The Phoenix Land by Miklós Bánffy Read Free Book Online

hidden away where no one could see him: he, the only foreign monarch who had the courtesy to come to Hungary for the coronation. He was very angry, repeating several timesthat he had been hidden away with a little child; where no one could see the presence of a foreign monarch, a traditional and long-time friend of Hungary who had come in these times of trouble to make a public gesture of alliance and solidarity. ‘And this is all the thanks I get! This is how they treat me!’ he said furiously.
    It was extremely painful for me to listen to King Ferdinand’s outburst, especially as only a year before he had received me in the palace at Sofia and had treated me with exceptional kindness and courtesy. I tried to explain that I had not been responsible for the seating arrangements and that, in any case, the little archduke Otto, as hereditary crown prince, was the highest ranking in Hungary after the king…
    ‘That’s all nonsense!’ interrupted King Ferdinand. ‘I know it’s not your fault! But I know, too, whose fault it is. It’s that camarilla at court … especially Montenuovo, who’s always been my enemy. He would stop at nothing to humiliate me … he, and those others … they’re my enemies, all right. Always have been. Always.’
    Still trying to soothe him, I escorted King Ferdinand to his place in the oratorium gallery. There, however, although he was still fuming with rage, I had to take my leave. After more angry words he at last finished his tirade by saying: ‘If I’d known it, I wouldn’t have come!’ Then, quite suddenly, he looked at me with a friendly smile and in a most charming way started to praise my ancient Hungarian dress as if to make it quite clear that whatever else he thought he didn’t blame me.
    I returned to the steps by the great doors and reached them in time to greet the little crown prince.
    He was a lovely child; still at that time with golden-blond hair and rosy cheeks. Since then I have heard that his hair has turned dark, and that he greatly resembles his mother.
    He was dressed in a resplendent brocade mantle, lined with ermine and decorated with egret feathers, his whole outfit having been designed by Benczúr, and in tiny shoes he tripped along hurriedly so as to keep up with General Count Wallis, whose finger he clutched in a tight little fist.
    He was adorable as he moved swiftly through the crowd.
    Now the officiating clergy all lined up outside the church to receive the royal couple, while in the Loretto chapel the Keepers of the Regalia and the standard bearers ensured that everyone with a part to play in the ceremony had been provided with the badge or clenodium they had to carry. Everyone was there except for Iván Skerlecz, the Ban 2 of Croatia, who was nowhere to be seen. Later he made the excuse that they would not let him in through the police cordon outside, but this sounded unconvincing in view of the fact that he made his appearance in the church during the coronation ceremony. His absence at the start however , caused a momentary delay in setting out the order of the procession and someone else – I forget who – had rapidly to be given the robe that the Ban should have carried for the royal carriage was even then drawing up outside the church.
    I was unable to see the arrival of the king and queen, as I then had to hurry to reach my own place from where I could control the lighting. I was hidden, standing to the left and behind the throne, from where I could see nothing at all of the procession down the aisle. All I knew was that I could hear the roar of cheers from the crowd in Trinity Square outside the church and the bustle and stir as the royal couple approached their places. The congregation in the church, all now on their feet, so closed my view of what was going on that all I could see was the edge of the queen’s throne and the outline of the steps below it.
    Suddenly there was silence. Then the powerful fanfare of the organ announced that the