CHAPTER VII.
AT THE VERY DOORS.
The time of which we are writing was a critical one in Hungary'shistory. "She was sick, very sick, and the remedy for her disease wasbitter in proportion to the gravity of her condition." (JA cubedkai MA cubedr.)
The power and prestige of the sovereign had lost much under BA(C)la'spredecessors, first his uncle and then his father; for the latter hadrebelled against his brother, and the civil war had increased theimportance of the magnates, while it diminished that of the sovereign.BA(C)la's father AndrAis had succeeded his brother, and had shown himself asweak, as vain, and as untrustworthy, as king, as he had done as subject.
BA(C)la had inherited many difficulties, and in his eagerness to setmatters right, had been over-hasty, over-arbitrary, and had made enemiesof many of the great nobles by curtailing their extorted privileges.
AndrAis, always in need of money, had given and pawned Crown property,until there was little left. BA(C)la, succeeding to an almost emptytreasury, had recalled some of those donations which never ought tohave been made; and also, by way of instilling respect for the King'smajesty, had withdrawn from the great nobles certain privileges, whichthey bitterly resented, for some of them had attained such a pitch ofmight and wealth as rendered them independent of the King and the law.There were two classes of nobles, the magnates and the lesser nobility,the latter being more and more oppressed by the former. All who owned apiece of land were "noble," but as their possessions differed greatly inamount, so some were rich and others very much the reverse.
The nobles of both classes, and the clergy attended the Diets; but themass of the people were as yet unrepresented.
Standing army there was hardly any, and when the King wanted troops hehad to raise them, and pay them as he could. Those who held crown-fiefswere bound to obey the King's call to arms, but at his cost, and nottheir own, and all nobles of whatever degree were bound to join hisstandard if the country was attacked, not otherwise. If the King wantedthem to cross the frontier, he must bear the expense; and if they didnot choose to go, he was helpless and could not punish them.
But, to be first in the field is often half the battle. To wait untilthe enemy is actually in the country may spell disaster and even ruin.
BA(C)la was well aware of the danger which threatened. He had heard muchfrom Kuthen, and he had other sources of information as well, men whokept him well posted in all that was going on. Troops he must have ifthe country was to be saved; and as the Kunok were always ready for warhe felt obliged to favour them; and, to raise money for the pay ofothers, he was obliged to pledge the Crown revenues and to debase thecoinage.
If Hungary had been of one mind in those days, if all had been ready torise in her defence as once they would have done, she would have hadlittle difficulty in driving back the Mongols; but some of the magnatessecretly hoped for a reverse, if so be the King might be therebyhumbled. They little knew!
Rumours as to the advance of the Mongols were rife throughout thewinter; but the month of March, 1241, had arrived, and still there wasnothing to be called an army, in spite of the sending round of thebloody sword, and in spite of the King's most urgent commands,entreaties, and personal exertions.
On the 11th of the month came the first note of actual alarm in adespatch from HA(C)dervAiry the Palatine, who was guarding the north-easternfrontier. He announced that the Mongols had reached the pass of Verecz(almost in a straight line with Kaschau), and that it was impossible forhim to hold them back unless large reinforcements were sent to him atonce.
The King, meanwhile, had despatched ambassadors to his old enemyFriedrich, of Austria, urging him in his own interest to come to thehelp of Hungary. To the Kunok in their new settlements he had also sentorders to mount at once, and they required no second bidding, but setout immediately for the camp.
The Queen and Court had left Pest for Pressburg, whither all who tookthe coming danger in the least seriously, and many even who professed tothink little of it, had sent their womankind. The few who dared run therisk of leaving them in country houses, with moats and walls as theirsole defence, were nobles whose castles were believed to beinaccessible, or so far from the frontier and so buried in the woods,that they had every reason to hope that they would remain undiscovered.The HA(C)dervAirys and the Szirmays were not of this number, alwaysexcepting Master Peter; for, such was their reputation for wealth, thatit seemed only too likely that, to save their own skins and perhapsshare the spoil, some of their servants and dependants might turntraitors and betray them to the Mongols. They, therefore, were among thefirst to send their wives and children to Pressburg, lavishly providedwith all that they might need, and accompanied by brilliant trains ofmen-at-arms.
Pressburg was full to overflowing, and to every man there were at leastten women. JolAinta, of course, was there, and was daily looking forwardto the pleasure of seeing Dora; not doubting for a moment that heruncle would send her with all speed as soon as he himself left home tojoin the army.
But the days had passed, and not only had Dora not come, but no one knewwhere she was, or anything about her. There was no little wonderment atthis among those whose minds were sufficiently at leisure to wonderabout anything not immediately concerning themselves or their families.It was odd that Master Peter should have stayed so long in Pest withouther, a thing he had never done before; it was odder still that he shouldnot have sent her to Pressburg, out of harm's way. Surely he must haveplaced her somewhere to be taken care of! He could never think ofleaving her at home, and alone, when the time of his absence was likelyto be so uncertain. They knew, indeed, that his ancient hall was soburied in dense woods, and so surrounded by ravine-like valleys, that noone would be likely to find it unless they knew of its existence andwent there for the purpose; yet at the same time, as he and Stephen hadbeen busy collecting their troops, and seemed to consider preparationsof some sort necessary, he would surely never be satisfied to leave Doraalone in a place which, though strong enough to resist any ordinary foe,would certainly not be safe from the thieving, burning Tartars, if theyshould discover it.
And yet, in spite of all these conjectures, that was precisely whatMaster Peter had done. We have already mentioned his reasons for nottaking his daughter to Pest. The same reasons prevented his sending herto Pressburg. He would not have her exposed to sneers, perhaps insults,when he was not at hand to protect her.
Dora herself was quite against going to swell the Queen's train; and herfather was more than a little hurt that, whereas her Majesty (so Paul'smother told him with satisfaction) had especially summoned JolAinta tojoin her with all speed, she had not said a word to show that she evenremembered Dora.
What Dora wished was to follow her father and share all his dangers,labours, and hardships--no such very uncommon thing in those days, whenwomen were often safer with their fathers, husbands, and brothers, thanthey could be anywhere else. Her father was Dora's first thought, as shewas his; but at first he would not give her any decided answer. TheMongols were not yet in the country; and he and his brother, though theyloyally obeyed the King's orders, were among those who thought him fartoo anxious, and his preparations more than were necessary.
At all events, he would not take her with him when he set out with histroop for the camp at Pest, but he promised, if he could not find anybetter way of ensuring her safety, that he would come later on, put herin a coat of armour, and take her with him. The only question was whereshe had better stay meantime, and he decided that on the whole homewould be best.
The seneschal, or governor, was a gloomy and rather lazy man, butthoroughly honourable. Peter knew what a bold, brave man he was when itwas a question of bears, wolves, and wild boars, and in his simplicityhe argued with himself that courage was courage and that a mancourageous in one way must needs be courageous in all!
Peter would have liked much to take with him Talabor, of whom he hadlately grown quite fond, but it suddenly flashed across him that in anycase of unexpected danger, the younger
man, full of life and energy,would not be less courageous than the portly seneschal, while he wouldcertainly be more active and resourceful. Talabor, who was burning toaccompany his good master, was therefore told that for the present hewas to remain at home. Master Peter had a long conversation with himbefore his own departure, and gave him full instructions, so far as thatwas possible, as to what he was to do in case of accidents, which Peterhimself never in the least expected to occur.
And then he rode away at the head of a very respectable troop, or"banderium," consisting of the lesser nobility of the neighbourhood, andof such recruits as he had been able to enlist; and on reaching Pest hefound that the Szirmay contingent, furnished by himself and his brother,was first in the field. Soon after arrived the King with the troopswhich he had been raising himself in the two home-counties.
Pest was becoming daily more like a camp. The streets, the open spaces,were turned into bivouacs, the officers slept in tents; and, as most ofthe men were mounted, on all sides was to be heard the neighing ofhorses, tethered by long ropes in the open air. Earthworks were beinghastily thrown up at a considerable distance beyond the walls of thetown, these walls themselves being low and hardly capable of defence, asthey were not everywhere provided even with moats.
Impossible to describe the state of bustle and excitement in whicheveryone in Pest was living just then, and at first sight no one wouldhave discovered anything like fear in the animated and hilarious crowdwhich filled the thoroughfares. The Mongols were spoken of in terms ofthe utmost contempt as a wild, undisciplined, unorganized rabble, whowould fly at the mere sight of "real troops," properly armed!
Everywhere was to be heard the sound of music and boisterous mirth onthe part of the younger nobles, who made great display of gaudy apparel,fashionable armour from Germany, huge plumes, and high-spirited horses.
Like peacocks in their pride, they loved in those days to make a show ofmagnificence. And if this was true more or less of all the higher andwealthier nobility, particularly of the younger members, it cannot besaid that the lower classes, or the less wealthy, were at allbehind-hand in following the example of their betters.
The King himself hated display, though he did not despise a becomingstate and magnificence when occasion required; but those who wereattached to his Court, or to the retinue of the great lords, spiritualand temporal, delighted to imitate the young magnates as far as theycould. Foremost among these was now Libor the clerk, HA(C)dervAiry'swell-known governor, whom his young master found so prompt and ready, sohelpful in carrying out, and so quick to approve all his whims, that itbecame more and more impossible to him to dispense with his services,and he kept him constantly about him.
Libor sported a gigantic plume in his cap, and his sword made such aclanking as he walked, that people knew him by it afar off. Whenever hehad the chance, he might be heard declaiming in praise of the heroicKing, and affirming that everyone who did not support him was ascoundrel. All who were in favour of active measures highly approved ofLibor; even the King knew him, at least by name, for there was not suchanother fire-eating Magyar in the whole of Pest, and all were agreedthat the King had no more devoted subject than this exemplary youngclerk.
Bishops, abbots, magnates, and the King's brother, Duke KAilmAin, werearriving now with their expected troops; but on March 14th arrived onewho was not expected, and at whom people looked in terror and amazement.
He rode up slowly, wearily, at the head of a few hundred men, as wornand weary as himself; and as he came nearer, people whispered undertheir breath, "HA(C)dervAiry the Palatine!" HA(C)dervAiry, who was supposed tobe defending the passes of the Carpathians!
His armour was battered, his helmet crushed, and a sabre cut across theface had made him hardly recognisable. He rode straight up to the King'stent, before which the Diet was assembled, no one, not even his oldfriend Peter, daring to speak to him, though he gazed on him hardly ableto believe his eyes, and with a sudden chill of alarm as he thought ofDora.
For a few moments no one spoke, but after more than one attempt, thePalatine got out the broken words, "God and the Holy Virgin protect yourMajesty!"
Then, turning to the assembled Diet, he added, "Comrades! the enemy isin our land! Our small force held the pass seven days; on the eighth theflood burst through and flowed over dead bodies. You see before you allwho escaped! God and the Holy Virgin protect our country!"
HA(C)dervAiry bowed his head upon his horse's neck to hide his face.
The sensation was immense, the news flew quickly from mouth to mouth,and before long all Pest knew of the disaster, and knew, too, that inthe Palatine's opinion the enemy might reach Pest itself within a day ortwo--a day or two! with such awful speed did the torrent rush forward.
If Peter had been incredulous before, he was anxious enough now, when heheard of the lightning-like rapidity with which the Mongols wereadvancing, of the 40,000 pioneers who went before them, cutting astraight road through the thickest forests, of the catapults forthrowing stones and masses of rock, against which nothing, not even thestrongest walls, could stand. He could not leave his post, it was evenquestionable whether he could reach Dora now if he made the attempt;for, when the scouts came in they more than confirmed all that thePalatine had said, with the additional information that five countieshad been already devastated, and that Batu's army was within half aday's journey of Pest itself.
That same night the red glare in the sky told of burning towns andvillages only a few miles off; and the day after HA(C)dervAiry's returnsmall bodies of Mongols actually appeared on the very confines of Pest,laying hands on all that they could find, and then vanishing again likethe lightning, as suddenly as they had come.
The fortifications of the city were pushed on with redoubled energy, andall were wildly eager to go out at once and challenge the enemy. Butthe King's orders were strict; no one was to go out and attempt to givebattle until the whole army was assembled, when he himself would takethe command. Not a third part had come in yet, and the men chafedimpatiently at the delay. Even now, however, with danger facing them,there was little unity in the camp, little order, little discipline;everyone who had any pretension to be "somebody," wanted to give orders,not obey them, and, in fact, do everything that he was not asked to do.
But as the troops continued to come in, as the earthworks rose higher,and the ditches and trenches grew broader; as, above all, the Kingseemed to have no fears, confidence revived, and those who had beentimorous ran to the opposite extreme, and began to believe that the Kinghad but to give the signal for battle, and the enemy's hosts would atonce be scattered like chaff. They not only believed it, but loudlyproclaimed it. Libor was especially loud and emphatic in his expressionsof confidence, and went about from one commander to another, trying hisutmost to obtain a post of some sort in the army.
He succeeded at last, for HA(C)dervAiry the Palatine had lost his bestofficers, and knowing how highly his son thought of Libor, he gave him acommand in his own diminished army. Whereupon Paul presented the younggovernor with a complete suit of armour, and from that day forward Libordid not know how to contain himself. He was a great man indeed now, andhe might rise still higher. In fact, so he told himself, the veryhighest posts were open to him!