CHAPTER X.
_ON THE SICK LIST._
I awoke to find myself lying on a heap of straw in a mud hovel, havingone very narrow door, and a window about a foot square, through whichthe daylight tried to force a way.
The meagre light from two candles showed that I was not the only inmateof this poverty-stricken dwelling.
Ranged round the walls were five other figures, each on a bundle ofstraw and wrapped in a bunda.
The air was very close, and there was a strong smell of pigs, which mademe think that some unfortunate animals had been turned out, or perhapsconverted into pork, to make room for us.
However, I felt warm, and warmth in those days was the greatesthappiness.
I positively shuddered at the mere remembrance of the intense cold ofthe last week or two.
It was all very calm and still, when a man in the opposite corner satup, and in a high-pitched voice began to sing with all his might thewell-known revolutionary song of Petoefi--"Rise, Magyars, rise!"
He was evidently in a high state of fever and perfectly delirious, buthe went right through the song without a mistake or a pause, andfinished by cheering lustily for Hungary.
Seen by the dim light, the spectacle was wonderfully striking. Thebandages stained with blood, the face deadly white, the large, dark,fiery eyes burning with fever, the thin arm, freed from its covering,energetically beating time--all these moved me profoundly.
"That's Petreskey," said the man next to me. "He takes a fit every nowand then and makes that row. We came from Kapolna in the same cart, andif the black and yellow dogs hadn't shot my arm off, I'd have pitchedhim out. Who wants to hear that stuff? Lie down, will you, and let afellow go to sleep."
"Shut up, Janko! Can't you see the chap's out of his mind? Let thepoor beggar sing. It does him good."
"Shut up yourself!" growled my neighbour. "D'you think I want to liehere listening to that rubbish when my good right arm's gone from theshoulder? 'Rise, Magyars, rise' won't put that on again."
Meanwhile Petreskey, staring round the room with his wild eyes, brokeout again, and sang till he was too weak to utter another note.
The two other men had taken no notice of the incident, but lay on theirstraw like logs.
I tried to get into talk with the surly Janko, but he only gruntedmorosely and covered his head with his bunda.
The next man, however, told me we had crossed the Theiss, and were nowencamped at Tisza-Fured, on the road to Debreczin, but more than that hedid not know.
Towards noon a surgeon paid us a visit; but before that we had been fedby two soldier-servants, and I for one thoroughly enjoyed the hot,nourishing broth which they brought.
The surgeon seemed a tender-hearted fellow, and had a kind word forevery man in the room, even the bad-tempered Janko. He came to me last,and asked if I were not George Botskay, a captain in the 9th Honveds.
"What there is left of him," I answered; "but there doesn't appear to bemuch."
"Nonsense! You'll be marching to Pesth in a week or so. Now you're fitto be moved, we must take you out of this. I'll see your colonel."
I was glad to hear Rakoczy still lived, and inquired anxiously afterStephen.
"On General Goergei's staff?" asked the surgeon pleasantly. "Oh yes,but he is hardly ever to be found; the general keeps him galloping aboutthe country day and night. At present I believe he is at Debreczin.Keep up your courage; you've pulled through the worst of it."
This was pleasant hearing, and when the surgeon finally departed Inestled down on my heap of straw with quite a feeling of content. Theday and night passed without further incident, except that the poor,crazed Petreskey woke me up from a sound sleep by another vigorousperformance of "Rise, Magyars, rise!"
Soon after breakfast the door opened, and Rakoczy entered, his facebeaming with smiles, his eyes bright and sparkling.
Stephen had once compared him with a sunbeam, but to me that morning heseemed more like a million sunbeams rolled into one.
At the sight of him even Janko forgot to look sulky, and saluted withhis remaining arm.
None of the patients belonged to his regiment, but he went to each inturn, soothing the excited Petreskey, and speaking kindly words ofsympathy and cheer to all.
When, having satisfied himself that not one of the poor fellows wouldfeel himself neglected, he came to me, he was fairly bubbling over withpleasure.
His lips twitched nervously, and I believe his eyes were moist; but hecarried the matter off in his usual jocular way.
"Well, George," he exclaimed, laughing, "I hear the silovitz got intoyour head, and you pushed poor Mecsey Sandor into the river. There'snothing like a cold bath when the brain's heated; but 'twas rather roughon Sandor, who had drunk none of your plum brandy. However, the poorfellow bears no malice, and will be glad to see you in your sober sensesagain."
"Then it was Mecsey who saved my life?"
"Truth, you may say that. He hauled you out from under the ice, andpushed you on to dry land."
"What a night it was! I should think the whole regiment had adrenching."
"Yes, but they didn't go at it in your hot-headed way. After yourcompany had found the stream, the others walked in quietly, and out atthe other side. Goergei says he didn't think you were in such a hurryto retreat."
"Don't poke fun, but tell me what happened. Were there many liveslost?"
"At the water-jump? No. A few ugly bruises covered the mischief. Welost heavily in the wood though, and have had to fill up the gaps withraw material. You'll be sorry to miss the chance of drilling therecruits."
"Had quite enough of that at Pesth," I replied, laughing.
"And a very fine drill-sergeant you'd have made by sticking at it; butI'm keeping the men outside waiting. They're going to take you toanother hut. It's quite as dirty as this; but you'll have more room,and be with the officers of your own regiment."
He went to the door and called two men, who carried me out tenderly toan ambulance, and then, helped by two comrades, bore me some two hundredyards over very rough and uneven ground to a hovel which might have beentwin brother to the one I had just left.
There were the same narrow door and square foot of window, while thefurniture consisted of three bundles of straw, two being alreadyoccupied. My nose also informed me that the former inmates of the placehad been on terms of social intercourse with the pigs.
"Gentlemen," said the colonel, "I have brought Captain Botskay to shareyour apartment."
At the sound of the colonel's voice the figures on the straw showedsigns of life, stirred, and finally sat up, when I recognized them astwo young lieutenants named Thurzo and Dobozy.
"Glad to see you, captain," said the first, adding quickly, "That is,sorry you've been hurt, but right glad of your company."
Dobozy had been wounded in the wood, and I had sent him to the rear,which he remembered and now gratefully acknowledged.
"I must be off," said the colonel, "but will look in to-morrow.Meanwhile I'll send Mecsey Sandor to wait on you; he'll be delighted,and you can't very well push him into another river."
The soldiers had carried me with great care, but even so my limbs achedwith the jolting, and after a little talk with my companions I was gladto drop into a sound sleep. Towards the evening Sandor arrived, and Ithanked him warmly for what he had done.
"'Twas nothing, captain," replied he stolidly--"nothing at all comparedwith what you did for me in the mountains. You risked your life; Ididn't."
"You saved mine, though, and I shan't forget it."
Neither of us spoke on the subject again; but I resolved that, when thewar ended, the honest fellow should have reason to remember his braveact.
The two lieutenants were already strong enough to hobble about, butseveral days passed before I was able to join them.
Rakoczy called every morning, sometimes in the evening as well, and hisvisits did more toward our recove
ry than all the doctor's stuff.
One day, however, he came to say good-bye. The regiment had receivedorders to recross the Theiss.
"We're going to drive the Austrians out of Szolnok, unless they take itinto their heads to drive us back to Tisza-Fured. Bern has done wondersin Transylvania. The white-coats called the Russians in to help them,but the Pole has cleared the country of the lot. The news has put heartinto Vetter, and he intends to move forward with the whole army."
"What has Vetter to do with it?" I asked in surprise.
"Oh, I forgot you didn't know. He's the new chief. There's been a bitof a squabble, and Dembinski had to stand down; but it's all right now.Make haste and get well, or you'll have no share in planting the red,white, and green colours on the walls of Vienna;" and he went out,laughing merrily.
I asked my comrades what the colonel meant by a squabble, but neitherknew what had happened. Both, however, rejoiced at the fall ofDembinski; and Dobozy, who had been wounded at Poroszlo, said there wassome angry talk among the officers of Goergei's brigade at that place.
We questioned Sandor, but he knew little beyond the fact that there hadbeen a general kravalle, or brawl, which brought Kossuth post-haste fromDebreczin, and ended in Vetter being proclaimed commander-in-chief.
The doctor told us the same story, but with few fresh details; and itwas not until Stephen found time to hunt me up that we learned thetruth.
My brother had altered much in the short time since the war broke out.
From a boy, he seemed to have become a man all at once, and I cannot saythat I liked the change.
To me he was the same loving brother he had always been, and we embracedeach other with every mark of affection; but there was a sternness ofpurpose in his face and a determined courage that I thought ill suitedone who was really little more than a lad.
The two lieutenants had very considerately gone outside, but now Icalled them in and introduced them to my brother.
"The general gives you little leisure time," Thurzo remarked.
"Very little," replied Stephen; "but then he gives himself less. Idoubt if even Kossuth works harder."
"Glad to hear you give the dictator his due."
"Oh, I don't deny that Kossuth is an extraordinary man, a genius of thefirst water, and in his way a devoted patriot. Whether we win or losethe game, Kossuth's name will live for ever. Without his marvellouseloquence we couldn't have carried on the war; but though I admire theman I doubt his object. Kossuth the patriot deserves well of hiscountry, but Kossuth the democrat is another person. We don't want aFrench revolution in our country."
"Bravo!" cried Dobozy. "Hungary a kingdom is my motto; and not Hungarya republic."
"The 9th Honveds are all royalists," remarked Thurzo quietly.
"And every regiment in the brigade," said Stephen. "Kossuth discoveredthat not very long ago."
"Tell us about it, Stephen. We've only heard just the bare outline."
"Well, the fuss began at Poroszlo during the retreat. As you know,Goergei's brigade did the covering work, and halted at Poroszlo. Theplace was strongly entrenched and fortified, and Dembinski sent ordersthat we were to occupy a position in front of the guns. You may be sureGoergei wasn't such an idiot as to obey, and the general talked aboutputting him under arrest. He sent off a messenger full speed toDebreczin, but by the time Kossuth arrived the game was over."
"What had happened?"
Stephen smiled grimly; he seemed to have forgotten how to laugh.
"We promptly shut the Pole up," he said; "and Kossuth found his chiefgeneral a prisoner."
"And he submitted?"
"What else could he do? We were all in one mind. So the upshot of thematter was that the Diet gave the command to Vetter."
"Not to Goergei?"
"No," said Stephen bitterly. "It's my opinion they're jealous of him.By the way, your regiment has distinguished itself at Szolnok. It ledthe attack, and fairly drove the Austrians out of the town."
"Well done, 9th Honveds!" exclaimed Thurzo. "Wish I'd been with them!"
"There will be enough and to spare of fighting before the war ends,"said my brother. "The army moves in a few days for Pesth."
I asked him to look in again before they left, and he promised to do soif Goergei gave him a chance.
When he had gone, my comrades talked over the news, and it was plainthat, like myself, they foresaw trouble in the future.
Thurzo put the matter very straight.
"If the Austrians win," he said, "we shall all have to pay, and a verydreary performance it will be. If the victory falls to us, we shallvery soon be flying at one another's throats."
"The army is with Goergei," I said.
"But Kossuth has a powerful following, and the Poles will help him to aman."
"Worse still," said Dobozy. "Hungary is fast becoming thedumping-ground for the republicans of every country in Europe. Germans,Italians, French are all swarming over here like carrion-crows to a deadhorse."
"They wish to help the cause."
"By forming a republic," replied Dobozy angrily; "and we won't have it.I'm like your brother, and think Kossuth a great genius; but he isn'tthe only man in Hungary."
I record these remarks, because they serve to show how, even at thisearly period of the campaign, a wide gulf was opening between the twoparties in the country. Later, it formed a deep grave in which we buriedour hopes.
Before the war ended we proved up to the hilt the truth of that oldsaying, "A house divided against itself cannot stand."
Another day passed, and then Stephen came to say good-bye.
"I'm off with an important order for General Damjanics," he said. "Thecamp breaks up to-morrow. Why do you look so gloomy? You're mendingnicely, and will be fit to travel in another week."
"I hope so. It isn't pleasant to be left behind when others are goingto the front."
"Fortune of war, George, and it's no use grumbling. Well, good-bye; weshall meet in Pesth."
I embraced him rather sadly, and, going outside, watched him mount andride away.
All that day we looked on at the preparations for the march, and earlythe next morning went to see the breakup of the camp. The men, who werein good spirits, sang at their work, cheered the generals--Goergei andKlapka in particular--and showed a willing eagerness to be led againstthe enemy.
There must have been fifty thousand of them altogether, besides a hostof camp-followers, and they were filing past till late atnight--batteries of artillery accompanied by smart, keen-lookinggunners; dashing hussars in their showy uniforms; veterans who had madegood many a desperate fight under the black and yellow banners;home-trained Honveds drilled into decent soldiers; raw recruitsindifferently armed, but supposed to be valuable on account of theirenthusiasm; while over all flew our glorious red, white, and greencolours.
We went back to our hovel, where the patient Sandor had prepared supper,and drank a glass of silovitz to the success of our comrades.
I pass over the chronicles of the next week. They would prove butdreary reading, since we had nothing to do from morning till night butgrumble at being left behind.
The unfortunate doctor was so baited and badgered that at last, I verilybelieve, in sheer self-defence, he reported us as fit for service; andone fine morning, though the weather was still bitterly cold, we leftTisza-Fured with about a hundred soldiers, who were going to rejointheir various regiments.
Having plenty of provisions, we followed in the track of the army, asbeing the safest and most direct route; and everywhere the inhabitantsof the villages through which we passed gave us a hearty welcome.
At Kapolna, the scene of our former defeat, we made a long stay, havingarrived there about noon, and not leaving till next morning.
The town presented a very melancholy appearance. Many of the houses wereburned to the ground, and in every direction traces of the fierce fightwere plainly visible.
Still, the sufferings of the people had not weakene
d their loyalty tothe cause, and the leading citizens feasted us generously.
For the first time since leaving Pesth I slept in a real bed, and thesensation was quite novel.
It was so extremely comfortable that I did not wish to turn out the nextmorning, but Sandor kept up such a tremendous hammering at the door thatI was compelled to rise. I learned from my host that Goergei, with theseventh corps, was marching towards Hatvan; while Vetter, commanding themain army, was trying to push himself in between Jellachich's corps andWindischgratz, the latter of whom lay at Godolo.
Where we should find the 9th Honveds I could not tell, but decided tojoin Goergei, on the chance that they were with him.
After a hearty breakfast, I went into the street, where the men werealready assembled under Thurzo and Dobozy.
Hitherto there had been little fear of danger; but now I took someprecautions, since we might likely enough meet with the scouting partieseither of Windischgratz or Jellachich, the latter of whom made very freeuse of his cavalry.
Many of the inhabitants assembled to give us a parting cheer, and we setoff in high spirits.
The governor had provided me with a couple of trustworthy guides, as hefeared the Austrians held the highroad, and we had no wish to run intotheir arms.
The ground was covered with snow over a foot deep, and we stepped out asbriskly as we could, to keep ourselves warm. I had left the heavy cartswhich had contained our provisions at Kapolna, dividing what was left ofthe food equally amongst the men; and this proved fortunate, as thelumbering vehicles would have hindered us greatly.
In the evening we reached an isolated village, and nearly terrified thegood people out of their wits, as, in the gloom, they mistook us for theenemy.
However, the matter was soon put straight. The men were willinglyreceived into the houses and made welcome; while I, having posted thesentries, went to sup with the cure--a very hospitable and obliginghost.
Twice during the night I visited the sentries, finding all quiet; and onthe following day the guides told me they thought the most dangerouspart of the journey was past. This proved right; nowhere did we meetwith a trace of the Austrians, while the villagers assured us we shouldsoon overtake Goergei.
The guides again took to the highroad, which after-events showed we neednot have left, and we continued our march until within a mile or two ofthe village called Hort. Here we came upon a number of camp-followers,who said Goergei was attacking the Austrians in the village, and almostat the same time there fell on our ears the roar of heavy guns. My menwere fatigued by a long march, but they brightened at the sound of thefamiliar music, and were for running forward to help in the fight; but Ithought Goergei might be trusted to win the battle without the aid of myscratch detachment, and proceeded at the ordinary pace. By the time wereached Hort, our comrades were driving the Austrians through thestreets of Hatvan, and finally over the river Zagywa.
"Just our luck!" grumbled Thurzo, as I halted the men in the town andlooked about for a responsible officer; "half a day sooner, and weshould have been in the thick of it. Listen! There's a big fight goingon down by the river."
"Our fellows trying to capture a bridge, most likely," observed Dobozy,which was really the case.
"Beg pardon, captain," said Sandor, "but there's a man of our regimentgoing to the rear; perhaps he can tell us where the colonel is."
This was a good idea, and I put the question to the man, whose arm wasgashed by a sabre cut.
"Outside the town, captain," he replied. "In a field to the right."
After thanking the man, I set my detachment in motion once more, glad atthe thought of again meeting my genial friend.
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