The Slaves of the Padishah Part 61

At that instant a wild yell suddenly struck upon the ear of the general, and looking back towards Zernyest he saw a large column of smoke rising heavenwards, while the outposts came galloping up towards the camp.

"What is that?"

"Tokoly has got through the mountains!" was the terrifying report, "the Tartars have burnt Tohair and plundered the camp."

"To horse, to arms, every man!" roared Heissler, and drawing his sword leaped upon his horse. Doria, Noscher, and Magni quickly marshalled their squadrons, Macskari quickly got together his squadrons, and descended into the plain.

They had scarce got into battle array when they were joined by the boyar Balacsan, the refugee Moldavian n.o.bleman, who kept on foot two regiments of the Hungarians and Wallachians at his own expense.

The cry of the ravaging Tartars was now audible close at hand in the village of Tohair, which was blazing away under the very eyes of the Transylvanian hosts. Balacsan's soldiers, eager for the fray, begged leave of Heissler to drive them from the village, and rushing upon them with a wild yell, quickly drove the Tartars back through the burning streets; while Heissler, with the main body of the army, galloped towards Zernyest with the greatest haste. He also succeeded in occupying it before Tokoly had reached it.

Here the soldiers rested after their tiring gallop. Heissler distributed wine and brandy among them, then marshalled them, and sent to the front the military chaplains. Two Jesuits, crucifix in hand, confessed all the German soldiers, and the Rev. Mr. Gernyeszeg preached a pious discourse to the Calvinists.

Meanwhile Tokoly's army had advanced upon Zernyest. On one side of him were the snowy Alps, on the other a reed-grown mora.s.s, which in the hot days of August was quite dried up and could easily be crossed.

As soon as the Szeklers saw the Turks, with their characteristic pigheadedness they seized their pikes and would have rushed upon them with their usual war-cry: "Jesus! Help, Jesus! Help!"

Their leaders drove them back by beating them with their sword-blades, and exhausted the whole vocabulary of abuse and condemnation before they could prevent them prematurely from beginning the battle.

Teleki meanwhile summoned to his side his trusty servant, and as he was dressed in a black habit--for they were still in mourning for the Prince--with few jewels on it, he detached his diamond aigrette and gold chain, and adding his signet-ring to them, gave them to the servant that he might take them before the battle to Gernyeszeg, and give them to his daughter, Dame Michael Vay.

The old servant would have asked why he did this, but Teleki turned away from him and beckoned him to go away.

Then he had his favourite charger, Kalman, brought forth, and after stroking its neck tenderly, trotted off to the front of his forces and addressed them in these words:

"My brave Transylvanians, now is the time to fight together valiantly for glory and liberty in the service of his Imperial Majesty in order to deliver our country, our wives and children, from Turkish bondage and the tyranny of that evil ally of theirs, Tokoly, for otherwise you and your descendants have nought but eternal slavery to expect. Grieve not for me if I, your general, fall on the field of battle. Behold, I bring my white beard among you, and am ready to die."

While he was saying these words his adjutant, Macskari, came to him and began to explain that the Transylvanians had been placed in the rear and were grumbling loudly at having been so set aside.

On hearing this Teleki at once galloped up to Heissler.

"Sir," said he, "you are a bad judge of the Hungarian temperament in warfare if you place them in the rear; the Szekler, in particular, has a great apt.i.tude for the a.s.sault, but don't expect help from him if you keep him waiting in the rear till the front ranks are broken."

Generals, on the eve of a battle are, very naturally, somewhat impatient of advice, especially if it be delivered by a civilian. Heissler therefore snubbed the minister somewhat unmercifully, whereupon Teleki galloped back to his men without saying another word.

Meanwhile the Turkish army had slowly begun to move; on the left wing a regiment of Tartars stealthily entered the reeds of the mora.s.s and began to surround the right wing of the Transylvanians; but their experienced general, perceiving their approach from the undulatory movement of the reed-stalks, speedily ordered Doria to advance against them with six squadrons of dragoons, whereupon Teleki also sent thirteen regiments of Szeklers against them under Michael Henter, and soon the two stealthily crouching hosts could be seen in collision. The Szeklers, with a wild yell, rushed upon the Tartars, who turned tail after the first onset, and fled still deeper among the reeds. Doria pursued them everywhere, the discharge of the artillery fired the reeds in several places, and they began to burn over the heads of the combatants.

At that moment Tokoly suddenly blew the trumpets and advanced into the plain with thirty-two squadrons, who rushed upon the foe with a sky-rending howl. There was a roll of musketry as the a.s.sailants drew near, and nine of the thirty-two squadrons bit the dust, hundreds of riders fell from their horses.

But the rest did not turn back as they used to do. Feriz Beg was leading them, they saw his sword flashing in front of them, and felt sure of victory.

At the moment of the firing a bullet had struck the youth in the breast; but he regarded it not, he only saw Teleki before him, dressed in black.

He recognised him from afar, and galloped straight towards him.

Beneath the savage a.s.sault of the Turkish hors.e.m.e.n the German dragoons gave way in a moment, their ranks were scattered; against the slim darts of the Spahis and the light csakanyis of the hussars the straight sword and the heavy cuira.s.s were but a poor defence. The first line was cast back upon the second, and when General Noscher was struck down by a dart in the forehead, the centre also was broken.

The Szeklers simply looked on at the battle from the rear.

"What think you, comrades," they said to one another, "if they only brought us here to look on, wouldn't it be better to look on from yonder hill?"

And with that they shouldered their pikes, and without doing the slightest harm to the Turks, went off in a body.

The cavalry, who still had some stomach in them, on perceiving the flight of the infantry, also suddenly lost heart, and giving their horses the reins, scampered off in every direction.

Heissler thus was left alone on the battle-field, and up to the last moment strenuously endeavoured to retrieve the fortunes of the day. All in vain. Balacsan fell before his very eyes on the left wing, and shortly afterwards, General Magni staggered towards him scarce recognisable, for he had a fearful slash right across his head, which covered his face with blood, and his left arm was pierced by a dart. It was not about himself that he was anxious, however, for he grasped Heissler's bridle and dragged him away.

Heissler, full of desperation, fought against his own men, who carried him from the field by force. At last he reached the top of a hillock and, looking back, perceived one division still fighting on the battlefield. It was the picked division of Doria who, in its pursuit of the Tartars, had been cut off from the rest of the army, and seeing that it was isolated had hastily formed into a square and stood against the whole of the victorious host, fighting obstinately and refusing to surrender. This was too much for Heissler. He tore himself loose from his escort, and returned alone to the battlefield. A few stray hors.e.m.e.n followed him, and he tried to cut his way to Doria through the intervening hussars.

A tall and handsome cavalier intercepted him.

"Surrender, general, it is no shame to you. I am Emeric Tokoly."

Heissler returned no answer but galloped straight at him, and, whirling his sword above his head, aimed a blow at the Hungarian leader.

Tokoly called to those around him to stand back. Alone he fought against so worthy an enemy till a violent blow broke in twain the sword of the German general, and he was obliged to surrender.

Meanwhile Doria's division was overborne by superior forces; he himself fell beneath his horse, which was shot under him, and was taken prisoner.

The rest fled.

Michael Teleki fled likewise, trusting in his good steed Kalman. He heard behind him the cries of his pursuers; there was one form in particular that he did not wish to have behind him, and it seemed to Teleki as if he were about to see this form.

This was the chief sirdar, Feriz Beg. Mortally wounded though he was, he did not forget his mortal anger, and though his blood flowed in streams, he still felt strength enough in his arm to shed the blood of his enemy.

Suddenly Michael directed his flight towards a field of wheat, when his horse stumbled and fell with him.

Here Feriz Beg overtook the minister, and whirling around his sword, exclaimed:

"That blow is from Denis Banfy!"

Teleki raised his sword to defend himself, but at that name his hand shook and he received a slash across the face, whereupon his sword fell from his hand; but he still held his hand before his streaming eyes and only heard these words:

"This blow is for Paul Beldi! This blow is for the children of Paul Beldi! This blow is for Transylvania!"

That last blow was the heaviest of all!

Teleki sank down on the ground a corpse.

Feriz Beg gazed upwards with a look of transport, sighed deeply, and then drooped suddenly over his horse's neck. He was dead.

Next day when they found Teleki among the slain, and brought him to Tokoly, the young Prince cried:

"Heh! bald head! bald head! if you had never lived in Transylvania so much blood would not have flowed here."

Thus the prophecy of Magyari was fulfilled.