128 HUNGARIAN LITERATURE tempted him to leave the queen to her fate and to devote hímself to the protection of his wife. As, however, during the festivities, he had been an unseen witness of the dignitied refusal which Melinda had given to Otto, he thought his wife safe for the present, and thus found strength to attend to his duties. His first duty was eleariy to put down the conspiracy : afterwards he would cal l the queen to account for her beh aviour in the matter of Otto's intrigue . Accord ingly he went to the midnight meeting of the conspirators at the house of the banus Pet ur. :Petur, roused to passion, vehemen tly advocated the murder of the queen, but Bánk refused to take any part in such a plot. · ne an swered in these characteristic words : u That Bánk should become a campanion in your dark enterprise would need an offence as great as are his faith and loyalty." But his calmness o nly provoked Petur to a violent outhurst : 1 1 Since no other liberator is left to thec, my fatherland, here l stand, aU alone, ready to become the executioner of that sinfui woman." The rnoment was a crisis in Bánk's life. He thrust aside his perso nal feelings and asserted hímself as the palatine and ch ief j udge of the country. His language breathed a kingly dignity. He knew Petur thoroughly, knew that he was violent, but also that in the depths of his heart he was a loyal subj ect, and th at if Bánk stood up as the repre sentative of the king 's person, the rebel would bow before him. When, therefore, he heard Petur's words he cried : "Stay l this traitor to king and country is my prisoner, and l order you to bind him. It is Andrew the king, in my person, who commands here." Strong as was Petur's rebellious mood, still stronger was the feeling of repent ance with which he knelt before Bánk, and bowing his head, said 11 My king !"
