The Circassian Chief: A Romance of Russia
Page 21
ask me for what I no longerpossess? but I say not, that it is so. Again I ask to depart; for in noway, while an unwilling prisoner, could I make any engagements with mycaptor."
The Count advanced furiously again to seize her hand, but she startedback a step from him.
"Girl," he cried, "think you I can tamely submit to be thus despised, tohave my love--my devotion trampled on. Again I ask you, consent toreturn here--to become my Countess! to accept my love, and you are freeto depart; my carriage shall then convey you where you will."
"It cannot be," answered Azila, firmly, "I have but to repeat my formerwords."
"Rash girl, your obduracy has driven me to madness, and the blame mustrest on your own head!" exclaimed the Count, again springing forward toseize her; but she calmly retreated, placing her hand beneath her vest.
"Proud noble, forbear! I fear you not, for I venture not abroad withoutthe means of defending myself, since you first taught me the necessityof so doing. Advance another step, and you either destroy me oryourself." The Count seemed again about to spring forward, when shedrew a dagger from beneath her vest, and pointed it to her bosom.
"See," she said, "my weapon is of so fine a tempered steel, that even myfeeble arm will suffice to protect me."
The Count stood astounded; he seemed fearful of advancing, and unable tospeak, as she continued:
"Now let me depart, lead the way and I will follow you. See! I hold myfirmest protector to my bosom, so attempt not to stop me, or the firsthand that is laid on me will be the signal of my death. I fear not todie, so think not to detain me; with full confidence I leave the boys ofmy tribe under your care."
The Count exclaimed, "Inexplicable girl! you have conquered for a time;I now obey you! but you have kindled an inextinguishable flame within mybosom, which will consume us both. We must soon meet again. I willlead the way as you desire."
Uttering these words, the Count led the way from the apartment towardsthe hall of entrance, where the domestics stood with amazed looks, astheir haughty lord passed, followed by the humble Gipsy girl. Theportal stood open as Azila passed out, bowing coldly to the Count, whenhe stepped aside to allow her to pass; she did not cast a glance at theothers who were present. She seemed more like some distinguished guestrespectfully attended to the entrance of the mansion by her host, thanone of a despised and lowly race, escaping from the toils of a proud andlibertine noble.
The Count retreated to the upper apartments of his sumptuous palace,moody, and furious at his defeat. The ruffian Groff was then summonedto attend him.
"Hear me, villain," he exclaimed, "the youth I spoke of must die! Iwill have no doubt or hesitation on your part. The sum I promised you,when I hear of his death, shall be doubled; although you have enough torevenge for your own sake, without requiring any other stimulant. Markme! he has again crossed my path, so let there be no delay, for I cannotlonger endure the thought that he should triumph over me."
"Your orders are sufficiently clear," Sir, answered Groff, "and theyshall be obeyed without fear of the consequences. I am not a man tohesitate in my duty to so generous a master; and perhaps you willrecollect that my first plan succeeded as far as it was in my power; theultimate failure will be no fault of mine."
"I understand you, knave, you would receive your wages as you proceed;here, take this purse, it contains a trifle in comparison with the sumyou will be soon possessed of, if I do not mistake. Now begone! and letme not see your face till you can bring me the news I wish to hear."
Groff departed, and the Count continued pacing the floor with feelings,of which few would envy him the possession.
Volume 1, Chapter XI.
It was a dark and stormy night. The wind blew in violent and fitfulgusts through the ill-lighted and irregular streets, now and thenentirely extinguishing some of the few straggling lamps, while theremainder gave but a feeble and uncertain light, as the rain rushed downin torrents, making the road and pathway slippery with slime and mud.
The night had just closed in; yet, notwithstanding the inclemency andboisterousness of the weather, and the difficulties of the road, personswere still wandering abroad on various avocations, when a figure closelymuffled in a large cloak, (apparently to shield himself from thetempest), issued from a side door of the palace of the Count Erintoff.He walked hastily along, keeping on the darker sides of the streets, asif to avoid recognition, and paused not till he reached the hotel whereIvan had taken up his abode. He remained concealed beneath the shelterof a porch, on the opposite side of the street, into which no gleam oflight penetrated; though a lamp, burning in the doorway of the hotel,enabled him to command a distinct view of all who might enter, ordepart. Thrusting his hand in his bosom, he thus muttered to himself:
"Ah! most trusty weapon, thou art not likely to fail me, if my armproves true. Far better is the silent and sharp dagger to do such adeed, than the noisy and treacherous pistol, which has often failed abetter man than myself, on a like occasion; yet, I did well to bring mynoisy friend, in case, by any chance, the first should fail to strikehome.--Ah! some one approaches."
Groff, for it was he, drew farther back into the shade, to preventhimself from being seen by the stranger who was about to pass. At thatmoment, a person with a light and active step, completely shielded fromthe weather, walked quickly by, so that Groff could catch a glance ofhis features. He had not long to remain after this on his watch, when afigure appeared at the door of the hotel, whom he guessed must be hisintended victim; for having cast a look at the dark and clouded sky, theperson issued forth in the direction Groff expected him to take. Theruffian accordingly emerged from his hiding-place, and stealthilyfollowed, at a short distance, the steps of his hoped for prey.
It was impossible to distinguish the figures of anybody, on such anight, wrapped up as all were who ventured abroad; but Groff felt thathe could not be mistaken, both from seeing his intended victim issuefrom the hotel in which Ivan resided, and from the direction he wastaking.
The person walked rapidly along, threading the intricate and obscurestreets, without hesitation; every now and then, however, drawing hiscloak closer around him, and casting a hurried look behind, as if toobserve if he was followed. On these occasions, Groff contrived toshrink under the shade of some buttress, or projecting wall. Owing tohis being perfectly well acquainted with the streets, and knowing eachturning the person would probably take, he was enabled, successfully tododge his footsteps, till he had arrived in the neighbourhood of themansion previously described, in the garden of which the meetings of theconspirators were held. The man there stopped, and looked cautiouslyaround, retracing his steps for a short distance, as if to assurehimself that he had not been followed; throwing a scrutinising glance,as he lifted his hand to shade his eyes, down two or three narrow lanes,which there turned off from that along which he had passed. He seemed,however, satisfied, and was about to pass on.
"Now is my time," thought Groff, who had hidden beneath a dark arch way,"I will now rush forward, and strike him, to make sure, and save myselfa long and disagreeable watch; but he looks as if prepared for danger,and I may find a warmer reception than I wish, or he may cry out andgive the alarm, before I have time to escape."
While Groff was thus debating with himself, the person again walked on,unconscious of the danger he had so narrowly just escaped; and theassassin, fearful of being discovered after his evident wariness, if hepursued him further, concealed himself carefully under an arch, let intoa wall, which had at one time served as an entrance to the garden behindit; but, for some reason, the inner part was now blocked up with stones,leaving, however, a recess sufficiently deep for a person to hide withinit.
"Here I will await his return," muttered Groff; "he has never yet failedto pass this way, and I have well marked his figure, so that I shouldknow him if there was but a glimpse of light. I wish I had followed himto find out where he goes to, for there may be some secret worth knowingin that. It is an odd place for a person to come to so constantly,
andI should make a fine thing of it, if I discovered any hidden plot, whichthe Count could reveal to the Emperor; it would bring him into highfavour, and I, his follower, would benefit by it. I might easily manageto get rid of the youth in some other place, and if I slay him now, Ilose my opportunity. But no! one scheme is but a chance, while hisdeath will give me a certainty of reward."
Having thus made up his mind, Groff remained in concealment for two orthree hours, till he began almost to fear that his victim had escaped,by passing some other way. He watched with breathless expectation--anxiously looking forth from his place of shelter. The rain still fellin torrents, and flashes of lightning now and then darted from theheavens. One flash, brighter than the others, almost blinded him, as hegrasped his dagger firmly in his hand; but he was no coward, though buta common ruffian, and he did not tremble. He