"We! I!" said Talabor. "Make your choice, if you please! Come in alone, or--nobody will be let in, and we will take the responsibility."
So saying Talabor went forward, and looking down through the loophole, exclaimed, "Why, Mr. Libor, who are those behind you?"
"Tótok (Slovacks), they don't understand Hungarian," answered Libor; and in a louder voice he added, "Let the drawbridge down at once, I will come in alone."
"Talabor!" said Dora, coming hastily into the room, "I see a whole number of men coming up the road. What does it mean?"
"It means treachery, mistress! Mr. Héderváry's governor, Libor, _deák_, is here asking for admittance, and I suspect mischief. I believe the rascal means to take the castle," said Talabor.
"No one must be admitted," answered Dora.
As Dora spoke, Governor Moses turned round. The old man was not yet clear in his own mind what they ought to do.
If the reinforcements had really come from Master Peter, why then there was no reason why they should not be admitted; and, left to himself, he would certainly have let both Libor and all his followers in without delay. But Talabor had "driven a nail into his head" which caused him to hesitate, and Dora's commands were peremptory.
"Excuse me, Mr. Governor," said Dora, "and allow me to come to the window."
"Mr. Libor," she went on, in a voice which trembled a little, "please to withdraw yourself and your men, and go back wherever you have come from. If we are attacked we will defend ourselves, and you must all be wanted elsewhere, if it is true, as I hear, that the Tartars have invaded the country."
"Dearest young lady! Your father will be greatly vexed by this obstinacy."
"That's enough, Libor!" said Talabor, with a sign to Dora, who drew back. "We shall let no one into the castle, not even Master Peter's own brother, unless he can show us Master Peter's ring, for those were his private instructions to me."
"Why didn't you say so before?" muttered Moses to himself; and then, as if annoyed that his master should have thought it necessary to give private instructions to any but himself, in the event of such an unforeseen emergency as the present, he called down to Libor, "It is quite true! I asked you for a token myself just now, for I have had my instructions too."