e him within three
days."

"We will be there too," shouted the captain. The herald and his
retinue moved away. Banfy dropped his head in deep thought. The
trumpet sounded, for the banners were unfurled, but Banfy still stared
into space, speechless, heavy-hearted and gloomy.

"Draw your sword, my lord," Angyal said to him. "Put yourself at our
head and let us start, first for Bonczida, and then for Karlsburg."

"What is that you say?" said Banfy. "What do you mean?"

"Why, that since the law has expressed itself by the sword, the sword
shall be our defence."

"Such a case at law would be called civil war."

"We did not start it: neither shall we add fuel to the flame."

"It is no longer a war against my personal enemies but against the
Prince, and he is the head of our country."

"And you are his right hand. If they are going to light the torch of
war in the country it shall not be extinguished in your blood."

"And why should my blood flow for that? have I committed a capital
crime? can anybody accuse me of such?"

"You are powerful and that is reason enough to kill you."

"It is all the same to me. I will go and what is more, alone. My wife
is in their hands. They have it in their power to make me suffer their
vengeance. If there were no other reason for my appearing, to set her
free is my duty as a knight."

"With weapons you can set her free more easily, and also yourself."

"I have nothing to fear. I have never done anything for which I need
blush in the sight of the law. Even if they should intrigue against
me, still stay here, summon my troops at Somlyo and throw yourself
into the breach there when injustice is practiced against me."

"Oh, my lord, the army is worth nothing when its leader has
surrendered himself. To-day it would still go through fire for you and
be ready to hail you as Prince; but to-morrow if it should learn that
you had obeyed the summons it would disband and deny you."

"You must not tell any one of my intention. I will take a carriage at
once and drive to Karlsburg; you tell the troops that I have gone to
Somlyo to collect the rest of my army; keep them together under good
discipline, till news of me comes."

With that Banfy rode off to Klausenburg, while Michael Angyal sullenly
sheathed his sword and proclaimed to the troops that they might go to
rest in case they were tired.

* * * * *

An hour later we see Banfy in a carriage drawn by f