第28章

Theforeignerlookedatmeforamoment，somewhatcontemptuously，throughthesmoke，thensaid，inavoiceofthunder，"AHungarian！"

"Whatavoicethechaphaswhenhepleases！"interposedthejockey；"whatishesaying？"

"MerelythatheisaHungarian，"saidI；butIadded，"theconversationofthisgentlemanandmyselfinalanguagewhichyoucan’tunderstandmustbeverytedioustoyou，wehadbettergiveitup。"

"Keeponwithit，"saidthejockey，"IshallgoonlisteningverycontentedlytillIfallasleep，nobadthingtodoatmosttimes。"

CHAPTERXXXIX

TheHungarian。

"THENyouareacountrymanofTekeli，andofthequeenwhomadethecelebratedwater，"saidI，speakingtotheHungarianinGerman，whichIwasabletodotolerablywell，owingtomyhavingtranslatedthePublisher’sphilosophyintothatlanguage，alwaysprovidedIdidnotattempttosaymuchatatime。

HUNGARIAN。Ah！youhaveheardofTekeli，andofL’eaudelaReined’Hongrie。Howisthat？

MYSELF。Ihaveseenaplayacted，foundedontheexploitsofTekeli，andhavereadPigaultLeBrun’sbeautifulromance，entitledthe"BaronsofFelsheim，"inwhichheismentioned。

Asforthewater，Ihaveheardalady，thewifeofamasterofmine，speakofit。

HUNGARIAN。Wasshehandsome？

MYSELF。Very。

HUNGARIAN。Didshepossessthewater？

MYSELF。Ishouldsaynot；forIhaveheardherexpressagreatcuriosityaboutit。

HUNGARIAN。Wasshegrowingold？

MYSELF。Ofcoursenot；butwhydoyouputallthesequestions？

HUNGARIAN。Becausethewaterissaidtomakepeoplehandsome，andaboveall，torestoretotheagedthebeautyoftheiryouth。Well！Tekeliwasmycountryman，andIhavethehonourofhavingsomeofthebloodoftheTekelisinmyveins，butwithrespecttothequeen，pardonmeifItellyouthatshewasnotanHungarian；shewasaPole—Ersebetbyname，daughterofWladislausLocticusKingofPoland；shewasthefourthspouseofCarolytheSecond，KingoftheMagyarcountry，whomarriedherin1320。Shewasagreatwomanandcelebratedpolitician，thoughatpresentchieflyknownbyherwater。

MYSELF。Howcameshetoinventit？

HUNGARIAN。Ifherownaccountmaybebelieved，shedidnotinventit。Afterherdeath，asIhavereadinFlorentiusofBuda，therewasfoundastatementofthemannerinwhichshecamebyit，writteninherownhand，onafly—leafofherbreviary，tothefollowingeffect：—Beingafflictedwithagrievousdisorderattheageofseventy—two，shereceivedthemedicinewhichwascalledherwater，fromanoldhermitwhomsheneversawbeforeorafterwards；itnotonlycuredher，butrestoredtoherallherformerbeauty，sothattheKingofPolandfellinlovewithher，andmadeheranofferofmarriage，whichsherefusedforthegloryofGod，fromwhoseholyangelshebelievedshehadreceivedthewater。Thereceiptformakingitanddirectionsforusingit，werealsofoundonthefly—leaf。Theprincipalcomponentpartswereburntwineandrosemary，passedthroughanalembic；adrachmofitwastobetakenonceaweek，"etelbennvagyitalbann，"

inthefoodorthedrink，earlyinthemorning，andthecheeksweretobemoistenedwithiteveryday。Theeffectsaccordingtothestatement，werewonderful—andperhapstheywereuponthequeen；butwhetherthewaterhasbeenequallyefficaciousonotherpeople，isapointwhichIcannotdetermine。IshouldwishtoseesomeoldwomanwhohasbeenrestoredtoyouthfulbeautybytheuseofL’eaudelaReined’Hongrie。

MYSELF。Perhaps，ifyoudid，theoldgentlewomanwouldhardlybesoingenuousasthequeen。ButwhoaretheHungarians—descendantsofAttilaandhispeople？

TheHungarianshookhishead，andgavemetounderstandthathedidnotbelievethathisnationwerethedescendantsofAttilaandhispeople，thoughheacknowledgedthattheywereprobablyofthesamerace。Attilaandhisarmies，hesaid，cameanddisappearedinaverymysteriousmanner，andthatnothingcouldbesaidwithpositivenessaboutthem；thatthepeoplenowknownasMagyarsfirstmadetheirappearanceinMuscovyintheyear884，undertheleadershipofAlmus，calledsofromAlom，which，intheHungarianlanguage，signifiesadream；hismother，beforehisbirth，havingdreamtthatthechildwithwhichshewasenceintewouldbethefatherofalongsuccessionofkings，which，infact，wasthecase；thatafterbeatingtheRussiansheenteredHungary，andcomingtoaplacecalledUngvar，fromwhichmanypeoplebelievedthatmodernHungaryderiveditsname，hecapturedit，andheldinitagrandfestival，whichlastedfourdays，attheendofwhichtimeheresignedtheleadershipoftheMagyarstohissonArpad。ThisArpadandhisMagyarsutterlysubduedPannonia—thatis，HungaryandTransylvania，wrestingthegovernmentofitfromtheSclavoniantribeswhoinhabitedit，andsettlingdownamongstthemasconquerors！

Aftergivingmethisinformation，theHungarianexclaimedwithmuchanimation，—"Agoodlycountrythatwhichtheyhadenteredon，consistingofaplainsurroundedbymountains，someofwhichintersectithereandthere，withnoblerapidrivers，thegrandestofwhichisthemightyDunau；acountrywithtinyvolcanoes，castinguppuffsofsmokeandsteam，andfromwhichhotspringsarise，goodforthesick；withmanyfountains，someofwhicharesopleasanttothetasteastobepreferredtowine；withageneroussoilwhich，warmedbyabeautifulsun，isabletoproducecorn，grapes，andeventheIndianweed；infact，oneofthefinestcountriesintheworld，whichevenaSpaniardwouldpronouncetobenearlyequaltoSpain。Heretheyrested—meditating，however，freshconquests。Oh，theMagyarssoonshowedthemselvesamightypeople。BesidesHungaryandTransylvania，theysubduedBulgariaandBosnia，andthelandofTot，nowcalledSclavonia。ThegeneralsofZoltan，thesonofArpad，ledtroopsofhorsementothebanksoftheRhine。Oneofthem，attheheadofahost，besiegedConstantinople。ItwasthenthatBotondengagedincombatwithaGreekofgiganticstature，whocameoutofthecityandchallengedthetwobestmenintheMagyararmy。’IamthefeeblestoftheMagyars，’

saidBotond，’butIwillkillthee；’andheperformedhisword，havingpreviouslygivenaproofofthefeeblenessofhisarmbystrikinghisbattle—axethroughthebrazengate，makingaholesobigthatachildoffiveyearsoldcouldwalkthroughit。"

MYSELF。OfwhatreligionweretheoldHungarians？

HUNGARIAN。TheyhadsomeideaofaSupremeBeing，whomtheycalledIsten，whichwordisstillusedbytheMagyarsforGod；buttheirchiefdevotionwasdirectedtosorcerersandsoothsayers，somethingliketheSchamansoftheSiberiansteppes。TheywereconvertedtoChristianitychieflythroughtheinstrumentalityofIstvanorStephen，calledafterhisdeathSt。Istvan，whoascendedthethroneintheyearonethousand。Hewasborninheathenesse，andhisoriginalnamewasVojk：hewasthefirstkiraly，orkingoftheMagyars。

Theirformerleadershadbeencalledfejedelmek，ordukes。

TheMagyarlanguagehasproperlynotermeitherforkingorhouse。KiralyisawordderivedfromtheSclaves；haz，orhouse，fromtheGermans，whofirsttaughtthemtobuildhouses，theiroriginaldwellingshavingbeentiltedwaggons。

MYSELF。Manythanksforyouraccountofthegreatmenofyourcountry。

HUNGARIAN。Thegreatmenofmycountry！Ihaveonlytoldyouofthe—Well，IacknowledgethatAlmusandArpadweregreatmen，butHungaryhasproducedmanygreater；Iwillnottroubleyoubyrecapitulatingall，butthereisonenameI

cannotforbearmentioning—butyouhaveheardofit—evenatHorncastle，thenameofHunyadimustbefamiliar。

MYSELF。Itmaybeso，thoughIratherdoubtit；but，howeverthatmaybe，Iconfessmyignorance。Ihavenever，untilthismoment，heardthenameofHunyadi。

HUNGARIAN。NotofHunyadiJanos，notofHunyadiJohn—forthegeniusofourlanguagecompelsustoputaman’sChristiannameafterhisother；perhapsyouhaveheardofthenameofCorvinus？

MYSELF。Yes，IhaveheardthenameofCorvinus。

HUNGARIAN。BymyGod，Iamgladofit；Ithoughtourhammerofdestruction，ourthunderbolt，whomtheGreekscalledAchilles，mustbeknowntothepeopleofHorncastle。Well，HunyadiandCorvinusarethesame。

MYSELF。Corvinusmeansthemanofthecrow，orraven。I

supposethatyourJohn，whenaboy，climbeduptoacroworaraven’snest，andstoletheyoung；aboldfeat，wellbefittingayounghero。

HUNGARIAN。ByIsten，youareanacuteguesser；arobberytherewas，butitwasnotHunyadiwhorobbedtheraven，buttheravenwhorobbed