er unclean creatures that you unbelievers are accustomed
to eat. And that we may not take our revenge, the towns are not built
up again. Now if you do not wish to bring down upon your head the
wrath of the mighty Khan, see to it that you order those fugitives
back to their towns, and send word to the rest of the Saxon towns that
have surrounded themselves with inaccessible walls, to open their
gates to us. Otherwise we will visit you in Klausenburg with fire and
sword and leave not one stone above another."

During this speech Apafi had several times grasped his sword. Then he
reconsidered and said calmly:

"Go back, give greetings to your lord, and tell him that we will give
him satisfaction at once."

Then he turned his back on the messenger and would have left the room
at once, but Teleki placed himself in his way.

"That is not enough, your Highness. Once for all there must be an end
made of this dog-headed Tartar's coming into the presence of the
Prince of Transylvania with such a speech."

"Then speak to him yourself."

Teleki advanced toward the Emir with an earnest, dignified expression,
looked him fixedly in the eye, and said firmly:

"Your lord is indeed the ruler of Tartary, and my lord the Prince of
Transylvania, and his Majesty, the Sultan is one lord of us all. Know
then that his Majesty the Sultan did not make your lord Khan of
Tartary to dwell at Vienna, nor did he set Michael Apafi on the
throne of Transylvania to support your lord. Go back to your land and
do not come here any more to wonder that a town burned down by you one
year is not built up the next. We will take care that the houses are
rebuilt and also that the bastions are made high enough to keep you
off. If you have any desire to pay us a visit in Klausenburg we will
take care that you do not have your trouble for nothing, and shall
know how to greet you from afar with our good cannon."

The Emir fumed with rage; his eyes were bloodshot, his hand felt for
his dagger and he stammered out:

"If a slave should make such a speech in the presence of my lord he
would have his head cut off at once."

Apafi now touched Teleki on the shoulder and said:

"Good, Teleki! you spoke like a man."

The Emir turned on his heel and hurried out of the room, shaking his
fist.

This scene put Apafi into a good humor, especially toward Teleki. The
minister read this in the Prince's face and took advantage of it at
once. Taking one of the bystande