The collector now produced some famous wine, that had been eleven years in bottle.  We were unusually merry, and fell into toasts and speeches.  I felt as if I had been his intimate friend for years, for he had not one atom of Levantine “humbug” in his composition.  Poor fellow, little did he think, that in a few short weeks from this period his blood would flow as freely as the wine which he poured into my cup.

Next morning, on awaking, all the house was in a bustle:  the sun shone brightly on the green satin coverlet of my bed, and a tap at the door announced the collector, who entered in his dressing gown with the apparatus of brandy and sweetmeats, and joined his favourable augury to mine for the day’s journey.

“You will have a rare journey,” said the collector; “the country is a garden, the weather is clear, and neither hot nor cold.  The nearer you get to Bosnia, the more beautiful is the landscape.”

We each drank a thimbleful of slivovitsa, he to my prosperous journey, while I proposed health and long life to him; but, as the sequel showed, “l’homme propose, et Dieu dispose.”  After breakfast, I bade Madame Ninitch adieu, and descended to the court-yard, where two carriages of the collector awaited us, our horses being attached behind.

And now an eternal farewell to the worthy collector.  At this time a conspiracy was organized by the Obrenowitch faction, through the emigrants residing in Hungary.  They secretly furnished themselves with thirty-four or thirty-five hussar uniforms at Pesth, bought horses, and having bribed the Austrian frontier guard, passed the Save with a trumpeter about a month after this period, and entering Shabatz, stated that a revolution had broken out at Belgrade, that prince Kara Georgevitch was murdered, and Michael proclaimed, with the support of the cabinets of Europe!  The affrighted inhabitants knew not what to believe, and allowed the detachment to ride through the town.  Arrived at the government-house, the collector issued from the porch, to ask what they wanted, and received for answer a pistol-shot, which stretched him dead on the spot.  The soi-disant Austrian hussars subsequently attempted to raise the country, but, failing in this, were nearly all taken and executed.

FOOTNOTES: 

[Footnote 4:  The first University in Europe was that of Prague.  It was established some years before the University of Paris, if I recollect right.]

CHAPTER XII.

The Banat of Matchva.—­Losnitza.—­Feuds on the Frontier.—­Enter the Back-woods.—­Convent of Tronosha.—­Greek Festival.—­Congregation of Peasantry.—­Rustic Finery.