"And how did you happen to save yourself?"
At that Emerich turned red and did not answer at once.
Teleki told the truth as if excusing the youthful fire of the young man.
"He is so young that in woman's clothes he easily escaped the notice of the besiegers."
This amusing explanation put Apafi in good humor again. He stroked the bright red cheeks of the boy and motioned to Teleki to introduce the rest of the men. They were all of them Hungarian fugitives. The Prince exerted himself to meet them kindly. Just then an official entered and announced,
"His Excellency, the ambassador of France wishes to be admitted."
Evident confusion came over Apafi. He drew Teleki to him and whispered in his ear,
"I will not, I cannot receive him. Go out and speak with him and explain the matter to him."
Apafi slipped quickly out of the reception-room, rejoiced that this time he had rolled off the burden on Teleki. However he stood and listened at the door thinking that there might be some sudden outbreak after his back was turned. And something did happen, though not of a character to make one's hair stand on end. The ambassador uttered a jovial laugh, and with that all in the room burst out laughing as if at a word of command.
"Something strange must have happened," thought Apafi, "to force these men to such offensive laughter," and he opened the door part way. But he could not fully open the door, for the learned Passai, renowned for his gravity, had fallen into such a fit of laughter that he leaned against the door of the private office.