Then he embraced Esther, and said with a heavy sigh, "All is not lost yet. The king is good, and—God is better. Keep up your heart."
The next morning the young lieutenant-general was at Visegrád by the appointed time, and went at once to the governor, who told him that the king had arrived a couple of hours previously, very irritable and out of humour, as it seemed.
"What can have happened to His Highness?" asked Michael, grieved to hear of the king's ill-humour, and fearing not only that his petition would come at a most unfortunate time, but that the king would not perhaps let him have speech of him at all.
"Eh!" said the governor, "who knows what our good king has to worry him? There's trouble enough in the country just now, that's certain, and he has both his hands full. But I am sure I am not afraid of him; and as for those who vex him, may they suffer for it as they deserve!"
A long hour passed, and still the king did not send for Michael, though the governor had lost no time in announcing his arrival. But at last, after he had waited what to him seemed a very long time, the summons came. The page who brought it looked grave, but beyond that his face betrayed nothing, and Michael hastened with a beating heart into the presence of the master whom he adored, but now, perhaps for the first time in his life, feared to meet.
When he entered the beautiful, well-lighted room, whose painted windows looked out upon the Danube, he found King Matthias seated near an open window, in an arm-chair covered with yellow velvet, and looking more gloomy than he had ever seen him before. He was very plainly, almost carelessly, attired, and near him was his favourite scholar, the librarian Galeotti, who also looked melancholy and stood gazing at vacancy, as if he were trying to peer into the future.
"Is it you?" said Matthias coldly; "you have kept me waiting a long time."
"Mr. King," answered Michael, "I have been here for the past two hours, as you commanded."
"Ah! true, I was forgetting; of course they announced you. Are you prepared for a long journey?"