The Slaves of the Padishah · Chapter
III: Three Men explained
Emeric Tököly wakes early after the wedding festivities and prepares to leave, ignoring letters and giving orders for his horse and carriage.
What happens
Emeric Tököly wakes early after the wedding festivities and prepares to leave, ignoring letters and giving orders for his horse and carriage. He takes a hurried leave of Master Michael Teleki and rides to the meeting point at the cross, where his adversaries, Feriz Beg and Prince Apafi, are already waiting. The three men enter the forest to duel. Tököly proposes a series of single combats, and the Prince and Feriz Beg fight first. The Prince is wounded in the hand and forced to retire. Tököly then shares a meal with Feriz Beg, offering tactical advice before their own duel begins.
Themes in this chapter
Honor and Betrayal
The duel is a matter of personal honor, with each man ready to fight to the death. Tököly's casual approach contrasts with the Prince's fury and Feriz Beg's solemnity.
Fate and Death
The outcome of the duel is left to chance, with coins deciding who fights first. The Prince's wound is potentially mortal, and the duel is a matter of life and death.
Characters to notice
- Emeric Tököly
Wakes early, dismisses letters, and prepares for the duel with a casual, almost jovial demeanor. He proposes the rules of engagement and offers tactical advice to his opponent.
- Feriz Beg
Arrives with Achmed Pasha's field-surgeon. He is solemn and grave, fights the Prince with skill, and accepts Tököly's offer of a meal before their duel.
- Michael Teleki
The father of the bride, he takes an affectionate and tearful leave of Tököly, sending greetings to various Transylvanian gentlemen.
- Michael Apafi
The Prince, who is haughty and impatient. He fights Feriz Beg first and is wounded in the hand, forcing him to retire from the duel.
Key passages
“Tököly’s servant durst not go to sleep on the off-chance of awaking at dawn in order to arouse his master, and so the sky had scarcely begun to grow grey when he routed him up.”
Tököly's servant stayed awake all night to ensure he would wake his master at dawn, and as soon as the sky began to lighten, he woke him.
Highlights the servant's diligence and the early hour of the duel.
“It was a fine sight to behold these men—all three of them were remarkably handsome fellows.”
The three men were all strikingly handsome, making for an impressive sight.
Describes the physical appearance of the duelists.
“The Prince’s onset was as furious as if he would have crushed his opponent in the twinkling of an eye with the heavy and violent blows which he rained upon him with all his might.”
The Prince attacked with such fury that he seemed intent on crushing his opponent instantly with a barrage of powerful blows.
Illustrates the Prince's aggressive fighting style.