separate opinions are fighting for the supremacy. Numa Pompilius
is in favour of an open, heroic attack, as became the _epigoni_ of the
valiant Sarmatians; with battering-rams, ballistas, and other classical
instruments of warfare, he would have fought breast to breast, eye to
eye with the foe.

Ivan, on the other hand, is more practical. He knows his own people
better, and anticipates much greater success from an insidious surprise
in which the warriors shall stealthily crawl over walls and through
windows upon the unguarded and unsuspecting garrison, and massacre them
in their dreams.

The wife of the headsman sits on the table opposite the two
commanders-in-chief with a mocking smile upon her lips, and her huge
muscular arms crossed over her bosom. From time to time she utters a
scornful laugh and grunts disapprovingly.

"Do what you like," she said at last, "neither of you knows anything
about it. The buffalo-catcher would proceed cautiously and the cripple
would run like a 'bull' at the gate."

"And what would you do, I should like to know," snarled Ivan.

"I know something, and I know how to keep it to myself. When you two
have made a mess of it, then I shall come forward."

The commanders began to be jealous of her influence. The first success
always wins the heart of the mob, they must make sure of that anyhow.

"Call in the Leather-bell," cried Ivan to the doorkeepers.

The old fellow was shoved in.

"The castle watch-dogs know you, don't they?" he was asked.

"Know me? of course they do," replied the worthy man. "Why, I brought up
Tisza and Farkas myself. I give them bread every day. Why, they sniff my
pockets even now whenever I go along there."

"They know you still better, you knacker you, I'll be bound," said Dame
Zudar to Ivan derisively.

Ivan caught up a knife from the table and would have stuck the woman
with it had not Thomas Bodza stayed his hand. He did not like these
squabbles at all.

"This is not the time for wrangling," said he.

Only very reluctantly did Ivan allow himself to be pacified and induced
to continue the conversation.

"Here in this handkerchief are some pieces of meat, do you think you can
get the dogs to take them with soft words?"

"Why not? I have only to call them by name, and they will come to the
doors of their kennels and eat it out of my very hands."

"Then look sharp and set about it."

The Leather-bell was such a good fellow that he was never able to