Nalaczi and Szekely exchanged a smile. It was plain that the idea had caught the Prince's fancy. Teleki beckoned to Szekely to fetch him writing materials and a strip of parchment. "We will quickly draw up the necessary articles of impeachment; your Highness will subscribe them, and we'll secretly persuade the great men of the land to consent to Banfi's arrest and join the league before any legal steps have been taken." At these words many of the gentlemen present began to bite their moustaches and move uneasily in their chairs. Teleki observed the movement, and added emphatically-- "I perceive that no one here has the courage to put down his name first on the list. Nevertheless I have already found a man, who in dignity and power is every whit Banfi's equal, and when once he has subscribed the list, the other signatures will follow as a matter of course." "And who may that be?" asked Apafi. "Paul Beldi!" The Prince shook his head. "He won't do it. He is much too honourable a man for that." Wine-inspired as this sentence was, it completely ruffled Teleki's equanimity. Turning vehemently upon the Prince he cried-- "Then you mean to imply that _we_ are acting dishonourably?" "I meant to say that Beldi is never very willing to pick a quarrel with anybody. He is a peace-abiding man." "But I know his sore point, and if you but touch it with the tip of your finger, he'll answer with his clenched fist, and the lamb will become a lion. I'll get him to----" At that moment the door opened, and, to every one's astonishment, the Princess entered the room. Nevertheless, her appearance at this time was no freak of chance. You could see by her agitation that she was well aware of what was going on. The lords were confused, and Apafi, despite his tipsy wrath, became so frightened when he beheld the pale face of his consort that he whispered to Teleki-- "For heaven's sake put that document out of sight." Only Teleki kept his countenance, and instead of hiding the parchment, ostentatiously spread it out before him. "What are you doing?" asked the Princess. She was very pale, and her bosom heaved tempestuously. "We are holding a council," replied Teleki grimly. "A council?" repeated Anna, approaching nearer and nearer to the table. "Yes; and we venture to ask your Highness by what right you intrude here, while we are deliberating over the most momentous affairs of state?" continued Teleki in a hard, dry tone. "Deliberating over the most momentous affairs of state, eh?" repeated the lady, measuring Teleki with a searching look. Then with a loud, vibrating voice she exclaimed--"What mean these wine-cups then? You are holding a council of state when the head of the state is drunk, that you may sow discord and confusion." Teleki sprang from his seat and turned towards the Prince-- "May it please your Highness to dismiss us. We perceive that a domestic scene is about to begin."