It was an evening in autumn, and King Kuthen and all his family weregathered together in their largest apartment, where a fire was burningon the hearth, and the table was spread for their evening meal.
All looked grave; and indeed, since the time of his first arrival inPest, in spite of all the festivities, and in spite of BA(C)la's unfeignedkindness, Kuthen had always looked like a man who had something on hismind, something which oppressed him, and which refused to be shaken off.
As chief of an untamed, lawless people, far surpassing his followers insense and understanding, he was the first to see that the politeattentions shown him by others than the King and his family, were allmore or less forced. All was not gold that glittered, and his pride waswounded by the sort of condescension he met with from the Magyar nobles,when he remembered that not so long ago he had ruled a kingdom largerthan the whole of Hungary.
Something, perhaps, was due to the change in his mode of life, somethingto the fact that he did not feel at ease when he took part in the courtceremonials and festivities, that he felt as if he were caged, andsighed for the freedom of the mountains and steppes. However it was,Kuthen had become quite grey during the comparatively short time he hadspent in Hungary, and was already showing signs of age.
His family did not fully share his anxieties, for they were not asfar-sighted as he; but the Queen and her sons and daughters were shrewdenough to see that their visitors were not all as sincere as theyseemed, or wished to seem; though they ascribed this chiefly to the factthat they themselves were foreigners; and, as both sons and daughterswere well-looking, and the latter something more, they had little reasonto complain of any want of attention or courtesy.
Just now the King was seated at table, with the Queen and his daughterson his right hand, and his sons on his left. They were all at supper;but it was evident that Kuthen ate rather from habit than because he hadany appetite.
As we have said, the dwelling was surrounded by a wide moat, and theonly entrance was by the drawbridge. Whenever anyone wanted to come in,the Kunok sentinel posted at the bridge-head always blew a short blaston his horn, and this evening, just as supper was coming to an end, thehorn was heard.
Whereupon the King made a sign to one of the many servants to go and seewho was there, for he kept strict order in his household, and neverallowed the drawbridge to be lowered, or anyone to be admitted withouthis permission.
On this occasion, however, it seemed that his permission was not waitedfor, as only a few moments passed before Akos Szirmay walked into theroom, and was received with evident pleasure by the King and all hisfamily.
It was clear enough that MarAina's parents quite understood the state ofaffairs, and already looked on the young man as one of the family; for,with the exception of King BA(C)la, he was the only person ever admittedwithout question, on his merely giving the password.
Akos came in hurriedly, his face flushed, and with something in hismanner which showed plainly that he had not come on a mere ordinaryvisit.
Kuthen welcomed the young man with a smile, but quickly relapsed intogravity, and Akos himself, when he had taken the seat placed for him,next to MAiria, glanced at the servants and held his peace.
"What is it, Akos?" Kuthen asked after a short pause, during which hisvisitor's manifest embarrassment had not escaped him.
"I would rather speak when there are fewer to hear me, your Highness,"answered Akos.
All eyes were at once turned upon him, for the rising feeling againstthe Kunok was well known; and as the people of Pest had noticed, Kuthenhad lately doubled the guards round his house. Whatever the news Akoshad brought, they at once concluded that it must be somethingunpleasant.
"If there is any hurry," said Kuthen, who had regained his composure assoon as he scented danger, "let us go into the next room."
"No need for that, your Highness," returned Akos, also recoveringhimself. "In fact, if you will allow me, I will share your supper. Thereis no need for immediate action, but we must be prepared," he added in alow tone.
"Ah," sighed the Queen, "our soothsayers had good reason to warn usagainst coming here! We are in a state of constant unrest, and I amweary of it. For my part, I can't think why we did not leave this gildedprison long ago, and join our people in their new settlements, where weshould at least be among those who love and honour us."
"You are right there, wife, and you all know it is what I have longwished," said Kuthen. "Where is the good of being called 'King,' whenone has no kingdom? My people are being ruled by foreigners, and, thoughI sit at the King's Council, nothing that I say has any weight. No, whatI want is to be the father of my large family again, as I used to be,until I go and join my ancestors. No, I will stay here no longer! TheKing has always been kind to us, and I will open his eyes to what isgoing on unknown to him."
But here a sign from Akos made the King hold his peace, and the subjectwas dropped for the present.
It was not Kuthen's way to betray anything like fear; and now when, tohis imagination at least, the storm was already beginning to blow abouthis ears, he would not on any account that the servants should have somuch as an inkling of that which filled his own mind.
He remained at table exactly as long as usual, and, when they all rose,he repeated as usual the Lord's Prayer, the only one he had learnt. Herecited it in Latin, in an uncouth accent, and with sundry mistakes,but he said it calmly and collectedly as usual, and the rest followedhis example.
Then, passing between a double row of servants, he led the way throughan adjoining room to the spacious hall in which he and his familyusually passed their evenings and received their guests.
The Queen and her daughters took up some sort of needle-work, and Kuthensigned to his sons to bring him one of the many dog-wood bows which hungon the wall. This he proceeded with their help to fit with a stringstout enough to deserve the name of rope, for it was as big round as anordinary finger.
The making of these unusually long and powerful bows, the chief weaponof the Kunok, and the sharpening and feathering of the arrows, was theKing's favourite occupation, and one in which he displayed no littleskill. The string also was of home manufacture, and, as the work wenton, the young men moistened it from time to time with water.
Many a time Akos had joined them in their evening work, but to-night, asthey sat round the blazing fire, his hands were idle.
"Akos, my son, we are alone now," began Kuthen composedly, "speak out,and keep back nothing. You need not be afraid, for this grey head ofmine has weathered many a storm before now."
"Your Highness--father! if I may call you so"--said Akos, giving hishand to MAiria, "there is a storm coming without doubt, for the wind isblowing from two quarters at once, and we are caught between the two."
"I don't understand," said Kuthen, twanging the bowstring, while one sontook a second bow down from the wall, and the other got a fresh stringready.
"You will directly, sir; the Mongols are coming nearer and nearer,burning and destroying everything before them--that's the last news!"
"Haven't I told the King a hundred times how it would be?"
"You have, and he knows! But there are certain persons who seem to beexpecting miracles; and meantime, to excuse themselves for sittingstill, they have been whispering suspicions of other people. A few hoursago they went to the King and told him plainly what was in their minds."
"Suspicions! whom do they suspect?"
"_You_, your Highness! you and your people."
"Shame!" cried Kuthen, starting from his seat, and looking Akos straightin the face. At that moment Kuthen was every inch a king, and it waseasy to understand how, though he had lost his kingdom, lost his crown,nevertheless his word had been enough to induce 40,000 families tofollow him to a new home.
"And why do they suspect me?" he asked with angry resentment.
"Why?" repeated Akos, who had also risen to his feet, and now stooderect facing the King, "because there is not a creature in this worldso strong as to be able to stand
up against panic!"
"Is that the way you speak of your nation? and you a Magyar!" saidKuthen.
"My nation!" shouted Akos, all aflame in a moment. "I should like tohear anyone dare to speak ill of my nation! No! but father, you who ownsuch vast flocks and herds, you know that in every fold there are sureto be a few sickly sheep; and if they are scared, no matter by what, andmake a rush, you know what happens, the rest of the flock follow them;not that they are frightened themselves, but because they see the othersrunning. A dog, or the crack of a whip is enough."
"And pray, what are these sick sheep bleating about to the King?"
"Well, to be plain, they say that the Kunok are nothing but Oktai'svanguard. That you have come in the guise of guests to spy out the landfor those who sent you--for the Tartars!"
"What! I prepare the way for the robbers, who have driven us from thegraves of our ancestors! who have slain our people by the thousand andmade miserable slaves of others! We in league with the Tartars, ourhateful foes! It is a cowardly lie! The King is too noble-hearted everto believe such a thing! It is the talk of madmen!"
"And the King does not believe it; quite the contrary, for he spokewarmly in defence of you and----"
"Ah! that is like himself," interposed Kuthen.
"Yes; but, my good King, you have many enemies, and they have taken itinto their stupid heads that, as I said before, the Kunok are theforerunners of the Tartars. They are saying, shouting, that half thedanger would be done away if we had not enemies in our midst, who wouldturn upon us at the first signal from the Mongols."
"That is what is said by Magyars? That those whom they have received asguests, with whom they have shared their bread and their wine, willbetray them! Have I spent my days among lions and tigers, that anyonedares to say such a thing of Kuthen? Oh! the cowards! Let Batu Khancome, and the King shall soon see what our arrows will do."
"I believe you!" said Akos warmly, "and so does the King, but he cannotdo all that he would, and so it is for your own safety's sake, in yourown interest, as he said, and to prevent greater danger--he is going tostation a guard outside."
"Put me and my family under guard! imprison me! in return for my trust,and because I have brought hither through countless dangers, 40,000families to do and die for the king, and the nation who have receivedme----"
Kuthen broke off suddenly here to bid his sons go and see to the horses.Late as it was, he and they would go at once to the King, unarmed, andunprotected, to learn how much a sovereign's word was worth.
In a few moments they were all three on horseback, and in court dress,for Kuthen had already adopted the Hungarian usage in this respect, ashe had also learnt the language, and done all else he could toaccommodate himself to the manners and customs of his new home, by wayof making himself more acceptable to his hosts.
But no sooner was the drawbridge lowered than Kuthen saw himself face toface with a party of Hungarian soldiers on horseback, under the commandof one of his most bitter enemies, Jonas Agha, who told the King, incurt and not the most respectful terms, that he could not be allowed toleave his dwelling.
"Then I am a prisoner! and without so much as a hearing!" exclaimedKuthen. "Be it so then. I am the King's guest, and my friend willexplain things to me. Back now, my sons! Let us set an example ofsubmission!"
As he uttered the words, he found Akos at his side, Akos, who, though hehad heard from one of the courtiers that such an order was incontemplation, had never suspected that it was already an accomplishedfact. And indeed, knowing that both the King and Queen, as well as DukeKAilmAin, the King's brother, were doing all in their power to defeat theintentions of the hostile party, he suspected that the present actionhad been taken by some over-zealous official in a subordinate position,and he now hastened forward to set right any misunderstanding.
"What is the meaning of this?" he asked, standing erect in his stirrupsand looking like a statue.
"The King's orders," replied Agha haughtily.
Akos was about to make some fiery reply, but Kuthen interrupted him,saying quietly, "Let it be as the King wills!" and with that he turnedhis horse's head from the gate.