by Mór Jókai
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE SUMMONS ANSWERED.
In two weeks JenA''s case came up for trial. Meanwhile the prosecutionhad been busy collecting evidence of the rebel commissary-general'sguilt.
"Are you Eugen Baradlay?" asked the judge-advocate.
"I am."
"Are you married?"
"I have a wife and two children."
"Were you commissary-general of the rebel forces?"
"I was."
"Are you the same Eugen Baradlay that drove the administrator from hischair as presiding officer in your county assembly?"
"The same."
"Did you appear during the March uprising at the head of the Hungariandeputation that was sent to Vienna, and did you there address thepeople in language calculated to stir them to rebellion?"
"I cannot deny it."
"Do you recognise these words as having been spoken by you at thattime?"
The judge-advocate handed him a sheet of paper covered with pencilledwriting in a woman's hand. JenA' had good cause to remember thecontents of the sheet, and to recognise the writing. Had he not seenAlfonsine taking down the orator's words on that well-remembered nightwhen they both paused to listen to his brother's eloquence? She hadrested her portfolio against his shoulder while she wrote down themost striking portions of the address--for her scrap-book.
"Yes," said he, returning the paper, "those were my words."
The judges consulted together. The prompt and positive acknowledgmentof the last charge was more than they had expected; the accused neednot have committed himself. The examination was resumed.
"A brother of yours, a hussar officer, deserted with his men. Did youuse your influence to persuade him to that course?"
So it was not known who had actually persuaded Richard to lead his meninto Hungary; or were they intentionally heaping all the blame on hishead to make his condemnation the surer? He hastened to reply:
"Yes, it was I who did it." He answered so eagerly as to excite somesurprise.
"Have you not another brother,--Edmund or JenA'?"
"Yes; 'JenA'' in Hungarian, 'Edmund' in German."
"Aren't you wrong? Is not 'Eugen' the German for 'JenA',' and 'Edmund'the German for 'A-dA?n'? I have heard the matter discussed before now."
"No, it is as I say."
"This brother disappeared from Vienna simultaneously with the hussarofficer. Do you know the reason?"
"I believe it was because he found himself thrown out of his place inthe chancellor's office, and was unwilling to pass his time inidleness."
"What became of him?"
"Ever since then he has been at home, looking after the estate in hisbrothers' absence. He took no part whatever in the uprising, butoccupied his leisure hours with painting and music, and in teaching mylittle boy. He is still at home."
"Did you not raise and maintain at your own cost a battalion ofvolunteers?"
"Yes; two hundred cavalry and three hundred infantry. At the battle ofKAipolna I led the cavalry in person."
"You are anticipating the prosecution. Were you present at theDebreczen diet?"
"As one cannot be in two places at the same time, I was not."
"At the battle of Forro did you not exert yourself in rallying therouted forces of the rebels?"
"Yes, I did."
JenA' had committed himself unnecessarily. He seemed not merelyunconcerned as to his fate, but even eager to meet it. Thejudge-advocate sought to test him. Searching among his papers, hefinally looked up and said:
"The charge is here made against you that in the expedition among themountains you seized and appropriated to your own use all the bullionstored in the public mints."
At this charge JenA''s face flushed with anger. "That is false!" hecried. "That is a shameless slander! No Baradlay would commit acrime!"
This outburst sealed his fate by removing any lingering doubt as tohis identity. Such a passionate denial could have come only from himwhom the charge actually concerned, that is, from A-dA?n Baradlay.
"What have you to say in your defence?" he was asked in closing.
"Our defence is in our deeds," was the proud rejoinder. "Posteritywill judge us."
The jury was then sworn in the presence of the accused, and the latterwas led into a side room to wait until summoned to hear the verdictand receive his sentence. In a quarter of an hour he was led backagain. Omitting the charge which he had denied, he was found guilty onall the other counts, and they were amply sufficient to condemn him todeath. He bowed as if well satisfied with his sentence. An early hourthe next morning was assigned for his execution. He heaved a sigh. Hispurpose was accomplished. He had but one favour to ask,--the privilegeof writing to his wife, his mother, and his brother, before he died.His request was granted, and he thanked the court with a smile soserene and an eye so clear that more than one heart was touched withcompassion.
His judges were not to blame that the Eumenides thirsted for blood.