give him that."

"Pardon me, your Highness, I have nothing more to do with Banfy. My
complaint is now urgently directed against Kapi."

"What have you against him? It is unheard-of to have so beautiful a
wife and yet keep a Turkish slave woman!"

"This Kapi was the man who had the use of my Transylvania estates. I
determined to know nothing more of Banfy and immediately took up my
quarters with Kapi in his castle of Aranyos. Of the splendor displayed
by this man I had never had the least idea before, although all my
life I had been to the courts of Palatines and Princes in no small
number. His wife did not put her foot to the ground, but was carried
to the very gate in a gilded chair, and she never wore the same gown
twice."

"What have I to do with Madame Kapi's finery?"

"I am coming to the point. It is just because of this finery that her
husband is compelled to resort to all kinds of trickery to satisfy the
wishes of his lady. Furthermore your Highness is concerned, for such
immoderate luxury only makes the contrast the more striking between
the simplicity of your Excellency's court life and the insolent
splendor of these small kings. And it carries its impression with the
strangers who so frequently visit us; the effect of it is already
felt; for when the Bavarian ambassador came recently to Aranyos from
Ebesfalva I heard him say in flattering tones to Madame Kapi that she
was the real Princess of Transylvania."

"Did he say that?" said the Prince, beginning to take great interest
in the affair. "Go on with your story. Did he say that Kapi's wife was
the real Princess?"

"In point of beauty and bearing she is not worthy to tie the shoe of
her Highness, the Princess Apafi, if you were to strip her of the
costly jewels that she wears in such numbers she can hardly move."

"Go on, go on."

"Now Kapi informed me one fine day that your Excellency had received
command from the Palatine to have me arrested and delivered over."

"I-- received command-- I never heard a word of it!"

"Unfortunately I believed the story, and thinking that I stood between
two fires saw no way of escape except to give over to Kapi my
Transylvania estates to prevent their falling into the public
treasury. In return for this he gave me a written promise that I
should have the property back again as soon as I was in a position to
receive it. I then determined to flee to Poland during the period of
danger. Kapi gave me two guides who