nroll their
names--"

"How many do you suppose enrolled their names?" interrupted the count.

"Thirty thousand cavalry and forty thousand infantry--which are not all
the able-bodied men, as only one member from each family is required to
join the army. After the names had been entered came the question of
uniforms, arms, officering, drilling, provisions. You must admit that a
clock cannot strike until the hands have made their regular passage
through all the minutes and seconds that make up the hour!"

"For heaven's sake! What a preamble!" ejaculated the count. "But go on.
The first minute?"

"Yes; the first minute a stoppage occurred caused by the escapement
objecting to furnish canteens; if the militiamen wanted canteens they
must provide them themselves."

"I trust the clock was not allowed to stop for want of a few canteens,"
ironically observed Count Vavel.

"Moreover," continued the vice-palatine, not heeding the interruption,
"the escapement gave them to understand that brass drums could not be
furnished--only wooden ones--"

"They will do their duty, too, if properly handled," again interpolated
Vavel.

"A more disastrous check, however, was the decision of the _Komitate_
that the uniform was to consist of red trousers and light-blue dolman--"

"A picturesque uniform, at any rate!"

"There was a good deal of argument about it; but at last it was decided
that the companies from the Danube should adopt light-blue dolmans, and
those from the Theiss dark-blue."

"Thank heaven something was decided!"

"Don't be too premature with your thanks, Herr Count! The escapement
would not consent to the red trousers; red dye-stuff was not to be had,
because of the continental embargo. The militia must content itself with
trousers made of the coarse white cloth of which peasants' cloaks are
made. You can imagine what a tempest that raised in the various
counties! To offer Hungarian nobles trousers made of such stuff! At
last the matter was arranged: trousers and dolman were to be made of the
same material. The Komitate were satisfied with this. But the escapement
then said there were not enough tailors to make so many uniforms. The
government would supply the cloth, and have it cut, and the militiamen
could have it made up at home."

"That certainly would make the uniform of more value to the wearer!"

"_Would have made_, Herr Count; would have made! The escapement suddenly
announced that the cloth could not b