CHAPTER XI.
Raby had scarcely left, than pretty Mariska put her little head in atthe opposite door which led from the reception-room to thedining-parlour. Mr. von Tarhalmy was striding up and down the apartmentas if perturbed.
"Did you call me, dear father?" asked the girl.
"No, no, child; but come in."
"You are not vexed, father?"
"Not a bit of it, my dear."
"I thought you were quarrelling with someone."
"Nothing of the sort. We have only been discussing some businessmatters. So just come in."
The girl nestled up to her father's side affectionately.
"I quite thought you called me," she murmured, "and that you said, wehave a guest coming to-morrow, Mariska."
"Aha, you are right enough," smiled Tarhalmy. "Of course I said so. Yourcousin Matyi will dine with us to-morrow. Bless me, if I hadn't quiteforgotten all about it."
"And it's well I should know it in good time."
"Yes, indeed, and see you have his favourite dishes for him. Have youplenty of stores, or must any be procured?"
"No, indeed, I have everything I want in the house."
And therewith, Mariska kissed her father's hand, nay both of them, anddanced back into the next room as light-hearted as a bird.
And the two maids at the spinning-wheel must be up and doing; one topound almonds in the mortar; the other to sift fine flour for fritters.The Fraulein herself set about peeling lemons, seeing she was going tomake some of Matyi's favourite cakes, such as no Vienna pastry-cookcould turn out. And through the whole household there was the sound ofsinging, for Mariska too could sing on occasion--and this was one.
But the pronotary himself sent his heyduke to go and find Mr. MathiasRaby, and tell him, with his compliments, that he would expect him todinner the next day.
* * * * *
Raby was meantime interviewing some of the high officials of Pesth.
The first one he visited was the lord-lieutenant of the city.
For this visit he had to put on court dress, as that official was adirect representative of the Emperor.
His Excellency was an unpopular person, disliked by everyone. He was ahard man whom nothing softened. He sympathized with no one, and he wasin nobody's good graces. Yet he was a personality everyone had to reckonwith.
His very appearance bespoke the man. The copper-coloured complexion andill-shaven face, with its deep frowning eyebrows, heightened the naturaldefect of his neck, which was twisted towards the right shoulder. Hishair was lank and reddish; his dress a cross between the Hungarian andAustrian mode, slovenly and dirty, and stained with snuff, while theorder of St. Stephen, which he wore round his neck, was defaced and halftorn away. His voice had a repellent snarl about it. He spoke Germanwith everybody, but it was a vile patois.
When Raby was ushered into his presence, his Excellency was drinking hiscoffee, and his visitor had to stand till he had finished.
When he had set his cup down, he got up, and turning abruptly to Raby,asked him if he were a count?
His visitor could not imagine what prompted this question, but heanswered that he was only an untitled gentleman of good family.
Thereupon his Excellency pointed to Raby's silk vest, and snapped:
"Well, then, what do you mean by this? According to the prescription ofthe 'dress regulations,' no one under the rank of a count may wearembroidery."
And in fact there was at this time a "dress regulation" in force to thiseffect. Kaiser Joseph carried his paternal interest in his subjects sofar as to lay down rules as to how they should dress. Fashions andornaments which were permitted to the count, were not allowed the baron.In this way, you could specify at first sight what rank a man held, foreven his hat revealed it. Only for princes and princesses was itpermitted to wear both black and white feathers; counts wore whitealone, barons black, and so forth down the scale. These sumptuary lawseven affected walking-sticks which had their mountings differentiatedaccording to the rank of the possessor.
That was why Raby had offended the lord-lieutenant. As a simplegentleman, he had no right to either gold or silver embroidery.
"This is the dress usually worn by the secretary of the imperialcabinet," was the only explanation Raby offered.
"Ah, that is another thing. But I don't approve of these concessionsbeing allowed to those who are not men of rank."
He scanned his caller mistrustfully from head to foot, and then went onstiffly. "But I already have your credentials. Discharge your duty, buttake care what you are about, for you will find no one here to help youout of a difficulty. So I have the honour to be your very humbleservant."
But Raby did not mean to let himself be dismissed in this fashion.
"I too, am your Excellency's very humble servant," he answered. "But Ihave a special mission to your Excellency which concerns both of us: myduty is to speak, as it is likewise to present you with the imperialwarrant."
The determined tone of the speaker levelled at once all distinctions ofage and rank. His Excellency vainly took refuge in walking up and downthe room, for Raby kept pace with him, and he poured forth his wholestory into his ear, for he was determined that in such a high quarter,the right side should be known.
When he had finished his explanations, he raised his cocked hat with anelaborate bow, bent his knee ceremoniously to the proper degree, andwithdrew, with the three paces prescribed by correct etiquette, to thedoor.
Mathias Raby now hastened to the dwelling of the district commissioner,who lived alone in an old house at Buda. Before it stood a sentry, andat the entrance was also a porter who rang the bell if a visitor came ina sedan-chair--the favourite means of locomotion. You could, if youwished, have a carriage, but it was not so comfortable. Nor was itadvisable to go on foot, for in the covered ways which led round thewater-city, it was dark enough to cause ordinary pedestrians to dreadbeing robbed--as indeed they easily could have been.
Raby hastened up the steps of the district commissioner's house withrenewed confidence, for the commissioner had been one of his Viennaacquaintances, and so when the lackey announced the visitor, orderedRaby to be admitted at once, though he had not finished his toilet.
At that epoch, dress was no light matter even for a man. The _friseur_was occupied in shaving his client; then from one box he took out somewhite cosmetic, from another some red colouring, to apply them to theproper place on the cheeks, for, at that era, not only women, but alsomen of fashion painted their faces. Then the eyebrows were darkened, andblue streaks were faintly outlined on the temples with a paint-brushdipped in ultramarine; finally, a patch was applied with artfuldexterity on the right spot above the reddened lips. Only when all thiswas done, could the final operation be carried out--that of powderingthe curled and twisted hair, the patient holding meanwhile a kind ofpaper bag before his face, whilst the barber powdered the coiffure witha large brush.
"How are you, my friend?" was his host's greeting, as Raby entered."I'll be done in a few minutes; meanwhile, sit down and read."
On the writing-table, to which he motioned Raby, lay some of the latestpamphlets and pasquinades of the moment, mostly directed against theEmperor.
Raby turned them over. "I've seen these before," he remarked.
"And is not his Majesty very angry at them?" asked the commissioner.
"Not a bit of it; he sends for the pamphlets, and not only does he makeme read them to him, but he is heartily amused."
"Otherwise the author might find himself fastened to the wheel, eh!"
"Joseph has thought of a more sensible punishment. A writer sold hispasquinades at thirty kreutzers apiece, and built a house with hisprofits. But recently the Kaiser, as soon as one of these productionsappeared, had it reprinted and sold for eight kreutzers. The result wasthat the writer had the whole edition left on his hands, while everyonebought that issued by the Kaiser. The proceeds were given to charity."
"Not a very seemly trade
for an Emperor, eh? It were far more becomingto a prince to have the fellow's head off."
"Yes, the Kaiser has distinctly plebeian ideas, it must be owned."
"What too did he mean by putting in the pillory an officer of the Guard?Only think of it, just for misappropriating from the treasury sixty-sixthousand gulden. And it was only to build an alchymist's laboratory.Could he help it because it turned out a failure?"
"Ah, well, now the ice is broken."
Meantime the _friseur_ had finished his work and gone, so it was easyfor Raby to broach his errand, with such an opening:
"The Emperor visits with extreme severity the embezzlement of publicfunds; it is for this very purpose that he has sent me to bring to lightcertain abuses connected with the Szent-Endre municipality."
"I know, I know," said his Excellency, as he poured some eau de Cologneover his hands, "it has come to my ears. But you will be a long timefinding your way out of that tangle, once you get into it; let me warnyou. By the way, is there a new opera company at the Vienna theatre?"
"Ah, my good friend, I've no time to run after plays and players. I'vedramas of my own to look after, and they deal with the picking of otherpeople's pockets."
"The deuce take your dramas! Does one still see pretty women at Vienna?Where do you have your evening gatherings during the winter?"
"We go to 'The Good Woman.' The sign-board is a woman without a head."
"What does the hostess say to that, pray?"
"I shall have no chance of asking her, seeing that I shall spend thewinter here, and pass my time in verifying accounts."
"Stuff and nonsense! Cut it short, sir, and get back to Vienna as soonas you can. Say you have found nothing. By the way, have you been inPozsony? They say they pay their theatrical companies far better than wedo; isn't it a shame?"
"May I venture to ask if his Excellency will deign to listen to myrepresentations about the Szent-Endre affair?"
"My dear fellow, just tell me everything. I am wholly at your service.And don't mind my interruptions. I shall hear all. Have the officialsreally so oppressed the poor? It's unheard-of! And the Rascian 'pope'might well speak out. He's a good sort! Just such another as some of ourpriests in Vienna. Did you ever hear how--oh, yes, I'm listening rightenough. I see quite well that you've discovered some sort of roguery.The story of the hidden coffer sounds just like a play, doesn't it? 'TheHidden Treasure,' or 'The Forty Thieves.' Go on! I declare that notaryought to be placed in Dante's Inferno. What was that celebrated forgerycase, by the way, when some count or other, of high family, was put inprison surely? You can't be too severe with that kind of thing. Yes, thesmall fry, like your notary, don't get out of the net, but the man witha handle to his name, gets clean off! We ought to make some examples inhigh places."
Raby longed to express to his Excellency his conviction that theSzent-Endre culprits would also elude justice; but it seemed wiser to besilent till his loquacious friend had had his say.
And now indeed the district commissioner, who was really a good sort offellow, showed that he had quite understood the whole business.
"You leave it to me, my friend; I'll follow it up. You may reckon on myhelp. If the councillors show themselves recalcitrant, we will know howto make them dance! But now it's time for the theatre, my friend. Whatdo you say to coming with me? I have a box. You will be able to see allthe pretty girls of Pesth and Buda together."
"Much beholden to you, but I regret I can't take advantage of youroffer," answered Raby; "I must hasten homewards to send in my report tothe Emperor."
"Oh, what's the good of drawing up reports? Take my advice and don'tsend him any. And if you won't come to the theatre with me, then comeand dine to-morrow and we can talk things over."
But Raby went home to draw up his report.
* * * * *
Meantime, the lord-lieutenant was demanding of his secretary:
"Which is the Statute that treats of _nobilis cum rusticis tumultuans_?"
The secretary was a walking legal code. He not only knew that the law inquestion was article thirty-three, of the year 1514, but could quote thepassage word for word: "Noblemen who take part in any risings of thepeasantry shall be banished, and shall forfeit the whole of theirestates."
His Excellency uttered a growl of discontent; evidently the citation wasnot an apt one.
"What about that other statute of _Nota Conjurationis_?"
"Article forty of 1536 pronounces sedition to be high-treason. See _NotaInfidelitatis_."
His Excellency shook his head.
"And that of _Calumniator Consiliariorum_?"
"Article of the year 1588 runs as follows:--Whosoever shall calumniateand unjustly attaint any of the Empire's councillors, shall be condemnedto lose his head and forfeit all his goods."
"That is better. You can go."
The speaker was obviously contented this time.
But immediately afterwards he recalled the secretary.
"Which article is it that treats of the _Portatores Causarum_?"
"Article sixty-three, of the year 1498. Whosoever shall bring his causebefore a tribunal other than that of his own country, shall be arrestedand imprisoned in the Dark Tower."
"Now you can retire."
* * * * *
His worship, the district commissioner, who during Raby's relation hadappeared to pay not the slightest attention to the Szent-Endre story,had no sooner got to his box at the theatre, than he sent immediatelyfor pen, ink, and paper, and, quite oblivious of the play, hurriedlydrew up a missive to the prefect, wherein he set forth Mathias Raby'smission, and how he had been directly authorised by the Emperor torevise the finances, pointing out that he was well informed as toeverything, even to the contents of the strong box. He would furthersuggest that it would be wise for the prefect to go and look into thingsfor himself, otherwise disagreeable consequences might ensue.
This note he sent by a special messenger to ensure its speedy delivery.
* * * * *
Tarhalmy's heyduke came back late in the evening with Raby's refusal. Hecould not come, because he was already pledged to dine with the districtcommissioner.
"You need not trouble about the almond-cakes, Mariska," said thepronotary to his daughter, "Cousin Matyi will not be with us to-morrow,he is flying higher game."
And all at once the sound of singing ceased in the house.