afi?" asked the Turk, angrily.

"At your service, gracious lord," replied Apafi, quietly.

"Good. His majesty, the celebrated Ali Pasha, sends you word to enter
this carriage without delay and come to my lord in camp at
Klein-Selyk, and that without any attendants."

"That's a pretty story," muttered Apafi to himself. "I beg your
pardon, worthy Aga," he added aloud, "just at present it is quite
impossible for me to carry out this wish, as my wife is in travail,
and any moment may decide her life or death. I cannot leave her now."

"Call a doctor if your wife is sick; and remember that you will not
restore her to health by bringing down the anger of the Pasha on you."

"Grant me only one day and then it does not matter if it costs me my
life."

"I tell you, it won't cost you your life if you only obey, but if you
don't you may soon cause yourself trouble; so be reasonable."

Anna from her room heard the conversation outside, and full of anxiety
called her husband to her. "What's the matter?" asked the sufferer,
anxiously.

"Nothing, nothing, sweetheart, I have just had a summons but I am not
going."

But Madame Apafi had seen the spear-points of the Turks through the
window curtains and said in despair, "Michael, they want to carry you
off!" and she pressed her husband convulsively to her breast; "they
shall kill me rather than drag you off into slavery so that I lose you
again."

"Keep quiet, my dear child. I am sure I do not know what they want of
me. I certainly have not done the good people any harm. At the most
they will demand a tax, which I will get together at once."

"I have a presentiment of something dreadful; my heartstrings tighten,
harm has come to you," stammered the sick woman, and she broke out
into violent sobbing and threw herself on her husband. "Michael, I
shall never see you again!"

The Aga was getting tired of waiting and began to knock at the door
and call out, "Apafi, here Apafi, come out; I cannot enter your wife's
room--that would not be proper--but if you don't come out I will burn
the house down over your head."

"I will go," said Apafi, striving to quiet his wife with kisses. "My
refusal will only make matters worse; but as soon as they let me go I
will be here at once."

"I shall never see you again," she gasped, trembling; she was almost
in a swoon. Apafi, taking advantage of this momentary unconsciousness,
left his wife and went out to the Aga, his eyes heavy with tears