“Have you heard the noise?” asked his brother as he entered.

“I knew it would come,” he replied, and coolly continued to pace the room.

“And are you not preparing for defense?”

“To what purpose?—­they will kill us all.  I am quite prepared for what must inevitably happen.”

“But it will not happen if we defend ourselves courageously.  We are eight men—­the walls of the castle are strong—­the besiegers have no guns, and no place to protect them; we may hold out for days until assistance comes from Kolozsvar.”

“We shall lose,” replied Tamas coldly, and without the slightest change of countenance.

“Then I shall defend the castle myself.  I have a wife and children, our old grandmother and our sisters are here, and I shall protect them, if I remain alone.”

At that instant Barnabas and old Simon entered with the widowed sister.

Barnabas had a huge twenty-pound iron club in his hand; grinding his teeth, and with eyes darting fire, he seemed capable of meeting single-handed the whole troop.

He was followed by the widow, with two loaded pistols in her hand, and old Simon, who entreated them not to use violence or exasperate the enemy.

“Conduct yourselves bravely!” replied the widow dryly; “let us not die in vain.”

“Come with me—­we shall send them all to hell!” cried Barnabas, swinging his club in his herculean arm as if it had been a reed.

“Let us not be too hasty,” interrupted Jozsef; we will stand here in the tower, from whence we can shoot every one that approaches, and if they break in, we can meet them on the stairs.”

“For Heaven’s sake!” cried Simon, “what are you going to do?  If you kill one of them they will massacre us all.  Speak to them peaceably—­promise them wine—­take them to the cellar—­give them money—­try to pacify them!  Nephew Tamas, you will speak to them?” continued the old man, turning to Tamas, who still paced up and down, without the slightest visible emotion.

“Pacification and resistance are equally vain,” he replied coldly; “we are inevitably lost!”

“We have no time for delay,” said Jozsef impatiently; “take the arms from the wall, Barnabas, give one to each servant—­let them stand at the back windows of the house, we two are enough here.  Sister, stand between the windows, that the stones may not hit you; and when you load, do not strike the balls too far in, that our aim may be the more secure!”

“No! no!—­I cannot let you fire,” exclaimed the old man, endeavoring to drag Jozsef from the window.  “You must not fire yet—­only remain quiet.”

“Go to the hurricane, old man! would you have us use holy water against a shower of stones?”

At that instant several large stones were dashed through the windows, breaking the furniture against which they fell.

“Only wait,” said Simon, “until I speak with them.  I am sure I shall pacify them.  I can speak their language and I know them all—­just let me go to them.”