CHAPTER IX.
"I WASH MY HANDS!"
The Diet, summoned a few weeks before, was still holding its meetings inthe open air, with no better shelter than that afforded by a large opentent. Akos Szirmay would be going thither presently, but it was stillearly, and he was now on his way to his uncle's old mansion near theDanube.
Though Kuthen was rather prisoner now than guest, he was still visitedby some of the Hungarian lords, and Bishop WAincsa was often there withmessages from the King, saying how greatly he deplored the necessity forstill keeping him prisoner, and explaining that it was from no want ofconfidence on his part, but rather for the ensurance of Kuthen's ownsafety, adding that he was hoping and waiting for the time when he mightcome in person and restore the King and his family to liberty.
Kuthen had loved and honoured BA(C)la from the first, and though in thismatter he thought him weak, no one would have been able to persuade himthat BA(C)la would consent to anything which would imperil his guest.
Akos had been a daily visitor at the house all along, and he made nosecret, either there or at his father's, of his attachment to Kuthen'syounger daughter, whose sweet face and winning ways had attracted himfrom the first.
Stephen Szirmay did not like his son's choice, which was not to bewondered at. Kuthen, it was true, possessed much treasure, and MarAinawas his favourite child. But JolAinta's marriage had taught him thatwealth did not make happiness. Her marriage had had his eager, delightedapproval, as he was obliged to admit to himself; and as his judgment hadbeen at fault in the one case, he would not interfere in the other. Itwould be wiser to remain neutral, lest ill-timed opposition should makehis son more determined.
Kuthen was up very early this morning; for news had reached him thatmany of the Kunok who had remained behind in Moldavia were hastening toHungary, and being aware also that those already in the country were nowon their way to Pest, he was hourly expecting a summons from the Kingfor himself and his sons, and then they would fight, they would fight!and for ever silence the jealous suspicions of their enemies.
Kuthen knew all that was going on about him, for he was well served byhis faithful followers, who were more devoted to him than ever since hehad been a sort of state prisoner; he knew that the Diet was sittingthat day, and that his best friends, the King and Duke KAilmAin, would fortheir own sakes do all they could to bring to an end the presentdisgraceful state of affairs, which was only likely to increase theslanders and suspicions of which he was the victim.
Kuthen knew also of the Duke of Austria's arrival, of his encounter withthe Mongols, and of the prisoner, said to be a Kun, whom he had sounfortunately captured. Kun or not, the populace believed, and wereencouraged by the Duke to believe, that he was one. During the last fewhours the Duke had done his utmost to foment the growing irritationagainst the King and his people.
Kuthen knew all, and though he hoped in King BA(C)la, he neglected noprecautions to ensure the safety of his family, if the worst should cometo the worst. There were already more than a hundred Kunok in thecastle, chiefs and simple armed men, who had found means to join him, bydegrees, without attracting notice, all of whom were most resolute andmost trustworthy. Watch was kept day and night without intermission, andof one thing Kuthen might be entirely confident, that if danger shouldcome, it would not take him by surprise, and that, if the mob shouldrise against them--as he knew was not impossible--though they mightperish, they would at least not perish like cowards.
When Akos arrived on this particular morning, he was closeted alonewith the King for a time, and could not deny that things lookedthreatening, or that the populace and most of the nobles were in a stateof irritation, thanks in great measure to the Duke of Austria and hisunlucky prisoner. All that he could do was to urge the need of prudenceand vigilance.
But before the young noble took his leave, something seemed to strikeKuthen. Whether a new idea flashed into his mind, whether he had apremonition of any kind, or whether he was merely filled with vagueforebodings, not unnatural under the circumstances, it is impossible tosay, but as Akos was about to make his farewells, Kuthen laid adetaining hand upon his shoulder, and drew him into the adjoining room.There he took his daughter MarAina by the hand, and leading her up toAkos, he said solemnly, "Children, man's life and future are in thehands of God! We are living in serious times. See, Akos, I give you mybeloved daughter! Happen what may, you will answer to me for this, oneof my children."
"You have given me a treasure, you have made me rich indeed! God blessyou for it; and, father, have no fears on her account, for we will liveand die together," said Akos, with much emotion, his hand in that of hisbride.
The Queen's eyes filled with tears as she looked at the handsome youngpair, and drawing close to Akos, she whispered in his ear, "Mind,whatever happens to the rest of us, my MarAina must be saved."
Just then in came the two young Princes, who were always pleased to seeAkos, and were delighted, though not surprised, to hear of theirsister's betrothal.
"Oh, but brother Akos," they exclaimed together, as if they thought thatthe new relationship must at once make a difference, "we should so liketo go with you to the Diet, but we are captives, and we have not wingslike the eagles."
"And, my dear brothers, even if you had," returned Akos, "I shouldadvise you not to leave your dear father for a moment just now."
"Oh, but why? why?" they both asked.
"Because I think that this is a critical time," he answered. "Let usonly get through the next day or two quietly, and I quite believe thatyou will all be able to go in and out as you please."
"You are right, Akos," interposed the King. "Time may bring us good. Letus wait and be watchful! And don't forget that I have given this dearchild into your care. Trust the rest of us to God, in whose hands is ourfate; we shall defend ourselves, if need be, but you think only of her.Do you promise me?"
"I swear I will," said Akos, with uplifted hand.
Then he embraced his bride, who accompanied him to the covered entrance,then followed him with her eyes all along the drawbridge, and afterthat watched him from a window until he was quite out of sight.
Kuthen had already doubled the guards about his dwelling, and had takenother precautions and measures of defence; but the walls were high, andall had been done so quietly that it had not attracted the attention ofthe sentries posted on the other side of the drawbridge. When Akos wasgone, he and his sons armed themselves as if for battle.
Sheaves of arrows were brought out and placed in readiness, the guardswere armed, and the Kun chiefs, who took it in turn to be on duty nearthe King, made all needful preparation for an obstinate defence.
Akos had not been gone more than an hour or two, when little groups andknots of people began to gather round Kuthen's house. There were threeor four here, and three or four there, and presently they might becounted by the score. Later on a large crowd had collected. They weretalking quietly to one another, and seemed so far to be quite peaceable,however.
The Kun royal family took no alarm, for they knew the Pest populace andits insatiable curiosity well by this time, and they fancied that therewas perhaps some idea abroad that Kuthen and his sons would be going tothe Diet; or perhaps MarAina's betrothal was known.
Another hour passed and the people began to shout and howl. Two personswere declaiming to them; but within the walls it was impossible todistinguish what they were saying. The crowd pressed nearer and nearerto the drawbridge, so near indeed, that the guards on duty there had thegreatest difficulty in keeping them back, and a sudden rush of those inthe rear sent two or three of the foremost splashing into the moat, tothe huge diversion of the rest.
Presently, however, the mob appeared to be seized by a new idea, forthey all set off running in one direction; and in a few moments, only afew small knots of people remained.
But these few lay down on the patches of grass round about, as if theymeant to stay indefinitely, and the Kun chiefs, who had been keepingclose watch behind the loop-holed
walls, noticed that they were allarmed, some with knotty sticks and wooden clubs bristling with nails,and a few here and there with bows and quivers. It looked as if theymeant mischief, and the Kunok were all on the alert for what mighthappen.
Akos meantime had been for the last hour or two at the Diet. From wherehe was he had a full view of the Danube, and after a time he noticed alarge crowd of people crossing the river by the ferry-boats and makingstraight for the place where the Diet was being held. Both banks of theDanube were thronged, and soon the crowd became a vast, compact mass;but the first intimation of anything unusual that many of the membershad, was the finding the table at which they sat suddenly surrounded bytheir own gaily caparisoned horses, which the crowd had found blockingtheir way, and had driven before them into the tent.
It was a terrible moment! No one could imagine what had happened, andsome of the more nervous thought that the Tartars, whom they had takenso lightly before, had actually stormed the town. All started to theirfeet, seized the horses by their bridles, and drew their swords.
And now the howls of the furious mob were plainly to be heard.
"Kuthen! the Kunok! the traitors! Death to the Kunok!"
It was impossible to misunderstand what the mob were bent upon.
This was no peaceable, if clamorous deputation like the former one!these were no faithful subjects rallying round the King in a moment ofdanger, and seeking his counsel and help!
No! the flood had burst its bounds, carrying all before it, and had comenot to petition, but to claim, and to threaten.
The King motioned for silence. He was the calmest and most collected ofall present, and such was the magic influence of his presence, such therespect felt for him, that even now, in spite of all the excitement, fora moment the clamour seemed to cease.
Just then one of the nobles, a young man in brilliant armour, withflashing eyes, seized the bridle of the horse nearest him, flung himselfon its back, dashed away, and looking neither behind nor before him,forced his way recklessly through the mob. All who noticed him supposedthat he had received some command from the King, but the confusion wasso great that his departure was unobserved, except by those whose legswere endangered by his horse's hoofs.
"The Kun King is a prisoner," said BA(C)la in a trumpet-like voice, whichcommanded attention at least for the moment. "No one in my dominionswill be condemned unheard. I forbid all violence, and I shall hold theleaders of this insurgent multitude responsible."
So far the King was allowed to speak without interruption, or at leastwithout having his voice drowned. But after this, if he spoke, he couldnot make himself heard. For no sooner did the magnates and othersassembled understand what all the uproar was about, than the King'swords lost their effect.
Members from the counties where the Kunok were settled, recalled themany irregularities of which the latter had been guilty on their firstarrival, envied them their rich pastures, and joined the mob in cryingfor vengeance upon them, and in shrieking "Treachery!"
There were but few on the King's side, save the two Archbishops, thetwo Szirmays, one FoyAics, and HA(C)dervAiry the Palatine.
The mob surged into the tent, howling and threatening.
"If the King won't consent, let us settle it ourselves! The countrystands first! The King himself will thank us when his eyes are opened!Let's go! what are we waiting for? There are enough of us!"
Duke Friedrich, who, as being the most powerful and most distinguishedguest present, was sitting next the King, turned to him and said in ahalf whisper: "Your Majesty, this is a case in which you must give in!Nothing is more dangerous than for the people to think they can actagainst the King's will and go unpunished. No one will defend Kuthen,and who knows what has been going on yonder, or even whether Kuthen isstill alive?"
The King maintained a determined silence, but his eyes flashed, and hishand grasped the hilt of his sword.
The tumult increased, and some even of those who believed in the Kunok'sinnocence, were so alarmed by the rage of the insurgents that theyhurried up to the King and implored him to yield. The pressure aroundhim waxed greater and greater.
Duke KAilmAin, who was standing not far off, cried out, "Your Majestywon't give in! The honour of the nation is at stake!"
But the noise and confusion were so great that the King could not heara word his brother said. The Duke shouted for his horse, but it was allin vain, for he could not move.
King BA(C)la, pressed on all sides by those who were beseeching, imploring,urging, forgot himself for a moment. He put his hands over his eyes,then stretching them out, he said, "Lavabo manus meas! (I will wash myhands). You will answer to God for this wickedness. I have done what Icould do!"
"The King has consented!" roared those nearest him.
The mob began to sway about, the horses neighed, the people all pouredforth, roaring, "Eljen a kirAily! Long live the King! Death to the falsetraitors! Forward! To Kuthen! to Kuthen!"
No sooner was he free than Duke KAilmAin mounted the first horse he couldseize, while the mob rushed off like a whirlwind in the direction of thehouse by the Danube.
When the King looked round none were left but some of the magnates.
"A horse!" he shouted furiously; and he galloped away after the mob,accompanied by the Austrian Duke and the rest.
If BA(C)la had mounted his horse before he addressed the mob, if he hadfaced the insurgents as a king, and had at once punished theringleaders, the country might have been spared great part of thedisasters which were now on the very threshold. But once again the Kingwas weak at a critical moment. There is much to be said in his excuseand defence; but weakness, however brilliantly defended, remainsweakness still.