The Circassian Chief: A Romance of Russia
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brother, Khan, quitted my house free to go where he willed. Icannot tell you of him more," answered the chieftain--
The Khan glanced fiercely around him for a few seconds, withoutspeaking; during which, the members of the council moved to a fartherdistance, and resumed their seats; leaving the enraged Khan, standingalone; a customary ana sufficient signal, that his presence was notrequired. The Khan stood irresolute for a few minutes; then, againstall rules of established ceremony, again approached them.
"Chieftain," he cried, addressing Arslan Gherrei; "again, I ask you,where is my brother? If dead, say who slew him, that I may know myenemy; or, if he fell before the foe, why brought you not away hiscorpse, and arms?"
"Khan," answered the chief; "is it not enough to say, that I cannot tellyou of your brother? then ask me no more."
Saying which, the whole body returned to their former position, leavingthe Khan alone. He again followed them, when the council slowly rising,the aged chief, who had before spoken, again addressed him:
"Twice have we warned you, Khan, not to question us of your brother.Now learn his fate; he died a traitor's death--fighting in our foemen'sranks, he fell, attempting treachery. He lies now amongst a heap ofcursed Urus; his name disgraced and blotted from our memories. Now go,and ask no more of him. His name is foul."
"Chieftain, whoever says my brother died a traitor's death, lies blackas Eblis. Back in his mouth, I'll throw the calumny," cried the Khan."My brother was ever a foe to Russia, and deeply will I avenge hisslandered honour."
At these words, the chiefs half drew their swords; but, recollectingthat he stood one among many, and having compassion upon him for hisgrief, and his brother's crime and death, they returned them to theirscabbards, and spoke not.
"Uzden Arslan Gherrei, from henceforth know me as your deadly foe,"cried the Khan; "whatever death my brother died, 'twas you that causedit, and I will have revenge, if I die to gain it."
Uttering which, with a fierce tone and aspect, he strode from the spot,mounting his war horse, rode furiously from the camp, followed by thetroop of his wild clansmen, without waiting to salute any of the chiefshe met.
We must leave the Khan to pursue his headlong course, while we followthe movements of the Baron Galetzoff, and the small army under hiscommand. After marching from Anapa, they proceeded to the newly erectedfort, we have described on the south side of the Kouban, which was builton slightly elevated ground, at no great distance; though beyond gunshot of the range of mountains, which girt the territories to which thetribes of the Atteghei are now confined. On the other side extended abroad plain, formed of the marshes of the Kouban, from which the heatsof summer draw forth the noxious miasma, so prejudicial to the health ofthe soldiers; but the flat marshy nature of the country, added to thesecurity of the position, lessens the chance of a surprise, and givesfull scope for the deadly fire of grape and rockets.
The fort had been commenced under the protection of a large force; andthe Baron was now employed in forming fresh entrenchments, and takingevery means to strengthen his position; waiting in hopes of someopportunity occurring to revenge himself for the losses he hadsustained. No houses had as yet been built; the troops living inwretched huts hastily constructed of mud and boughs, and the officers intheir tents.
Towards the close of the day, the Baron was seated in his tent, when hisaide-de-camp announced to him that one of the chiefs of the enemy, witha flag of truce, desired an audience immediately.
"Let him be admitted," said the General. "We may at length have awedsome of these barbarians into subjection."
The Baron rose to receive his guest as the officer returned, ushering ina tall ferocious looking warrior, his heavy sword clashing against hisarmour, as with a fearless step he entered the tent. The Generalstarted when he saw him; for he thought of the young Khan to whose deathhe had been instrumental, and of his squire whom he had unjustly shot,as gazing earnestly at the stranger, he almost fancied the dead stoodbefore him. For a few moments neither spoke, as the civilised Europeancommander confronted the wild warrior of the mountains, who returned hisglance with a haughty and seemingly contemptuous stare. At length,banishing his superstitious fears, he spoke.
"Who are you, chief, that thus venture into the camp of the Russians?"
"I am Kaloret Khan," answered the chief in a fierce tone.
At the sound of that name the Baron started, laying his hand upon hissword to prepare himself for the expected attack.
"Fear not," said the Khan in a contemptuous tone, "I come not to do youharm. Did I wish to kill you, I could have done so ere this. See!" headded, pointing to the opening of the tent, before which one of his wildclansmen was holding his war horse. "I could have struck you dead, andmounted my fleet steed, leaping your paltry entrenchments, before one ofyour slow-moving soldiers could have stopped me. No, Russian, I comenot to harm you."
"For what purpose do you come here? What ask you?" said the General.
"I come," answered the Khan, frowning darkly, and clenching hisgauntleted hand, "I come to seek revenge."
"A goodly feeling, and one that should be encouraged by all brave men,"answered the Baron. "And on whom do you seek it?"
"On those who have injured me. On a chieftain, Arslan Gherrei, whorefused to let his daughter be my wife; and shall I tamely brook such aninsult? I would bear the girl away, in spite of her refusal; I wouldrevenge myself upon him for my brother's death; who is said to have cometo ask your aid to carry off the chieftain's daughter, when he died bythe hand of Selem, his newly found son."
"You have heard truly, Khan," answered the General. "Say, how can Iassist you in your wishes, and I will gladly hold the hand of friendshipforth to you."
"I would bring hither the daughter of the chieftain, for I must quit mymountain home, my flocks and herds, and come to join you with myfollowers."
"You speak wisely, Khan," said the Baron. "You shall be received withopen arms; but you must also bring this son of Arslan Gherrei, and hisyouthful page, and also a Russian officer, who lately escaped when undersentence of death. I will, in return, promise you lands, flocks, andherds to supply those you have left."
"You speak of Selem Gherrei, Russian," exclaimed the Khan. "It wereeasier far to entrap the savage boar, and bring him willingly along,than to bring alive before you any of the chiefs of the Atteghei. But Iwill try; and, if I fail, it shall not be for want of hatred and revengeto prompt me."
"Bring him alive, if possible; if not, bring me his corpse, and you willbe welcome. There are others I would secure--his squire, and a slow,heavy slave, who is probably about his person."
"I have already said I will do my best to please you," said the Khanhaughtily, "and now I must depart."
"Farewell, until you return with your prisoners," rejoined the Russian.
"Chieftain of Russia," responded the Khan, "you will see me soon again.I tarry not in my revenge."
Saying which Khoros Kaloret strode from the tent with the same haughtyair with which he had entered, and, mounting his horse, galloped off.
"There goes a traitor," said the Baron, following him with his eye as herode off; "and if there were a few more like him, we might soon rightlycall the fair lands of Circassia our own. I think I can trust thatbarbarian, with revenge for his motive of action; and if he bringsArslan Gherrei's daughter, I shall have a hold upon him he cannot easilybreak through."
He then summoned Count Erintoff to his presence.
"Ah! Colonel," he said, as the Count entered, "I have at length a hopeof punishing those who have hitherto escaped my vengeance."
"I am rejoiced to hear it, General," said the Count. "We owe it as aduty to our country to punish those vile deserters, not to mention theindulgence of a little private revenge. But how is it that you hope tosucceed?"
"Why it appears that the fierce Khan, Khoros Khaloret, has taken umbragethat the Chief Arslan Gherrei refuses him his daughter--the same of whomwe heard so much, and who so narrowly escaped us at the fo
rds of theMezi, when the Khan's brother led you into that desperate scrape. Henow wishes to run off with the lady, and take refuge with us: so I havemade it a condition of his being; well received, that he brings offthose deserters, Ivan Galetzoff, his page, Lieutenant Stanisloff, andothers. I fear he may not succeed in capturing Ivan Galetzoff, who, nowI hear, bears the name of Selem Gherrei; indeed, I have no doubt he isthe son of Arslan Gherrei, as I captured the boy myself, and wellremember that was the name of the chief whose village I attacked andburned. I carried off his wife with this boy, who I knew not was herown son, little thinking what a viper I was cherishing. I intended himto prove a bitter enemy to this rebellious