoot too, blast them!"
"Let them!" said Talabor confidently, "we are behind our walls, and can
see every man of them without being seen ourselves."
"Clerk!" cried the governor, quite annoyed, "I declare you talk as if
the Tartars were at the very gate!"
"Heaven forbid! but----"
At that instant the door flew open, and the gate-keeper, one of the most
vigilant fellows of the castle, rushed in.
"Get on with you, you ass!" shouted the governor, "what's the news? What
do you mean by leaving the gate and bolting in here as if the wolves
were at your heels?"
The governor might perhaps have gone on scolding, but the gate-keeper
interrupted him.
"Talabor--Mr. Governor, I mean, there are some suspicious-looking men on
the edge of the wood, if my eyes don't deceive me."
"On the edge of the wood? But it is rather dark to see so far," said
Talabor, standing up as he spoke.
"If it were not so dark, I could tell better who the rascals are; but so
much I can say, there they are, and a good lot of them."
"Very well," said Talabor, making a sign to the governor, "you are a
faithful fellow to have noticed them; but we mustn't make any fuss, or
our young mistress may be frightened."
"I am not usually given to fearing danger, Mr. Talabor," said Dora,
entering the room at that moment, and speaking with cool dignity. "I
have just been to the top of the look out myself, and what this honest
fellow says is perfectly true. There are some men just inside the wood,
and they do look suspicious, because they keep creeping about among the
underwood, and only now and then putting their heads out."
While his mistress spoke, the gate-keeper had stood there motionless.
"Come, go back to the gate," said Dora, turning to him, "and make haste!
you heard what Mr. Talabor said; let him know at once if you notice any
movement among these people."
"And, Governor," she continued, "you had better place the guard and all
the men who can shoot at the loopholes, quietly, you know, not as if we
were expecting to be attacked; and then, the stones for the walls----"
"Pardon me, mistress," interposed Talabor, "I had stones, and everything
else we might need, carried up a week ago."
"I know it, Mr. Talabor, I was not doubting it," Dora said in an
unruffled tone, "but for all that, it will be as well to have more
stones, I think. I believe myself that they are just brigands, not
Tartars, but even so, if they attack us at night, and in large numbers,
all will depend upon the reception they get, so it seems to me."
Talabor said no more, but in his own mind he was fully persuaded that
the suspicious-looking folk were the Mongols, and that they were
concocting some plan for getting into the castle without attacking it.
"Your orders shall be obeyed, my young mistress," answered the governor.
"Talabor," Dora went on, as if to make up for her previous coldness, "I
trust to you to do everything necessary for our defence."
A few moments later Talabor was in the spacious courtyard, collecting
the men who formed the watch or guard, while the old governor hurried
with some difficulty up the stairs which led to the porter's room, over
the gate.
All preparations were complete within a quarter of an hour.
Dora wrapped herself in a cloak and stationed herself in a wide balcony
facing the woods.
She had been very desirous of following her father and sharing all his
perils and dangers; but it must be confessed that at this moment she was
filled with fear; so, too, she probably would have been if at her
father's side in battle, but she would have suppressed her fear then as
she was doing now, and would have shown herself as brave and resolute as
any.
The doubtful-looking figures had vanished now from the wood, and, aided
by the moon which just then shone out through the clouds, Talabor's
sharp eyes detected three horsemen coming towards the gate. They were
riding confidently, though the path was steep and narrow, with a wall of
rock on one side and a sheer precipice on the other. They seemed to know
the way.
"Talabor!" cried Dora, as she caught sight of him standing on the wall
just opposite her, between the low but massive battlements.
"Directly!" answered Talabor, and with a whisper to Jakó the dog-keeper,
who was beside him, he hurried down and came and stood below the
balcony, while Dora bent over it, saying in a pleased tone, "Do you see,
there are guests arriving? I think they must be friends, or at least
acquaintances, by the way they ride."
"Yes, I do, mistress!" answered Talabor. "They have the appearance of
visitors certainly, but they have come from those other
questionable-looking folk, so we will be careful. Trust me, I have my
wits about me."
"There are three," said Dora, after a short pause, and as if the answer
did not quite satisfy her. "How can we tell whether they have any evil
intentions or not?"
"We shall see; but I must go back to my place."
"Go to the gate tower."
"I am going!" said Talabor, and without waiting for further orders, he
ran back, first to his former post on the wall, where he spoke to the
wild-looking dog-keeper and the two armed men who had joined him, and
then to the tower flanking the gate, from a slit-like opening in which
he could see the moat, and the space opposite formed by a clearing in
the wood.
The gate-keeper had not noticed the approach of the "guests," as Dora
called them, for the window was too narrow to give any view of the
breakneck path, along which the riders were advancing, now hidden in the
hollows, now reappearing among the juniper bushes and wild roses. They
were within a short distance of the moat now, and were making straight
for the gate.
"Quick!" said Talabor to the porter, "go and fetch the governor! I'll
take your place meantime; and tell him to be on his guard, but not to
raise any alarm. It would be as well if he could get our young mistress
to leave that open balcony, for some impudent arrow, if not a spear,
might find its way there."
The gate-keeper stared for a moment, and then went off without a word.
The governor, finding day after day pass in peace, had cast care to the
winds for his own part, and had fallen into the way of constantly
testing the contents of Master Peter's well-filled cellar, in the
privacy of his own room. He was rather a dainty than greedy drinker, and
the wine, being pure, never affected his head, though it did not make
him more inclined to exert himself. Just now, however, he was carrying
out Dora's orders, as he sat on a projection of the wall with his feet
dangling down into the court. He would have had his pipe in his mouth,
not a doubt of it, if tobacco had been known in those days.
While the gate-keeper was gone the three horsemen arrived.
"Hi! porter!" cried the foremost, whose figure, though not his features,
was plainly discernible. He was mounted on a dark, undersized horse, and
was enveloped in a sort of cloak of primitive shape, much like the
coarse garment worn by swine-herds. His head was covered by a small
round helmet, like a half melon.
"Here I am, what do you want?" answered Talabor.
"I come by order of Master Peter Szirmay," answered the man. "The
Tartars have broken into the country, and his Honour has sent a
garrison, as he does not consider the present one sufficient."
"You are Libor the clerk!" said Talabor, at once recognising the forward
governor by his peculiar voice, which reminded him irresistibly of a
cock's crow.
"And who may you be?"
"Talabor, if his Honour the governor still remembers my poor name."
"Ah! all right, Clerk! just let them be quick with the drawbridge, for
it is going to rain, and I have no fancy for getting wet."
"No fear, Mr. Libor. It is not blowing up for rain yet! But in these
perilous times, caution is the order of the day, and so, Mr. Libor, your
Honour will perhaps explain how it happens that Mr. Paul Héderváry's
gallant governor has been sent to our assistance by our master. That we
are in much need of help I don't deny."
"Why such a heap of questions? Mr. Héderváry and some twenty or more
Szirmays are in the King's camp, and Master Peter has sent me with Mr.
Héderváry's consent, as being a man to be trusted."
"A man to be trusted? And since when have you been a man to be trusted,
Governor? Since when have people come to trust a scamp? You take care
that I don't tell Master Peter something about you!"
"Mr. Talabor!" cried Libor haughtily, "have the drawbridge lowered at
once! I have orders to garrison the castle. And pray where is the
governor? and since when have such pettifoggers as you been allowed to
meddle in Master Peter's affairs?"
"Here is the governor," said old Moses at this moment. Curiosity, and
just a little spice of uneasiness had brought him quickly to the tower,
and he had heard Libor's last angry words.
Talabor at once gave up his place to him, but neither he nor the porter
left the room.
"Oh, Mr. Governor," said Libor in a tone of flattery, "I am glad indeed
to be able to speak to the real governor at last, instead of to that
wind-bag of a fellow. I know Mr. Moses _deák_, and how long he has been
in Master Peter's confidence as his right hand."
Then, slightly raising his voice, he went on: "The promised garrison has
arrived. It is here close at hand by Master Peter's orders, and is only
waiting for the drawbridge to place itself under Mr. Moses' command."
Before making any answer to this, the governor turned to Talabor with a
look of inquiry, which seemed to say, "It is all quite correct. Master
Peter himself has sent Governor Libor here, and there is no reason why
we should not admit the reinforcements."
"Mr. Governor," whispered Talabor, with his hand on his sword, "say you
will let Mr. Libor himself in and that you will settle matters with him
over a cup of wine."
"Good," said the governor, who liked this suggestion very well. Then he
shouted down through the opening, "Mr. Libor, before I admit the
garrison, I should be pleased to see you in the castle by yourself! I am
sure you must be tired after your long journey, and it will do you good
to wet your whistle with a cup or two of wine; and then, as soon as we
have had a look at things all round, I will receive your good fellows
with open arms."
"Who is in command of this guard?" inquired Talabor, coming to the
window again.
"Myself! until I hand my men over to the governor. But I don't answer
you again, Clerk Talabor! What need is there of anyone else while good
Mr. Moses is alive? But I can't come and feast inside while my men are
left hungry and thirsty without. I will summon them at once! and even
then they can come only single file up this abominable road where one
risks one's life at every step."
"Indeed so, Mr. Libor? Well, if you have all your wits about you, we
have not quite taken leave of ours. You would like to come in with your
troop, but we should like first to have the pleasure of being made
personally acquainted with your two wooden figures there! I understand
you, sir! but you should have come when times were better. These are
evil days! Who knows whether Master Peter is even alive, and whether Mr.
Héderváry's governor has not come to take possession and turn this time
of confusion to his own advantage?"
So spoke Talabor, and Governor Moses was a little shaken out of his
confidence. Indeed, the whole affair seemed strange. Surely, thought he,
if Master Peter had wished to strengthen the garrison he would have
found someone to send besides the clerk, Libor; for he, of course, knew
nothing of the latter's recent military advancement; and then again,
Talabor was so prudent that during the past weeks the governor had come
to look on him as a sort of oracle.
"Then you won't admit the guard?" said Libor wrathfully.
"We have not said that," answered Moses; "but if you have come on an
honest errand, come in first by yourself; show me a line of writing, or
some other token, and we shall know at once what we are about."
"Writing? token? Isn't the living word more than any writing? And isn't
it token enough that I, the Hédervárys' governor, am here myself?"
"The garrison are not coming into the castle!" cried Talabor. "There are
enough of us here, and we don't want any more mouths to feed! But if you
yourself wish to come in, you may, and then we shall soon see how things
are."
"Mr. Governor!" shouted Libor in a fury, "I hold you responsible for
anything that may happen! who knows whether some stray band of Tartars
may not find their way up here to-day or to-morrow, and who is going to
stand against them?"
"We! I!" said Talabor. "Make your choice, if you please! Come in alone,
or--nobody will be let in, and we will take the responsibility."
So saying Talabor went forward, and looking down through the loophole,
exclaimed, "Why, Mr. Libor, who are those behind you?"
"Tótok (Slovacks), they don't understand Hungarian," answered Libor; and
in a louder voice he added, "Let the drawbridge down at once, I will
come in alone."
"Talabor!" said Dora, coming hastily into the room, "I see a whole
number of men coming up the road. What does it mean?"
"It means treachery, mistress! Mr. Héderváry's governor, Libor, _deák_,
is here asking for admittance, and I suspect mischief. I believe the
rascal means to take the castle," said Talabor.
"No one must be admitted," answered Dora.
As Dora spoke, Governor Moses turned round. The old man was not yet
clear in his own mind what they ought to do.
If the reinforcements had really come from Master Peter, why then there
was no reason why they should not be admitted; and, left to himself, he
would certainly have let both Libor and all his followers in without
delay. But Talabor had "driven a nail into his head" which caused him to
hesitate, and Dora's commands were peremptory.
"Excuse me, Mr. Governor," said Dora, "and allow me to come to the
window."
"Mr. Libor," she went on, in a voice which trembled a little, "please to
withdraw yourself and your men, and go back wherever you have come from.
If we are attacked we will defend ourselves, and you must all be wanted
elsewhere, if it is true, as I hear, that the Tartars have invaded the
country."
"Dearest young lady! Your father will be greatly vexed by this
obstinacy."
"That's enough, Libor!" said Talabor, with a sign to Dora, who drew
back. "We shall let no one into the castle, not even Master Peter's own
brother, unless he can show us Master Peter's ring, for those were his
private instructions to me."
"Why didn't you say so before?" muttered Moses to himself; and then, as
if annoyed that his master should have thought it necessary to give
private instructions to any but himself, in the event of such an
unforeseen emergency as the present, he called down to Libor, "It is
quite true! I asked you for a token myself just now, for I have had my
instructions too."
"I'll show it as soon as we are in the castle," returned Libor.
"Treachery!" said Talabor, addressing Dora. "The castle is strong, and
it will be difficult to attack it. We will answer for that! Don't have
any anxiety about anything, dear young lady; but hasten back to your own
rooms and don't risk your precious life, for I expect the dance will
begin directly."
Talabor's manly self-possession had reassured her, and she looked at
him with animation equal to his own; then, not wishing to wound the
feelings of the governor, she shook him by the hand for the first time
in her life, saying, "Moses, _deák_! if they should really attack us, I
trust entirely to you and Mr. Talabor. And, now, everyone to his post! I
am not a Szirmay for nothing! and I know how to behave, if the home of
my ancestors is attacked!"
And having hurriedly uttered these words, Dora withdrew.
"Very well then, as you please!" shouted Libor furiously. "Hungarian
dogs! you shall get what you have earned!"
With that he turned his horse's head, and not long after the whole body
of mounted men had reached the open space fronting the gate.
"Hungarian dogs!" thundered the governor, "then the rascally whelp can
actually slander his own race!"
A few moments more, and not only the horsemen who wore the Hungarian
costume, but also a hundred or so of filthy, monkey-faced Mongols on
foot, were all assembled before the castle, these latter having climbed
the rocks as if they had been so many wild cats. It was easy to see at
once that they were not Hungarians.
"Yes! Hungarian dogs, that's what you are!" shouted Libor, "and I am a
Knéz of his Highness, the Grand Khan Oktai, and I shall spit every man
of you!"
So saying, he hurried away, and was lost in the throng.