s not to grieve the other.

One day Laszlo whispered gravely to Aniko, "This day week there will
be a battle!" and the warm pressure of his hand seemed to say, "and
our victory;" while the deep blush on the bride's cheek seemed to
reply, "And our wedding!"

Both girls prepared a dress in secret for that day. Aniko's was white
embroidery, as for a bridal; Ilka's was simple black!

* * * * *

The imperial troops remained several months in Szolnok, during which
time they had raised strong fortifications.

An extensive redoubt guarded the _tete de pont_ on the opposite side
of the Theiss. Palisades were constructed to screen the _tirailleurs_
between the entrenchments, before which a little willow thicket
concealed a battery of field-pieces.

Within the fortifications was the pontoon bridge, which the imperial
army had formed after having burnt the great bridge in January.

Before the bridge could be taken, the enemy had first to drive the
troops from their strong entrenchments, and should they even effect
this, they would still be exposed to the cross fire of the redoubt and
the battery concealed in the thicket, and it was impossible to make a
circuit, for the Theiss surrounds two-thirds of the place.

Szolnok is built on the opposite side, and was protected on one side
by the river Zagyva and the impassable morasses of the Theiss, and on
the other by strong ramparts and entrenchments. Within the _tete de
pont_ there were three half-moon bastions, well fortified, and
protecting each other.

The terminus, which lay within gun-shot of a bastion running along the
Theiss, was also strongly fortified by moats and artillery, whose guns
commanded all the defiles leading to it; to the west stood a chapel,
built on a knoll--the only elevated position near the place.

An assault from this side was almost impracticable, according to the
rules of tactics, for these bastions could only be taken by a large
force, with guns of great calibre; and, in case of a repulse, the
besiegers would be cut off from all retreat, and exposed to the whole
concentrated main body of the imperial forces in Pesth.

The Zagyva morasses alone remained partly unprotected, an attack from
that side being considered impracticable.

Patrols were stationed along the right bank of the Theiss, as far as
Czibakhaza, which served as a point of passage to the Hungarians,
though, according to the information of spies, there w