The Strange Story of Rab Ráby

  CHAPTER XXV.

  During those ten weeks, Raby had abundant leisure to reflect on theriddle these events presented. Who had thus attempted to poison him? Wasit the offended councillors who had thus intrigued against him, somejealous courtier who had a grudge against him, or his own fugitive wife?

  But all that time, except the surgeon and Boske, not a living soulknocked at his door to see him.

  His enemies were, of course, countless, but it was just as certain thathe had devoted friends. Where was his uncle, and Abraham Rotheisel, andthe Servian "pope"; where too the grateful crowd of poor people that hehad befriended?

  Over and over again too did he inquire if this or that one had yetcalled, but Boske always answered that visitors had come only when thegracious master was asleep, and she had not dared waken him, or that thedoctor had ordered that no one was to disturb the patient.

  "And why don't you let people come in and see me?" asked Rabyquerulously of his nurse. He was so cross that at last she lostpatience, and told him plainly that during the whole course of hisillness, not a soul had been near.

  But Raby would not believe it; it was impossible, and he asserted shewas lying and trying to deceive him.

  Which remark so upset poor Boske, that she burst into tears, and, in herown justification, admitted that people shunned him on purpose, thatthey were afraid of him, and spoke all imaginable evil of him. Nay, wasit not true that everyone was saying he deserved to lose his head forbeing a traitor to his own country?

  The simple maid-servant had only spoken the truth. Her master was, asshe had hinted, virtually an outlaw, and his name was by all, from theirExcellencies to the shoemaker's apprentices, only mentioned with hatredand scorn. But Raby, incensed, was so indignant at Boske's well-meantcandour, that he gave her notice then and there, and paying her a year'swages, refused to have her any longer in his service.

  Thus it was that Raby dismissed his faithful domestic who had simplytold him what men said of him, and now he was absolutely alone in theworld.

  As soon as he had fully recovered, he set out for Vienna, but this time,in a wine-freighted barge which was to be towed by horses to thecapital, for he was too weak to stand the tiring journey by road. Theytook eight days to reach their destination, and the fresh air did muchto restore his shattered health. By the time he reached Vienna, Rabylooked quite himself again, save that he was much thinner than of old.

  He related all that had befallen him to the Emperor, who advised him notto bring the crime home to the culprit, as if it came before the courts,he considered Raby's cause would be ruined. Thereupon, he furnished himwith directions of all kinds, and gave him _carte-blanche_ to take hisown line in all disturbances that might arise.

  When Raby came back to Buda, he wore armour under his coat, for thistime his mission would be no jesting matter, that was evident.

  In pursuance of the Imperial instructions, when he arrived at Buda, hehanded the new district commissioner the Emperor's orders, and it wasduly signified to the prefect of Szent-Endre, that the court of inquirywould meet on a given day, but in the prefecture.

  At the same time, the Szent-Endre magistracy and their underlings wereto be dismissed, and new officials were to be elected in their place.That choice of fresh functionaries might be made in due order, a bigmilitary force was held in readiness in case of disturbances arising.

  When the order to quit came to the officials, the prefect hurried tofind the notary, who was so angry that he forthwith broke his bestporcelain pipe, and flung his cap down on the table in a rage.

  "It's all up with us," admitted the prefect to his crony. "Now theywill go ahead, and the enemy will spoil us utterly. The new districtcommissioner doesn't know his place, he did not once say, 'Your humbleservant,' when I went to see him. All I could get out of him was that hewas 'going to act conformably to instructions.'"

  "That's well enough, if we knew what the 'instructions' were. But it'sthe soldiers I don't like, with Lievenkopp at their head too."

  "But, surely, he is an old acquaintance."

  "Yes, that's just the mischief of it. He knows a great deal too well theins and outs of my affairs."

  "I know he has had loans at one time or another from your worship."

  "But unluckily he's always paid me back. Hardly a fortnight ago, he paidme up to the last ducat. I never dreamed an officer would remember hisdebts so accurately. I wish he had forgotten them! The world is going tothe dogs, that's plain. And then just think what the commissioner hassaid. That he, in consequence of the denunciation of thisgood-for-nothing fellow, will insist on a strict search, not only in theTown Hall, but also in your house and mine. They will go from top tobottom in the prefecture."

  "They can ransack my place as much as they will; they won't succeed inferreting anything out. They will never find the great coffer; I cananswer for it."

  "With you perhaps they won't succeed; you hide your savings so well.But they are bound to scent out my chests."

  "Why, how can they know anything of them?"

  "How can they know? Don't be a fool! Just remember, Fruzsinka, doesn'tshe know?"

  "Do you think she told Raby?"

  "Not Raby, but Lievenkopp. I heard her with my own ears as she waswandering about one day in the maze with the captain, whom she wanted tomarry her. That is why she told him all about the coffer and what itcontained, so Lievenkopp knows all. But they can pounce upon the oldcontracts which are in my possession and want to know how I procured themoney which, when I came here, I took for certain pledges left with me.And if they convict me?"

  "We can easily prevent that; hide your chest so none may find it."

  "That I know without a fool telling me. But whom can we trust? All thesemen here are knaves, anyone of them to whom I trust my treasure willbetray me directly he knows that a third of the money legally belongs towhomsoever informs against the owner. If I bring the money here, someonewill see it, and know where I have hidden it. The whole world is full ofspies. We are the only two honest men in it, friend Kracsko."

  "Don't you trouble, I'll hide your little savings effectually for you.Good! Well, go home, and come back soon with an empty box under yourcloak, so that everyone can see you are carrying something. Thus nosuspicions will be aroused when you go away again."

  Mathias Kracsko did as he was bidden; he went off, and returned shortlywith an empty municipal cash-box under his cloak.

  Mr. Zabvary had his own box ready, sealed not only at the lock, but atthe four corners.

  "Here it is. Hide it away by all means, and directly the commission isoff our track you can restore it to me again. And give me your writtenpromise to give it me back as soon as I ask for it. For it's a sadworld, and we are the only two honest men left in it."

  So the notary signed the document, tucked the chest of savings under hiscloak, and hid it carefully away.

  * * * * *

  Mathias Raby was taking his way to Szent-Endre to attend the inquiryinto the municipal scandals. On the road he met his uncle, who appearedto be looking for someone.

  "Halloa, uncle! what are you waiting for?"

  "I'm waiting for you, nephew, to have a talk with you. Remember, it'ssome time since we met!"

  "Surely, uncle, that is not my fault," exclaimed Raby, "considering thatyou never once crossed my threshold during my illness."

  "No, indeed; small chance of doing so, seeing that every time I came, Ifound a heyduke before your door, who told me that only the doctor wasallowed to see you."

  "A heyduke!" cried Raby in amazement, "why who could have placed himthere?"

  "That was just what I asked him, and he told me the municipality haddone so."

  "But what does the municipality mean by planting a heyduke before mydoor? And why did not Boske tell me?"

  "Because the good soul had only one idea in her head--as sweetsimplicity ordinarily has. She wormed out of the fellow why he stoodthere, and he told her he was ordered to look after a maniac insid
e,whom, if he tried to go out, he was to seize and bind. Had Boske toldyou a man was waiting for you then, nervous and feeble as you were, youwould have sprung out of bed and had a hand-to-hand fight with him, andhe would have bound you, weak invalid as you were, and carried you awayto the mad-house, whence you were not likely to get out again. So Boskewas silent."

  "And I was so angry with her. But now we are good friends again, aren'twe?"

  "To be sure we are. But what shall we do with the others?"

  "With my enemies?"

  "No, with your friends! You can always be even with your foes, but yourfriends are another matter. The heads of the magistracy have not beenidle during the ten weeks you were ill. To-day you appear with theimperial orders to elect a new municipality in Szent-Endre. Yet youwill see that the folks here will choose exactly the same lot again."

  "That surely is impossible!"

  "Unluckily, it's not at all so. The mob whom you befriended, have beenclearly bought over by the magistracy, who have not spared their winefor the last three weeks to convince the townsfolk that the presentmunicipality are the best set of men going. They have befooled thepeasants into believing they won't have to pay tithes next year, andblackened you in their eyes, so that the whole town is enraged againstyou. They say you have come to 'rectify' the taxes, and instead of thesix thousand gulden it has paid up till now, Szent-Endre will have toyield thirty thousand, and that is why you trouble about their moneymatters."

  "But all this is surely midsummer madness!"

  "My dear fellow, the mob believes everything it is told, if it is onlydinned into its ears often enough. You will see for yourself how popularfeeling has changed towards you since you were last in Szent-Endre. Takemy advice, and don't allow yourself to be seen in the town before themilitary arrive. But I know you will go your own way in spite of it!"

  The old gentleman was right. Anyone else would have profited by such awarning, but it made Raby only more keen for the fray.

  "I must be on the spot," he answered; "and that soon, for I must havesome talk with the people before the others appear, so good day,uncle!"

  "Well, adieu, but come again soon!"

  So Raby hastened on to Szent-Endre to the big market-square, where theforthcoming election was to take place. On the way, he noted manysuggestive signs, showing which way the wind was blowing. Theshopkeepers who lounged at their thresholds withdrew indoors directlythey caught sight of Raby. Some acquaintances whom he met retreated tothe other side of the street as if they had not seen him.

  In the square, a large crowd had already assembled. In the front ranksRaby recognised many old friends who often had interceded with him forthe grievances of the common folk. Formerly, such men had hastened tokiss his hand; to-day they did not even raise their hats, and when hespoke to them they only ignored his greeting. One man to whom Rabystretched his hand, actually shook his fist at him, and answered thequestion he put in Hungarian, in Rascian. Evidently no one here wishedto understand Magyar. In vain did Raby try to address them, the crowdonly interrupted him with loud shouts, accompanied by threateninggestures.

  His uncle was right, the mob had wholly changed, and by now believedthat Raby had bought over the town for the Emperor. They yelled noisyacclamations as his enemy, Kracsko, came across the market-square,hailing him as their benefactor and the defender of their rights. SoRaby thought the best thing was to go home and postpone his speech tillthe commission should formally cite him to appear before them. In thecourt he could have his say, and there he would have witnesses tosupport him.

  So he went back to his deserted house to think over the situation.

  Whilst he paced through the empty rooms, he suddenly caught sight ofsomething sparkling on the floor. It was a metal button which had fallenbetween a crevice in the boards. He picked it up, and it awoke memoriesof Fruzsinka, for it was to one of her gowns that it had belonged. Heremembered so well the one; she had worn it that day when she had thrownher arms round his neck and besought him not to sacrifice his own andher happiness to an ungrateful people. Had he listened to her, perhapsshe would have remained a good and true wife to him, and peace andhappiness would have blessed his married life. Now it was all over anddone with, and there without the mob was howling for his destruction.

  He threw the button out of the window, hastening to do away with suchsouvenirs.

  Presently from the market-square burst forth that indescribable murmurwhich rises from a distant crowd. The minutes seemed hours as he waited.

  At last a trampling of hoofs was heard; it was a lieutenant with anescort of half a dozen dragoons come to conduct Raby to the court.

  "The magistrate, the notary, the councillors, are all re-elected," wasthe news they came to announce.

  Raby was much annoyed that they should send an armed escort for him.

  "I can find the way by myself, and am not afraid of anyone," he said,and with that he took his documents under his arm, and set off to walkto the Town Hall.

  His self-possession impressed the crowd who silently made way for him.Besides, they stood in a wholesome awe of the dragoons who were drawn upin the market-place.

  Raby entered the court-room where the commission was sitting. It wasintolerably warm, and he could have fairly swooned as he entered the hotoppressive atmosphere, yet his strength of mind conquered his physicalweakness and steeled his failing nerves.

  He began by making a formal and solemn protest against the way in whichthe election had been conducted, but it was not listened to.

  Then the district commissioner read out Raby's protest and asked thecomplainant to formulate his grievance.

  Raby laid his documents in order at the other end of the table, wherethey had prepared a place for him, and began to state his case atlength; he quoted his documentary evidence, and promised to callwitnesses for the prosecution.

  It goes without saying that his statements did not pass unchallenged bythose most interested.

  After the case for the prosecution had been thus stated, the examinationof its witnesses followed, but these were not so satisfactory as theymight have been.

  None could tell much about the great treasure chest, except that theyhad heard such an one existed, but they had never seen it, and only knewof it by hearsay.

  Finally, no other evidence for the prosecution being forthcoming thanthe incriminating bills and the collected taxation-accounts, it was leftfor the municipality to justify themselves.

  For the defence of the officials collectively, the notary was calledupon to speak.

  In the whole of his discourse, however, there was not a single word ofjustification of the officials concerned, or any refutation of theimpeachment; it consisted solely of a violent torrent of invectiveagainst Raby, who, according to his accuser, was a sorcerer who haddealings with the devil, a bluebeard who kept seven wives, arevolutionary who incited to revolt, to say nothing of being ahighwayman who robbed harmless travellers. In short, there was nothingbad enough for Raby, whom, finally, he denounced as a vampire who wasrobbing the poor folk of their trade and fattening on theirlabours--this last an indictment which fell rather flat, in view of poorRaby's attenuated appearance, for he looked little more than a skeleton.

  And so it went on, the heap of vile calumnies growing as he proceeded,yet their victim listened with a smiling face, for Raby was reallyrejoicing in the absurdity of this collection of impossibleimpeachments.

  But there is nothing that annoys an uneducated angry man more thanridicule from his opponents. And the more he raged, the more did itvisibly excite Raby's mirth.

  Suddenly the features of the notary became distorted and his face turnedlivid, while his discoloured lips foamed and his eyes nearly startedfrom their sockets, as the man he was vilifying continued to smile athis traducer unperturbed. At last the notary dealt his master stroke.

  "And what think you of this, worshipful sirs, I tell you that he hasactually boasted to the prefect that he has not only played bowls withthe Emperor, but that he has constan
tly put on his Majesty'sgold-embroidered coat and walked about in it. What say you to that?"

  At this, the crowning accusation, Raby could restrain his mirth nolonger, and he burst out into a peal of hearty laughter whichreverberated through the hall.

  But at that sound, the speaker suddenly was silent, as if a shot hadstruck him, his mouth remained open, but his head sank back, and hiseyes rolled till only the whites showed themselves; for an instant aspasm convulsed him, then he fell back--dead!

  The laugh had killed him, as surely as if a bullet had been lodged inhis heart.

  They seized him and dragged him out into the fresh air, believing it wasonly a swoon, but in vain did they endeavour to restore life: it was allover with him.

  When they were convinced that the notary was indeed dead, their despairknew no bounds.

  But most of all was Mr. Zabvary quite desperate; wringing his hands, hewailed: "Kracsko, Kracsko, do not die till you have told me where mytreasure is hidden. Wake up, I say, and tell me where you have put mylittle money-chest."

  "But our big one," moaned the magistrate, "where's that? Haven't Ialways said that if only one man knew, and the devil carried him off,what should we do? Fetch a doctor, a surgeon, some of you. He must livetill he tells us where the great treasure-chest is."

  But no earthly aid could avail them for the man they called on lay theredead, and he had hidden the treasure so effectually that no one wouldever find it.

  The despairing survivors ran fuming with wrath back into the court-room."Murder, murder," cried Zabvary as he rushed on Raby. "I am a beggar, Ihave been robbed! Hang the murderer who has killed the notary."

  "Not quite so fast," exclaimed Captain Lievenkopp, placing himselfbefore Raby. "There are others here as well you might hang."

  "That's the man," shouted Zabvary, shaking his clenched fist at Raby."String him up at once!"

  Whereupon the district commissioner rose and insisted on a hearing.

  "It is quite true," he said, "that the notary died in consequence of Mr.Raby having laughed at him during his speech, but our law does notreckon laughter as an instrument of manslaughter. I advise you not tolift a hand against this gentleman, for whoever does so, will be taughtby the military to respect lawful authority. Now be off home with you!"

  This appeal to armed force effectually quelled the malcontents, whosulkily beat a retreat.

  The district commissioner turned to Raby when they were alone. "We mustprorogue the inquiry till all this has blown over. But if you, Mr. Raby,will take my advice, you will leave this town as soon as possible, andwill place yourself under Captain Lievenkopp's protection till you getaway."