CHAPTER XXXVI.
Raby succeeded in crossing the frontier, the thick mist which veiled themoonlight favouring his escape. The shame of the situation nearly killedhim. To be freed by a woman masquerading as a robber-chieftain--and thatwoman his wife! His wretched spouse had done him many wrongs, yet thisone, although intended to benefit him, smote him as with a lash, and thememory of her last words stung him to the quick.
But he had by this reached the adjacent river, whose waters were notsufficiently frozen over to bear the weight of both himself and hishorse. So he had to dismount and leave the animal behind, and then crossthe ice on foot as best he could.
This was undoubtedly better than arriving at the Austrian frontier onhorseback, for a woman riding alone at that time of night wouldcertainly arouse the suspicions of the Austrian officials, and theywould probably escort him back to whence he came. So he dragged himselfto the first wayside inn he could find, and explained his presence therewith a story of his brothers having fallen into a snow-drift. Thekind-hearted people believed him, and when it was light, set out to findhis kinsmen. But whom, strangely enough, should they come across butRaby's two friends, who, after the fight with the heydukes, had set outto follow him, not without many mishaps in the snow which bore outRaby's tale.
It was a right merry meeting, and the three could eat and sleep insafety now that they were free from their pursuers. They thought it bestto say nothing of the heydukes, in case they might be cited aswitnesses. There still lay a two days' journey before them across badroads ere they could reach Vienna. His friends' readiness to accompanyhim convinced Raby that they were in the service of the Emperor, and notmercenaries of the Pesth authorities. In view of chance separating themagain, Kurovics made over to Raby thirty gulden so that he might not bewithout money.
On Austrian territory, Kurovics became quite communicative, and let outthat he was no Szent-Endre burgher, but a well-to-do landed proprietor,whose father had been ennobled by Maria Theresa, and that he was in theEmperor's confidence.
"And won't I just give you a reception if you ever come back to ourcountry," he cried, "not with passports, but with police and dragoons atyour back. I promise you I'll kill my finest sheep and roast it whole inyour honour, and open a bottle of the best wine my cellar contains todrink your health in."
"How do I know if I shall ever return?" queried Raby sadly.
But at last they reached Vienna, and put up at the "Dun Stag" by the RedTower Gate. Kurovics was evidently well known in the capital, and Raby'sdoubts about him were henceforth set at rest for good and all.
Our hero had willingly taken a few days' repose after all the fatiguesof his onerous journey, but Kurovics would not hear of it. "Get to workdirectly," he urged, "the Emperor is anxiously awaiting yourexplanations. Write down your indictment, and do not wait to change yourclothes, but just come as you are into the palace, and we will come withyou as far as the Hofburg. For you know here in Vienna, everyone whocomes into the city has to report himself immediately, and state hisbusiness here. It is possible that the Vienna police have alreadyreceived instructions from Pesth, in this case they will perhaps lockyou up before you can get a hearing with his Majesty, so be beforehandand get the start of your enemies."
And Raby thought it as well to take this advice, so he proceeded to puton paper his report as simply and briefly as possible. He was, moreover,convinced that Kurovics was a genuine friend of the people, for he gavehim many proofs of gross abuse of authority on the part of the Pesthofficials.
Hardly was the ink on the paper dried, than they chartered a coach anddrove off to the Hofburg, in order to be in time for the daily audiencewhich the Emperor was accustomed to hold for those who sought ahearing. The audience chamber led straight into the Emperor's ownprivate cabinet, and was daily, from the hours of ten in the morningtill one o'clock, filled by a crowd of all sorts and conditions ofpeople, who came furnished with written petitions, or preferringrequests, unannounced and in every-day dress, to seek a personalaudience of the Emperor, which was always granted to them in turn.
Joseph spoke all the languages of the polyglot races he governed, andwas equally versed in all the various _patois_, though he usuallyconversed in German with the petitioners of higher rank.
It was a mixed crowd which now stood awaiting the imperialpleasure--prelates, soldiers, Jews, mourning-clad widows, finely dressedladies, and peasants in their varied national costumes, jostled oneanother in the ante-chamber in which Raby and his friends foundthemselves. There was no precedence of rank observed, for the Emperorwould speak to whomsoever he willed first, though none were overlooked.
All at once a hush fell on the chattering crowd, and only a subduedwhisper was heard here and there, as the moment for the Emperor'sappearance had arrived. Raby was not a little shocked to note how hisimperial master had altered: camp life had apparently not suited him.His cheeks were hollowed as with sickness, and his features bore theunmistakable marks of the ravages of both bodily and mental suffering;only the clear blue eyes he remembered so well of old, were unchanged.
Amid the crowd of suppliants, the Emperor seemed not to observe Raby andhis companions. At last Raby ventured to press into his hand his report.
"What is this?" asked the Kaiser in German, as he pocketed the documentwithout looking at its contents.
All those who had spoken with the Emperor had to withdraw directly theaudience was over, and Raby and his friends were at last the only onesleft. The Emperor seeing that they still waited, demanded of Kurovicswhat it was they sought?
Kurovics thereupon with a low bow, gave him to understand they were onlyaccompanying the lady.
"I have received her petition already," said Joseph, "what does the girlwant?"
"Does not your Majesty remember me?" asked Raby in a low voice.
The Emperor scanned him sharply with no sign of recognition.
"I have never seen you before," he exclaimed coldly. "What is yourname?"
"Sire, I am Mathias Raby!"
His Majesty clasped his hands with a vivid gesture of surprise.
"Raby! is it possible? Have you lost your reason then that you dressthus? Whence do you come in this masquerading attire?"
"From the dungeons of the Pesth Assembly House, Sire."
The Emperor seized him by the hand, and drew him without a word into hiscabinet.
Two secretaries there were very busy sorting documents. The Emperor ledthe Serb peasant girl up to them.
"Now, gentlemen, say, do you recognise this lady?"
The secretaries were perplexed, and denied all knowledge of thenew-comer.
"Come, come, gentlemen," said the Emperor jestingly, "tell the truth,for I'll wager that you have often met before, to say nothing of thelively correspondence you have carried on of late."
The secretaries called heaven and earth to witness they had never seenthe stranger in their lives before, and had not the slightest idea whoshe might be.
"This lady is no other than Mr. Mathias Raby."
At these words, in defiance of all court etiquette, both burst outlaughing, and in their merriment the Emperor himself joined heartily.
Only Raby looked grave, and did not share their amusement. Even nowthrough the paint on his cheeks, the angry colour flamed--a fact whichdid not escape the Emperor.
"But however did you manage to put on this disguise?" he asked.
"Simply because I heard your Majesty had ordered I should do so,"answered Raby.
"I? Why whatever put such a thing into your head, I should like toknow?"
"Here are the instructions I received," and Raby handed him his friends'paper.
The Kaiser shook his head as he went through it. "Of course I understandSerb," he said; "but I never wrote this. Where did you get it from?"
"From the leader of the twenty-four men dressed as Turks, who, in yourMajesty's name, dragged me by night from out of the dungeon of theAssembly House in Pesth. Two of them came hither with me. Your Majestysaw them in the
other room."
"Bring them in here," ordered the Emperor.
One of the two secretaries went then and there to fetch them in, butreturned immediately with the news that the two men had already left theHofburg.
"The police must be notified," said Joseph.
But all their trouble was in vain. The two unknowns on leaving thepalace had made direct for the river-bank, where a boat manned by fouroarsmen had awaited them, and carried them away in the fog whichoverhung the river.
Here was an enigma to clear up! Why the men had conducted him to thepalace; why they had waited for his meeting with the Emperor and thendeserted him entirely; whether they had been indeed friends or foes indisguise, Raby could not imagine. It remained an unsolved mystery.