"I can tell you if you choose to listen. Your master is George Rakoczy, prince of Transylvania."
"He is your master, also," retorted Zurdoki.
"Yes, to-day, perhaps, but he may not be so to-morrow. George Rakoczy, not content with the good fortune of being lord of Transylvania and of fifteen adjacent Hungarian counties, strives after higher fame. Although on his accession he swore to the Estates never to commence a war without their consent, he has nevertheless interfered in the present dispute between Sweden and Poland, first offering to assist Poland against Sweden in consideration of receiving the thirteen towns of Zips; and now, when the Swedes have entangled him in their net, he turns round and negotiates with them through you, demanding no less a reward for his services than the whole kingdom of Poland; and in order to gain the consent of the German Emperor thereto, he now offers him the five Hungarian counties on the other side of the Theiss."
"I deny the truth of that," blustered Zurdoki. "All that is mere sophistical gabble."
"Here you have the contents of the letter which the Swedish Minister writes to you. Read it!" said Hommonai, handing him the copied letter.
Zurdoki was dumfounded.
"Whence did you get this? Who is there in Kassa that can read cipher? Who understands Swedish here, I should like to know?"
"Why, my castellan, of course."
"What! that butcher boy! that expelled student?"
But for all that he could no longer deny the contents of the letter.