Roger began his narration by telling of the battle of Mohi and theKing's escape to ThurA cubedcz; and Orsolya heard with pride how Stephen,Peter, and Akos Szirmay had shared his flight, how Stephen had fallen bythe way, and how Master Peter had survived all the perils and dangers bywhich they were beset, and how Akos, too, had not only survived the Kunmassacre, but was safe and sound when last the Canon had heard of him,and had distinguished himself by many an act of bravery and devotion;and the old lady's eyes grew very bright as she listened, and she putout her hand to stroke that of the pale, slim girl who sat beside her,eagerly drinking in every word. Father Roger's information came from thecaptives brought in at different times, and stopped short, so far as theKing and his followers were concerned, at the time when they had takenrefuge in the island of Bua, and KajdAin had found himself baffled in hispursuit. To indemnify himself for the loss of his prey, he had plunderedDalmatia, Croatia, and Bosnia, had vainly stormed Ragusa, and had setfire to Cattaro. The last Father Roger knew of him was that he hadturned east and was expected to join Batu in Moldavia, by way ofAlbania, Servia, and Bulgaria.
The name of KajdAin was not unknown to the refugees, for it was he whohad led the Mongol horde which had poured into Transylvania from thenorth-east; it was he, or rather probably only his vanguard, who hadbeen defeated by the men of Radna; it was he who had suddenly attackedthem in force on March 31st, when they were gaily celebrating theirvictory; it was he who had consented to leave their town and minesuninjured on the condition that Ariskald, their Count, should act as hisguide. It was he, as Father Roger knew too well, who had crossed intoHungary and joined Batu in reducing it to a desert; for his owncathedral city, Grosswardein (NagyvAirad) was one of the many placeswhich KajdAin had captured.
"And about yourself, Father Roger?" asked Orsolya. "Tell us aboutyourself, where you were taken, and how you escaped with your life."
"I had fled from NagyvAirad before KajdAin reached it, and was a fugitive,hiding in the woods, living on roots and herbs and wild fruits until theautumn, and then--I was deceived as others were!"
Father Roger went on to explain that Batu, by way of keeping those ofthe inhabitants who had not yet fled, and of luring back some who had,in order that the harvest might be secured, had issued a proclamation inthe King's name.
"But how?" interrupted Orsolya. "You were deceived! Can he write ourtongue? Besides, the King's proclamations have the King's seal."
"And so had this! They--they got hold of it."
"And knew what it was?" persisted Aunt Orsolya incredulously.
Reluctantly Father Roger had to admit that they had been enlightened bya Hungarian.
"A Magyar!" burst from his audience in various tones of horror andindignation.
"There were not many like him, I am sure there were not many--perhaps wedon't know everything. He saved my life; I don't like to think too illof him--it was a time of awful trial--ah! if you had seen how some weretortured! It was enough to try the courage of the stoutest heart, and hewas not naturally a brave man. And yet I could not have believed it ofhim! I can't believe it! There must have been some mistake, surely!"
"You had known him before, the traitor!" cried Aunt Orsolya.
"Yes," said Father Roger sadly, "I had known him. He had joined theMongols before the battle of Mohi, partly because he was poor, or ratherbecause he was afraid of being poor, and partly because he wasfrightened. He had been useful to the Mongols on many occasions; and hehad grown rich and prosperous among them. No one of the chiefs outdidhim in splendour, in the number of his servants, or of his beautifulhorses. He, too, had been made a chief, a KnA(C)z, as they called it. Well,Nicholas the Chancellor was among the many who fell at Mohi, and aMongol, who was plundering the dead, found upon him the King's seal.This chanced to come to--to this man's ears, and he thought it might beuseful; it was easy for him to get possession of it, for it was notvaluable, being only of steel. He gave the Mongol a stolen sheep inexchange, and the man thought himself well paid. I don't suppose he hadany thought then of putting his prize to any ill use; but he was one ofthose who never missed an opportunity, and generally managed to securefor himself the lion's share of any booty. However it was, he had theseal, and now----"
Father Roger paused, perhaps from weariness; perhaps because it wasnever his way to speak evil of any if it could be avoided.
"Don't let us judge him," he went on. "The poor wretch had seen enoughto terrify a bolder man than he. He went to the Khan and advised himwhat to do, and Batu gave him a valuable Tartar sword, and a splendidhorse in return."
Father Roger explained that among the prisoners there were many monksand others able to write, and that some of these were "compelled" byBatu to draw up and make copies of a proclamation in the King's name.Every copy was sealed with the King's seal, and they were distributedbroadcast over the country. He had seen more than one copy himself, andmore than once he had been called upon to read it to those who wereunable to read for themselves.
This was how the proclamation ran: "Fear not the savage fury of thedogs! and do not dare to fly from your homes. We were somewhat overhasty indeed in abandoning the camp and our tents, but by the mercy ofGod we hope to renew the war valiantly before long, and to regain allthat we have lost. Pray diligently therefore to the all-merciful Godthat He may grant us the heads of our enemies."
There was nothing of the Mongol about this, and any lingering doubtswere, dispelled by the sight of the King's seal. The result was what theMongols hoped for. In places which had not yet been harried and ravagedthe population remained, while many refugees returned to their farms.
"But the traitor!" interrupted Orsolya, "what of him? Where is he? Ifthere is such a thing as justice----"
"He was made one of the hundred chief magistrates," said Father Rogerquietly, "and one day when he was in NagyvAirad, after my return, herecognised me and offered to take me into his service. He could protectme better, he said."
"But his name! Who is he? One ought to know who are traitors! Where hadyou known him before?" persisted Orsolya.
"At Master Stephen Szirmay's! He was one of his pages. His name wasLibor."
Dora and Talabor both uttered an exclamation.
"He lived with my nephew Stephen! and he could turn traitor!" cried AuntOrsolya in horror.
"Yes, dear lady, he was not the only Magyar to do so! But there were notmany, no! indeed there were not many."
"And why couldn't they have died, every one of them!" cried Orsolya,impetuously.
"Ah! who knows?" said Father Roger gently. "Who knows? But he did notthink matters would go as far as they did; no, I am sure he did not!"
It was not in Father Roger's nature to think the worst of any, stillless of one to whom he owed his life, and he knew nothing of the attackon Master Peter's house or of the despicable part which Libor had playedwith regard to Dora, or he would have spoken less leniently.
Libor had "climbed the cucumber-tree" to some purpose; and this lastservice rendered to the Khan had won for him the praise of Batu and allthe chiefs, who called him one of themselves. He had reached thepinnacle of greatness, his fortune was made.
The Hungarian prisoners came to him for his advice and assistance, andLibor always received them with the kindly condescension of a greatman, and was always ready with fair words and empty assurances to allaytheir fears.
Late in the autumn, and without any previous intimation to anyone, camean order to Libor and all the other chief magistrates that they were toassemble on a certain day at various appointed spots, each at the headof the entire population for which he was responsible. They were to comewith their old and with their young, and they were to be provided withpresents for the Khan.
It was a gloomy day, and the storm-clouds were chasing one anotheracross the sky, as if they, too, were going to hold a rendezvoussomewhere, to consult perhaps how many thunderbolts would be required toreduce the country to a heap of ruins.
Batu Khan's tent was pitched in the centre of a vast pla
in, and round itwere gathered a large number of Mongols, some mounted, some on foot. Inthe background, making a terrific noise, were a swarm of filthy Mongolchildren, who were lying about under a group of tall trees.
The mud huts and numberless tents of the Mongol camp formed an extendedsemicircle at some little distance, and within this were drawn up anumber of Mongol horsemen, quite unconcerned apparently at the blacknessof the sky and the distant muttering of the thunder.
Batu Khan was seated on a camp-stool brilliantly attired as if for somegreat ceremony. Around him stood more than thirty chiefs, armed fromhead to foot, and among them was Libor, who had surpassed himself in themagnificence of the apparel which he had assumed in honour of the day'sfestivity.
He stood on the Khan's right hand, and more than once had the honour ofbeing addressed by that personage; behind him, as behind the otherchiefs, stood a swarm of servants, their ears--if they were still luckyenough to possess such appendages--ever attentive to catch the commandsof their masters. Father Roger had been present in Libor's retinue onthis occasion, a slave among slaves.
Presently the wild Mongolian "band" struck up. Its members were a motleycrew, stationed before the Khan's tent, and their songs were of the mostear-splitting variety, accompanied too by the dull roll of drums and thescreeching of pipes and horns, the whole performance being such as tobaffle description, and to be compared only with the choicest of cats'concerts.
The "music" seemed to be intended as a welcome to a white-flaggedprocession which now appeared in the distance, advancing towards theKhan, every member heavily laden. It consisted in fact of the wholepopulation of some two hundred villages and hamlets, from the districtof which Libor was chief magistrate.
Meanwhile, Father Roger had brought round Libor's horse, magnificentlycaparisoned, and at the first burst of music, the KnA(C)z mounted andgalloped off, followed, in obedience to his haughty signal, by a coupleof armed Mongols, the Mongol chiefs meanwhile looking on with enviouseyes. They were not too well pleased with the Tartar-Magyar's rise tofavour.
Libor galloped across the plain to meet the new-comers, who bowed downbefore him as if he had been a god, and then rising again at hiscommand, followed him to the camp, where he drew them up in a long line;after which he hurried back to the Khan, dismounted, and announced thathis people had brought him such gifts as they could, and only awaitedhis orders.
The Khan's wide mouth grew wider still as he smiled from ear to ear, andshowed two perfect rows of sharp-pointed teeth; but the smile was likethat of an ogre, and such as might have made some people rather uneasy,though not, of course, anyone who was such a favourite and in such anexalted position as Libor.
"That's well," said the Khan; and then, turning from him, he mutteredsomething to the other chiefs which escaped Libor's ears orcomprehension, though he had done his best to acquire the miserablelanguage spoken by his master.
The next moment a large detachment of Mongols had stepped forth frombehind the tents, and moving forward swiftly, but in perfect silence,had advanced towards the rear of the Hungarians. Others at the same timecame from behind the Khan's tent, and in a few seconds the white flagswere hemmed in before and behind.
Libor, who had looked upon the whole ceremony as merely one of the usualdevices for squeezing the unfortunate people, was plainly startled, nayterrified, by this sudden movement, and his astonishment anddiscomfiture did not escape the sharp eyes of Batu.
"These proceedings are not quite to your taste, eh, KnA(C)z?" said he, witha tigerish grin.
And the wretched Libor, bowing almost to the earth, made hurried answer,"How could I possibly take amiss anything that his Highness the Khan, mylord and master, may choose to do?"
"I thought as much, my faithful KnA(C)z! Make haste then, and see that allthat these folk have brought is taken from them, and then--have them allcut down together!"
Libor turned pale as death, but he knew his master; he knew that theslightest remonstrance, the slightest demur even, would be at the riskof his life. He bowed more deeply than before, and staggered away togive the signal for the plunder and massacre of his own people.
The wind had suddenly risen to a hurricane, and was filling the air withdust; the thunder pealed; but above the howling of the one and theroaring of the other, there rose one long, long cry, and then all wasstill.
Libor returned, trembling, shaking, to the Khan, the gracious Khan,whose favourite he was, who had honoured him to such an extent as toprovoke the jealousy of the Mongol chiefs; who had enriched him, and haddistinguished him above all the rest. He had faithfully obeyed theKhan's orders, though, with a bleeding heart; and now, holding as he didthe first place among those who formed Batu's retinue, he was secure asto his own miserable life, for who would dare to lift hand against him?
The Khan received him on his return with the same enigmatical smile,which seemed just now to be stereotyped on his lips.
When the dust-storm was past, a terrible spectacle presented itself.Thousands of corpses lay upon the ground; and among the men, who werequite worn out by their murderous work, were to be seen Mongol women andchildren, seated upon the bodies of their victims, their hands stainedwith blood.
"A few thousand bread eaters the less!" exclaimed Batu, in high goodhumour, "and if my orders are as well carried out in other parts of thecountry as they have been by you, Libor, my faithful KnA(C)z, there won'tbe many left to share the rich harvest and vintage with us."
Libor said nothing, for his lips were twitching and quiveringconvulsively.
"By the way, Libor," the Khan went on pleasantly, "it has just struckme, what present have you yourself brought, my faithful servant?"
"All that I possess belongs to your Highness, mighty Khan," said Libor,trembling.
"Excellent man!" replied Batu, and turning to one of the chiefs standingby, he addressed him in particular, saying gently, "See now, and takeexample by this excellent man, who has made me a present of all that hehas!"
The chief to whom these words were spoken cast a furious glance at thefavourite.
"All you possess is mine, eh, Libor?" Batu went on, "all, even yourlife, isn't it?"
Libor bowed.
"Oh, how faithful he is!" exclaimed the Khan, addressing the same chiefas before, and speaking in the same good-natured tone. "I know theloyalty of this trusty KnA(C)z of ours is a thorn in your eyes! and I knowthat there are some of you daring enough even to have doubts of hissplendid fidelity and obedience! Wretches, take example by Libor theKnA(C)z!"
So saying, the Khan rose from his seat, and cried in a loud, shrillvoice, "Take this devoted servant and hang him on the tree yonderopposite my tent!"
If a thunder-bolt had fallen at his feet Libor could not have been moreterror-stricken. He threw himself on his face before the Khan, but hisvoice was strangled in his throat, and he could not utter a word; allthat he was able to do was to wring his hands, and raise themimploringly towards his awful master.
And the Khan--burst into a loud fit of laughter!
Another moment and Libor the favourite, the envied--whom the otherchiefs were ready enough to speed upon his way--Libor was hanging to alofty willow-tree and tossing to and fro in the stormy wind.
Batu Khan presented one of Libor's horses--a lame one--to BajdAir; andthe rest of the ex-favourite's very considerable property he kept forhimself.
(BajdAir, it may be remembered, though, of course, neither Father Rogernor Talabor were aware of the fact, had been of the party which hadattacked Master Peter's house, and we may readily guess how he hadearned this handsome reward.)
Orsolya gave a sigh of satisfaction as Father Roger finished his story.
"There is one traitor less in the world," said she, "and he might thinkhimself lucky that he was only hanged! It was an easy death comparedwith many!"
And she said the same thing, yet more emphatically, when she heard fromDora and Talabor of their experiences at the hands of theMagyar-Tartar-KnA(C)z.
Gentle Father Roger sighed too
, but without any satisfaction, as hethought of the youth, with whom he had lived under the same roof, and towhom, as he was fond of insisting, he and his servant owed their lives.
But when he heard all that Talabor could tell him, he was as indignantas even Orsolya could have wished; for he understood Master Peter, andsaw at once what had puzzled so many, the reason why he had left Dora athome instead of sending her to the Queen, out of harm's way.