CHAPTER XXIV.
THE HOSTAGE.
One evening two horsemen dressed as Turks rode into the courtyard of the fortress of Szamosújvár, and demanded an audience of the noble Danó Sólymosi, the commandant. A soldier conducted to him the two Moslems, one of whom seemed to be a man advanced in years, whose sunburnt face was covered with scars; the other was a youth, whose face was half hidden in the folds of a large mantle, only his dark eyes were visible.
"Good evening, captain," said the elder Turk, greeting the commandant, who at the first moment recognised the intruder and joyfully hastened towards him and grasped his hand.
"So God has brought Kucsuk Pasha to my humble dwelling."
"Then thou dost recognise me, worthy old man?" said Kucsuk, just touching the hand of the worthy old Magyar.
"How could I help it, my good sir? Thou didst free my only daughter from the hands of the filthy Tartars, thou didst deliver her from grievous captivity, thou didst give her a place of refuge, food, and pleasant words in a foreign land. I should not be a man if I were to forget thee."
"Well, for all these things I have come hither to beg something of thee."
"Command me! My life and goods are at thy service."
"Dost thou not detain here the family of Paul Béldi?"
"Yes, sir; they brought the unfortunate creatures hither."