Banfy, with a tender smile, embracing his
wife. "An urgent message that I must answer at once. I will return
soon; lie down and sleep quietly."

With these words he laid his wife back in her pillows and kissed her
tenderly several times, after each kiss saying:

"My soul, my love, my blessing, my Heaven."

Madame Banfy did not suspect that this was the parting kiss of a man
on his way to death. He looked at her so smilingly, feigning joy in
his countenance when he stood on the threshold of death.

At this moment the horn rang out before the castle gate. The messenger
of the Princess had arrived and demanded admittance in the name of his
Excellency. Csaki mounted the stairs in haste and just as Banfy had
calmed his wife about his leaving, he pushed open the door suddenly
and cried out,

"Why this long parting! Be ready! The sentence awaits its execution!"

At these words Madame Banfy sprang from her couch with a convulsive
scream, reached both arms to her husband, looked at him for a moment
in silence then laid her hands on her heart and sank back dead among
the pillows.

Banfy looked at his foe with deadly bitterness; his veiled eyes seemed
to Csaki to hurl forth more curses than any lips could have spoken.

"Miserable wretch!" he thundered at him, "who ordered you to kill my
wife too?"

Csaki turned his head aside and called out harshly,

"Make haste, the time is short."

"Short for me but it will be long for you, for the time is coming when
you will curse life and not die as peacefully as I do. Leave me alone.
I wish to pray and I cannot call on God in the same room where you
are."

Csaki went away, shocked in spite of himself.

Banfy put his hands to his brow and prayed.

Heavy thunder rolled through the Heavens.

"Oh God, who in thy anger dost thunder above, take my blood for my
sins. Let no drop of it fall on the head of those who have shed it.
Grant that my country may never expiate my death. Guard this poor land
from every misfortune. Keep thy vengeance far from the head of this
people and mid all perils be their shield. Forgive my enemies my death
as I forgive them."

The thunder rolled terribly. God was angry. He did not wish to hear
this prayer.

Banfy went back to his dead wife, kissed her white face for the last
time and then went quietly to Csaki.

"I am ready."

* * * * *

After another quarter of an hour Csaki permitted the messenger to
enter.