The Turkish commander is marshalling his forces in the village below. They seem used to the strictest discipline. Every one looks steadily at his leader without moving a muscle. At the head of the left wing stands the little boy; a tall, muscular man leads the right. The Wallachs are drawn up in the rear. "My brave fellows,"--the Pasha addresses his troops in a hard, sharp voice--"you will pitch your tents here! Every one will remain in his place hard by his saddled horse, without laying aside arms or armour. Ferhad Aga[14] with twelve men will go into the village and respectfully ask the magistrate to send hither forty hundredweights of bread, just as much flesh, and double as much hay and oats, at the average price of four asper[15] per pound, neither more nor less." [Footnote 14: _Aga._ An honorary title among the Turks, here equivalent to lieutenant.] [Footnote 15: _Asper._ A small silver coin worth about fifteen to twenty kreutzers.] Then the Pasha turned towards the Wallachs-- "You, dogs! don't suppose that we have come hither to plunder! Stir not from this spot, for if I find out that so much as a goose has been stolen from the village, I'll hang up your leaders and decimate the rest of you!" He then selected four horsemen. "You will follow me," said he; "the rest remain here. This very night we resume our march. During my absence Feriz Beg commands." The little boy bowed. "If Feriz Beg receives orders from me to quit you, you will obey Ferhad Aga till I return." With that the Pasha struck his spurs into his horse's sides, and galloped with his escort towards Bodola. Then the boy whom the Pasha had called Feriz Beg rode forward with soldierly assurance, and in a deep, sonorous voice gave the order to dismount. His hard-mouthed Arab plunged, kicked, and reared, but the little commander, heedless of the capers of his steed, delivered his further orders with perfect self-possession. Meanwhile the Pasha pursued his way towards Bodola Castle. Paul Beldi had arrived there only the day before with his wife, having quitted Kemeny's Court without a word of explanation, and was standing in the porch at the moment when the Turkish horsemen trotted into the courtyard. In those days the relations of Transylvania with the Turks were so peculiar, that visits of this kind might be made at any time without any previous announcement. The Pasha no sooner beheld Beldi, than he sprang from his horse, ran up the steps to him, and brusquely presented himself--"I am Kucsuk Pasha. Being in the way, I came to have a word with thee if thou canst listen." "Command me," replied Beldi, pointing to the reception-room, and motioning to his guest to enter first.