CHAPTER V.
AS THE KING WILLS.
Kuthen had no idea that he should occupy Master Peter's town-house forlong, nor indeed had he any wish to do so; but still he had done hisbest to make it home-like. It was he who, as father of the family, hadapportioned to each of the household his place and duties.
To the serving men was assigned a large hall, with the greater part ofthe roof taken off that they might not miss the airiness of their tents,and with the wooden flooring replaced by stone slabs, that they mightkeep a fire burning without danger. Here they lived, and cooked, andslept, sharing their beds--rough skins spread upon the floor--with theirfaithful companions, the large dogs brought with them from the steppes.
The King's own apartments, with their reed mats, coarse, gaudy carpets,bladder-skin windows, and rough furniture, were not altogethercomfortless or tasteless, for King BA(C)la had presented the royal familywith sundry articles of a better description, and some of the bishopshad followed his example.
As for the exterior of the house, Kuthen had introduced a few changesthere also. Leaving a good space all round, he had had the whole blockof buildings enclosed by strong, thick walls; and as he had employed alarge number of workmen and paid well, the fortifications were ready ina few weeks. They were further strengthened by the digging of a broadmoat, whose drawbridge led to the gateway which formed the soleentrance.
Kuthen had many visitors, among whom Akos Szirmay was certainly the mostfrequent; but King BA(C)la also came from time to time, besides ofteninviting the whole family to the palace. Some of the nobles alsocame--because the King did.
Akos was a sympathetic listener, and Kuthen, who had taken a greatliking to him, enjoyed telling him his adventures and experiences. Butit was quite evident to all that Akos was drawn to the house by someonemore attractive than Kuthen, and also that MarAina, or, as she must nowbe called MAiria, was well aware of the impression she had made, and wasby no means displeased.
The whole family were out riding one day, a few months after theirarrival. This was the recreation which they loved best, and Akos, asusual, was in attendance upon MAiria. The two were somewhat in advance ofthe rest of the party, sufficiently so to be out of hearing, when Akospresently asked his companion whether she were beginning to beaccustomed to her new home, and whether she thought she could ever learnto forget the steppes and magic woods of her native land.
"Could anyone in the world forget his own home, do you think?" sheanswered simply, and then added, "Oh, it is all so different! You livein stone houses, which you can't move about. One might almost as well bein prison. And the walls are so thick that one can't hear anything ofwhat is going on outside, or even in the next room; but when we lived inour open tents, far away from here, I knew in a moment who was introuble, and who was laughing for joy. And then our family is one; whatpains one, grieves the rest, and all share one another's joys andsorrows, fears and wishes."
"And isn't it so here?" said Akos; "and if we have towns and castles,don't we live much in the open air too? Have we no family-life, and arewe not all united in our love for our country?"
"I don't know; maybe it is so, but I am a stranger here, and one thingstrikes me--there is no unity among you! Your proud, overbearing noblesdespise the people, and the people look on them with fear and envy. Youare of one race, one family--at least you Magyars are, and yet there arehardly any true friends among you, or any who are ready to make greatsacrifices for their country."
"You don't know us," returned Akos quickly, though he knew how muchtruth there was in what the girl said. "You judge from what you seearound you; here in the capital there is so much gaiety, and everyonewants to be first; but it is not so in our mountains and valleys, and onthe great plains. There we know what it is to love and sympathise withone another, and to be of one mind; and we are not bad neighbours. Thereare several different races dwelling in our beautiful land, and they alllive at peace one with the other."
"Well, I don't know, but--I am afraid! I don't understand books, but Ido understand faces, and there is no need for people to open theirlips--I might not understand them if they did--but they speak plainlyenough to me without uttering a word. _You don't love us!_ Oh! that wehad stayed among the mountains, in the cool caves, or in our tents, notknowing what the morning might bring us, but with our own people allabout us, ready at a word for anything! There was a sort of pleasureeven in living in a state of fear, always on our guard, listening to thevery rustling of the leaves. Ah! how can I make you understand?"
MAiria's thoughts went back to the old times, and she saw herself onceagain living the old tent life in the forest shades. Perhaps hercompanion's thought for a moment followed hers, and he tried to picturehimself as also living in those far-off regions, sharing a tent withthe sweet-looking girl at his side.
Something he said to her in a low tone, to which she answered with asmile,
"Oh, you, Akos, that is different! If they were all like you, one mightperhaps forget all but the things which are never to be forgotten, andthe graves of our ancestors. But you, don't you know that it annoys yourfriends and relations to see you liking to spend so much time with us?"
"Why should my friends and relations mind? My rivals, perhaps yes!"
"There are no rivals!"
"None? not a single one?"
"Not one, Akos, for you are good; you honour my poor father in hismisfortune, you honour my mother; and my brothers and ErzsA(C)bet are fondof you. How should you have any rival?"
"MarAina!" said Akos gently; and when the girl turned to look at him, hesaw that, though she was smiling, her eyes had filled with tears at thesound of her old name, coming from his lips.