"And what fate awaits him there?" asked the physician.
"Let him beware of his own name!"
Before the termination of that year, Mor Perczel was a General in the Hungarian rebel army, had raised troops, and fought several battles, without ever recalling the prophecy of the Vaczi girl.
It was on the 30th December that the memorable action near Mor[46] took place, in which the Hungarians were defeated with considerable loss.
[46] South-west of Pesth, in the county of Stuhlweissenberg.
The real cause of the loss of this battle has never been clearly proved up to the present day. It was enough, and more than enough to Perczel, that the battle was lost, his troops scattered, his positions occupied, his colours taken, and the gallant Zrinyi battalion, the flower of his army, cut to pieces or taken prisoners.
When he returned to Pesth after this battle, one of the town magistrates, ever ready with a jest, maliciously observed, "Ocsem[47] Mor, your namesake did not receive you well."
[47] Nephew—younger brother.
"Indeed!" replied the General, without taking offence, "now I remember, that the somnambulist foretold me this just a year ago. If I did not believe that Görgei was the cause of our losing the battle, I should be inclined to think there had been witchcraft in it. Well, the Germans shall keep their name's-day by and bye!"