Towards the end of the afternoon Szondi came to take me to a meeting of the staff.
"The fellows are furious," he said, "and want to sign a paper refusing to serve under any one but Görgei. What's your idea?"
"I'll put my name down fast enough."
"So will the others. Then we'll take it to Klapka, and he'll bring Kossuth, or whoever the mover of the affair is, to reason. Here we are at Mizvy's tent."
The discussion which took place was rather monotonous, as every one spoke on the same side, and the keynote was that Görgei should not go.
After that Mizvy drew up a counter-proclamation, and I, being the youngest officer present, was invited to sign first, which I did. The others appended their signatures, and then Mizvy was deputed to carry the document to General Klapka, and explain matters.
"The general is sure to be with us," said one man, "but, if he needs stiffening, tell him there isn't an officer in the army who wouldn't gladly put his name to the paper."
"Nor a soldier either," added a second man.
"That will make some of them draw long faces over at Pesth," said Szondi gaily. "I don't think we shall hear much more of Dembinski as commander-in-chief."
Szondi was right. The Diet, interviewed by the two generals, Klapka and Nagy Sándor, saw it had gone too far; and Görgei was restored to his rank, almost without knowing he had been deprived of it. But the more I looked at the incident the less I liked it.