"I don't mind, only the sooner the better," said the Prince impatiently, and took up his position on the ground.
"Stop, my friend; don't you know that we cannot commence this contest without Feriz?"
"Pooh! I didn't come here as a spectator," cried the Prince passionately; "besides, I have nothing to do with the Beg."
"But I have to do with you," interrupted Feriz.
"Well," said Tököly, "I myself do not know what has offended him, but he chose to intervene, and such challenges as his are wont to be accepted without asking the reason why. No doubt he has private reasons of his own."
"You may stop there," interrupted Feriz. "Let Fate decide."
"By all means," observed the Count, drawing forth three pieces of money impressed with the image of King Sigismund—a gold coin, a silver coin, and a copper coin—and handed them to the Turkish leech. "Take these pieces of money, my worthy fellow, and throw them into the air. The gold coin is the Prince, the copper coin is myself. Whichever two of the three coins come down on the same side, their representatives will fight first."
The leech flung the pieces into the air, and the gold and silver pieces came down on the same side.
The Prince beckoned angrily to Feriz.
"Come, the sooner the better. Apparently I must have this little affair off my hands before I can get at Tököly."