"I am again at hand to prevent your Highness from committing an act of injustice. I have always the right to defend my sister—but it becomes my duty to do so when she is insulted!"
With these words the Princess embraced Margaret, who no sooner felt herself in the embrace of a stronger than herself, than she lost all her artificial strength, and sank senseless into her sister's arms.
Banfi would have hastened to his wife's assistance, but Dame Apafi waved him back.
"Go!" cried she; "I'll take care of her!"
"Then you mean to remain here?" said the Prince to his consort, in a voice trembling between wrath and compassion.
"My sister has need of me—and you, I see, can do without me."
Apafi, ever since his wife had begun to speak, had plainly lowered his crest, and fearing lest she might rout him altogether, he hastily quitted the battle-field with a half triumph. He could not fail to be very much discontented with the result of his investigation. He felt that he had wounded Banfi in a sore place, but he also felt that the wound was not mortal. The great nobleman had been affronted rather than humbled. So much the worse for him! What will not bend must be broken.
CHAPTER VI.
THE DIET OF KAROLY-FEHERVÁR.
It is the fate of many a town, as of many a nation, to rise from the dead.