"Eljen! eljen!" roared the brigades, and at the word of command they fell back into their places and stood there like an iron wall. "You will not be very angry with me," said Banfi to the herald, who had suddenly turned deadly pale, "you will not be very angry with me, I hope, for making them obey me this once? Go back to the Prince and tell him that in three days I will appear before him." "And tell him that we will be there too," cried the captains in chorus. The herald and his suite withdrew. Banfi moodily bent his head. The third flourish of trumpets had already sounded, and the banners were all unfurled; but Banfi still continued staring blankly, darkly, dumbly before him. "Draw your sword, my lord!" cried Angel; "place yourself at our head, and let us start. First to Bonczhida and then to Fehervár." "What do you say?" said Banfi, with a start. "What is it?" "I say that if the law of the sword is to try you, the sword must also be your defence." "And such a process is generally called _civil war_!" "We have not kindled it." "Nor will we fan it. 'Tis no longer, I see, a struggle against my personal enemies, but against the Prince, and he is the head of the land." "And are not you its right arm? If they choose to light up the flames of civil war, we will not allow it to be quenched in your blood." "And why should my blood flow at all? Have I committed any capital offence? Can I even be charged with such a thing?" "You are powerful, and that is a sufficient reason for killing you." "I care not. I'll go, and what is more, alone. My wife is in their hands. They have the power to make me feel their wrath in the most painful way, and if there were no other reason for appearing, it is my knightly duty to release her." "You can save both her and yourself much more efficaciously by force of arms." "I have nothing to fear. I have done nothing for which I need blush in the sight of justice, and if they plot privily against me, are not you here? Summon hither my Somlyo troops as well, and only intervene if they practise foul play." "Oh, my lord! that army is good for nothing which is abandoned by its leader. To-day it would go through fire and water for you, and is even ready to proclaim you Prince; but to-morrow, when it hears that you have appeared before the court, it will disperse and deny you." "They need know nothing of my resolution. I'll immediately take coach and go to Fehervár. Tell the troops I've gone to Somlyo to collect my other forces, and keep them under arms till you hear from me." With that Banfi rode off to Klausenburg, and Michael Angel irritably stuck his sword into its sheath and told the troops that they might rest if they felt tired. * * * * * An hour later Banfi was rolling in a carriage-and-four towards Torda, on his way to Fehervár; a mounted servant led a spare horse after him by the bridle.