all too
little, he turned to Nalaczy and Daczo with the question, "Is there
nothing that I can do for you? What reward shall I make you for the
fidelity with which you have stood by me from the first?"

Nalaczy and Daczo had for some time been puzzling their minds as to
what request they might make that should not be too small.

"I leave the reward of my trifling services to the generosity of your
Excellency," said Nalaczy, thinking that without doubt the Szeklers
would now receive a new captain instead of Beldi.

"The little that I have done for your Excellency does not now deserve
mention," said Daczo, but it occurred to him that the position of
Captain of the train bands at Klausenburg, left vacant by Banfy's
flight, would be an appropriate one.

Apafi was well-disposed toward them and perhaps might have made these
excellent but useless people his privy counsellors, but to their great
misfortune, at that very moment there was a tumult at the entrance to
the tent. When the guard drew back the curtain Kutschuk Pasha entered.
The Prince sprang from his seat and would have hurried to him, but his
brother Stephen pulled his coat and whispered in his ear:--

"Maintain your dignity in the presence of the Turk; he is only a
subordinate Pasha while you are Prince of Transylvania."

In spite of the warning Apafi was not satisfied until Kutschuk made
him a sign to be seated, and although the Turk remained standing
before the Prince, the impression on the bystanders was that Apafi
appeared amiable and grateful and Kutschuk haughty and dignified.

"How can I thank you for your exertions in my behalf?" Apafi asked
the Pasha, with true feeling.

"Not to me, but to the Sultan have you cause to be grateful," the
other replied, drily. "I was only following out his wishes when I
placed you on the throne of Transylvania. Your enemies, with God's
help, I have laid low, except for a few strongholds still in their
possession; as soon as these are won my task is at an end. The rest is
my affair. To-morrow I march to the siege of Klausenburg and shall not
rest until the city is taken at any cost; when that stronghold has
fallen the rest will go of their own accord."

"Then in your judgment it is not necessary that I should order the
country troops to horse?" said Apafi.

"I do not need them," replied Kutschuk. "Let them stay at home and
look after their own affairs. My troops will do it all."

Apafi was going to thank the Pasha