was a blankas he drew up at the principal entrance.
No group of bustling and pleased domestics stood ready to receive him onhis return, after a long absence; no fond mother or affectionatesisters, to rush forward with outstretched arms, to welcome him in aloving embrace, or to surround him as they gazed with eager anddelighted eyes, their repeated inquiries lost amid the confusion ofanxious tongues. All within was as silent as without, a solitaryhousehold serf alone presenting himself at Ivan's summons; while, afterconsiderable delay, another of the same class appeared, to lead hishorse to the stables; both, however, greeted him with welcome smiles.
His heart now beat with eagerness to hasten to the presence of therevered and much loved being so mysteriously connected with him, forwell he knew how anxiously she was awaiting his arrival. At the sametime, a feeling of dread came over him, of misfortune having befallenher; she might be on her death-bed, perhaps--horrible thought!--extendeda cold and lifeless corpse! Lost to him for ever, and her importantsecret known to none but her God!
This idea became almost insupportable. He dared not make any inquiriesrespecting her of the domestic. To visit her, ere he had appeared tothe Baron, who he was informed had desired his presence immediately onhis arrival, would have been attended by results equally injurious toher as to himself.
Without delay, therefore, he was ushered into the apartment where theBaron was sitting, who neither rose as the young man advanced to pay hisrespects, or relaxed the cold stern cast of his features.
The Baron Galetzoff seemed a man long past the prime of life, on whomage had laid its wintry marks, but still retaining the air and firm portof a soldier. His stature was rather under than above the middleheight, and his figure full and unwieldy. His features might have beenhandsome in his youth, though now they were disfigured by an habitualscowl on his forehead, and a deep cut reaching from the left eye to thelower part of the ear; his cold grey sunken eyes retreating, as if fromobservation, under the shade of his coarse overhanging brows. Hisgrizzled moustache was long and untrimmed; and this, when excited bypassion--no uncommon occurrence, unfortunately for his dependants--orlabouring under uncertainty as to the success of his projects, he waswont to twist and pluck at.
"So, Sir," he exclaimed, in a tone of severity, as Ivan approached thetable, "you have loitered on your way, methinks; else why this delay inyour arrival? Your duty and obedience would have been better proved bya more rapid journey. How did it thus happen, Sir?"
Ivan explained that the delay arose from a violent storm, which hadobliged him to take shelter under the tent of a Gipsy; but he did notchoose to hazard a relation of the rest of his adventures.
The Baron's brow lowered as he resumed--
"And is this, Sir, the bent of your disposition to herd with outcasts,and the vilest of the earth? A race I detest and abhor; and strongenough are my reasons. Rather would I have bared my head to thefiercest storm the heavens ever sent forth, than to have been beholdento such wretches for a dry crust, or the covering of their miserabletents."
"The people you speak of, Sir," answered Ivan, "I found as kind andhospitable in their humble way, as any of a higher rank; and I receivedmuch attention from them."
The Baron here rose from his seat, and took several turns across theapartment; then suddenly addressing himself to Ivan, exclaimed--
"Talk not to me of receiving kindness at the hands of such ignominiousbeings as those cursed Gipsies. I loathe their very name! Is this thereturn you render me, degenerate youth, for the care and attention Ihave lavished on your infancy and education? Though how could I haveexpected ought else? Yet I thought you possessed more proper pride thanto have thus demeaned yourself. Learn, however, henceforth to pay morerespect to my honour and dignity, though you may be careless of yourown; and remember, the name you bear must not, and shall not, bedisgraced by associating with the base and worthless."
Ivan remained mute during this tirade, for he saw that the Baronrequired an object to vent his spleen upon, and he willingly offered hisown shoulders, to screen some victim less able to bear it.
The haughty noble had thus worked himself into a state of passionateexcitement, as undignified as it was causeless, and continued pacing thefloor with hasty steps, while the young man stood silently by, waitingits result, knowing that his withdrawal from the scene would butincrease the Baron's anger.
After the lapse of a few minutes, this fit of rage seemed to havesubsided, as turning towards Ivan, he said--
"Young man, let me never hear again of so discreditable an occurrence.And now listen to the reasons which induced me to recall you. I havebeen appointed by our gracious Emperor to high command in his armiesdestined for foreign service; and I intend that you shall accompany meto learn the art of war by practical experience, as you have hithertodone in theory. Before you, now opens a path which will lead you tohonour and renown; and it rests with yourself to enter it or not. Ifyou follow it, and I find you worthy, it then will be my care to advanceyou rapidly. But mark me! I demand from you implicit obedience; thatrendered, rank and fortune shall be yours--if not, beware!"
Ivan's heart beat high at this information, though conveyed in harsh anduncourteous words; but he ardently sought to enter at once into theexciting scenes of active life, and his eye brightened as he expressedhis readiness to comply with the Baron's wishes, and thanked him for thesolicitude he professed for his welfare.
"My intention," continued the Baron, "is, that you should visit Moscowin a few days, to procure your military equipments, and to mix somewhatin society; for though, I myself detest its ceremonies and trivialities,I wish you to gain the advantages its lessons afford, ere you enter intothe more active and stirring scenes of life. You may now retire to restafter your journey, and to-morrow, I will impart my other projects."
His listener, having expressed the gratitude he really felt at theprospects held out to him, gladly retired from the presence of hiscapricious father.
The above conversation, so characteristic of the Baron's usualdeportment towards his son, was little calculated to win either hisrespect or his love: indeed, his conduct altogether seemed inexplicable;for while he had spared neither care, nor expense in his education, hehad evidently no affection for him; and had on every occasion tried hisutmost, to imbue him with his own fierce and savage disposition: in thelatter, however, he had signally failed, through an agency he littlesuspected. The young man, meanwhile, profited by the great advantagesoffered by a good education, and grew up endued with extraordinaryfirmness and courage.
Ivan had retired to his chamber for the night, after endeavouring invain to obtain some communication with the lady before alluded to, as amysterious inmate of the chateau; when, as he was reclining in a chair,and gazing through the window on the dark groves which surrounded thebuilding, he was startled by a knock at his door. Hastening to open it,a person presented himself, of unusual and remarkable appearance.
He was one of those extraordinary productions of nature, possessing afigure of just proportions, though in stature he was scarcely three feethigh. His dress was arranged with extreme neatness and care, but of afantastic cut; and the little man seemed to delight in the most gaudycolours. His feathered hat was placed with a rakish air on one side ofhis head, from which flowed a profusion of curling locks. His whiskerswere also curled with the greatest care, while his long thin moustachesrose fiercely upward, in imitation of heroes of larger size.
It was difficult to define the expression of his diminutive, but veryregular features, which would have been considered handsome in a largermould. Age had spared him not, for already wrinkles furrowed hischeeks, which were of a shallow, parchment-like hue. His small greyeyes still bright and twinkling, expressed talent, and cunning; therewas a restlessness too in his look and manner--each movement he madebeing quick, but uncertain. He would first cast a hurried glance at theperson he was speaking to; next on the ground, then suddenly over hisshoulder, as if he expected an attack from behind; and presently he
would spin his little body round on one leg, ere he recommenced thesubject he had abruptly discontinued. When he spoke, the tone of hisvoice was so shrill and loud, that those who heard it, could scarcelybelieve that the sound proceeded from so diminutive a creature.
As this lilliputian-like figure entered the room, he opened his arms totheir full extent to embrace Ivan, who kindly stooped to the requisitelevel to meet him, for otherwise the little personage, who seemedunconscious of his own size, would have been unable to clasp more thanone of his friend's knees.
"My friend, my dear boy!" exclaimed the dwarf, "my heart beats withpleasure to see you back again. You are grown, Ivan, since I saw youlast, for we could then walk arm in arm; and now, I doubt if we could doso with perfect ease. I have been longing to have you here again, for Iknew not what to do without you. I could neither ride, hunt, or shootwith any satisfaction during your absence; but now
The Circassian Chief: A Romance of Russia Page 11