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If Count Palfy dies, I am to be marshal of the imperial household; but yet higher honors await us both. If I continue to deserve the favor of the empress, she will confer upon me the title of 'prince. You refuse to be my wife, Margaret; but you will one day be proud to let me deck that haughty brow with the coronet of a princess." Margaret looked more contemptuously at him than before.

Count Palfy, for example, the son of him whom the empress was accustomed to call her champion and father. Count Batthiany, the heir of my favorite tutor. I rejoice to see you, and hope that you are here to-day to greet me as ever, in the character of loyal subjects." There was a short pause, after which, Count Palfy, stepping a little in advance of the others, addressed the emperor.

Stephen has been removed to Vienna?" "Yes, it has been removed," cried Joseph, with increasing irritation. "It has been brought to me, to whom it belongs; but I shall return it to Ofen, when the structure which is to receive it is completed." "That is an unconstitutional act," said Count Palfy. "Is it not, my friends?" "It is," cried a chorus of Magyars.

"No, no!" was the unanimous reply. "So be it," said Palfy, solemnly. "He has thrown down the gauntlet; we raise it, and strip for the fight. But for Hungary this man had been ruined. To-day he would ruin us, and we cast him off. Henceforth our cry is 'Moriamur pro rege nostro constitutione!"

He paused for a few moments, and wiped the large drops of cold sweat which were gathering over his forehead. "Do you hear?" continued he; "I revoke all my laws except one, and that is, the edict of religious toleration. I promise to convoke the imperial diet, and to replace the administration of justice upon its old footing. Then deliver it into the hands A Count Palfy.

What if I should refuse to hear those complaints which are nothing but the fermentation of your own pride and arrogance?" "If your majesty refuses to hear us to-day," said Count Palfy, with firmness, "we shall return to-morrow, and every day; for we have sworn to present the grievances of the states to your notice, and must keep our oath."

The door of the cabinet opened, and the marshal of the household entered, announcing a deputation of Magyars. "A deputation! From whom?" asked Joseph, eagerly. "I do not know, sire, but Count Palfy is one of the deputies." "Count Palfy again!" cried the emperor, scornfully. "When the Hungarians have a sinister message to send, they are sure to select Count Palfy as their ambassador.

With one last desperate effort he collected his expiring energies, and stood erect. "Go," said he, in firm, distinct tones; "you have stated your grievances, you shall have my answer to-morrow." "We await your majesty until to-morrow at noon," returned Count Palfy. "Then we go, never to return."

"Take her my last love-greetings," he breathed, in a scarcely audible voice. "Tell her that I " His voice gave way, and with the last awful death-rattle a stream of blood poured from his mouth. "Hasten to save yourself," shouted Count Palfy to the prebendary, who had been looking at the dying man from his stand-point with cold, inquisitive glances.

"Give us our constitution, and we will die for our king!" cried the Magyars in chorus. "Yes, humble myself before you!" exclaimed Joseph, furiously. "You would have the sovereign bow before the will of his vassals!" "No, sire," returned Count Palfy, with feeling. "We would have your majesty adopt the only means by which Hungary can be retained to the Austrian empire.