The Circassian Chief: A Romance of Russia
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country, but I find thiswoman counteracted all my intentions, by instilling into his bosom anabsurd love of country and liberty. I would give worlds to get him intomy power; and though the Khan may not succeed in entrapping him, he maysecure his page, whom he brought with him from Russia, and to whom itseems he is much attached. I propose to work upon the boy, either bykindness or threats of his life, to induce him to assist in some plot tobetray his master. At all events I have hopes that this young Gherrei,when he finds we have possession of his sister and page, will attempt torescue them. We will be on the watch to ensure his capture, and I willpromise a reward to whoever makes him a prisoner. What say you, Count,to my plans?"
"It is an excellent plot, and cannot fail," said his worthy officer;"but we must also endeavour to re-capture Lieutenant Stanisloff. I havea little private grudge against him, which I would fain indulge."
"Oh! there is but little chance of missing him," answered his superior;"he will probably accompany Selem Gherrei into the field, and fall intothe same toil as his friend. You, Colonel, shall have the lady as yourshare."
"I cannot refuse so generous an offer," said the Count. "I suppose shemust be beautiful, or she would not have inflamed the heart of thesavage Khan. I require some fair mistress to drive the Gipsy Azila outof my head; for I could never gain any further trace of her after it wasdiscovered that she was implicated in that miserable conspiracy."
"A great disappointment, Colonel; but I dare say this wild mountainbeauty will recompense you for her loss," said the Baron.
"Perchance she may," answered the Count, "for it is said theseCircassian beauties may vie with the most lovely in the world. But wemust be cautious. If we deprive the fiery Khan of the lady, he may giveus some trouble. He does not appear a person who would quietly submitto have his mistress taken from him, after the risk and danger he mustundergo to win her."
"That matters little," answered the Baron; "he will give us but slighttrouble, for we must put him out of the way on the first convenientopportunity. I never contemplated allowing him to remain alive. I lovenot these intractable mountaineers; and can never trust them. We canlet him fall into the hands of his countrymen, and they will take goodcare to ease us of any further thought concerning him."
"A very good idea, General," answered the Count. "I agree with you thatthese barbarians are equally troublesome whether as friends or enemies;and I confess I did not like the scowl he cast on me and all around, ashe passed, bearing himself as proudly as if he were some conquerorriding amidst his slaves."
"They are a detested race," exclaimed the General, grinning through histhick-mustachioed lips; "but we will soon humble their pride, and dragthem in chains to St. Petersburg, where they shall be exhibited as aspecimen of the knights of old and we may then build our chateau, andlay out our parks amidst these green hills and fertile valleys, withoutthe fear of being molested."
"You are facetious, General, at the expense of the savages," said theCount. "But, according to my taste, this is rather too far from thecapital to build a country house. I should like, however, to transfer afew of their fair beauties from these wilds to people my domain nearMoscow; and as for the men who have given us so much trouble, I wouldshoot them all as traitors, or send them to work in the mines ofSiberia. They are too fierce to be tamed; for, like hyaenas, they wouldnever be at rest, and would spring upon us when we least expected it.But, badinage aside, what do you, Baron, intend to do with the prisonersthe Khan is to bring us? They deserve severe punishment."
"Shoot them as flagrant deserters taken in arms against the Emperor,"answered the Baron, clenching his hand, and frowning darkly. "It is toomild a punishment for them."
"This page of Ivan Galetzoff, or Selem Gherrei, or whatever name he nowgoes by, deserves punishment richly for that affair of the Mezi," saidthe Count. "I saw him fighting as furiously as the oldest hands amongthem. The fiery young villain shot the Khan's brother and one of ourown Cossacks, who was about to cut down his master. I fear we shall notsucceed in getting much service out of him."
"Then he must die. We must make an example of all deserters," said theGeneral, "or we shall find our ranks completely empty before long. Whatwith the desertion of these rascally slaves we have sent there assoldiers, these cursed fevers which sweep off so many, and the atrociousdaring of these barbarous mountaineers, we have lost more men alreadythan we can spare. Had I my own way, I would overwhelm theseCircassians at one fell swoop, and exterminate them from the face of theearth."
"I agree with you, General, this is the only way to treat them,"answered the Count.
Volume 3, Chapter VIII.
With light and bounding heart, young Alp urged on his steed towards thesmiling valley of Abran Bashi, as from the summit of the last mountainhe espied amid the trees the habitation of his young and beloved Zara.He wore a Persian suit of the finest chain armour, a gift from hisuncle, Achmet Beg, over which was thrown a cloak of blue cloth, trimmedwith gold. A belt of Turkish leather, richly embroidered in gold, (theprized gift of his mistress, worked by her own fair hand), bound hiswaist, holding his jewelled dagger; and at his side hung a well temperedDamascus blade. Boots also of Turkish leather, and worked by the sameloved one, covered his feet. On his head, instead of the warlikehelmet, he wore a cap of cloth, trimmed with a narrow border of darkfur, overshadowed by a plume of white feathers. He looked indeed anoble bridegroom, worthy of the love of Circassia's lovely daughters,the pride of his gallant old father.
By his side rode his tried and sworn friend, the son of the brave andsturdy chief, Ali Beg, his companion in many a wild and daringadventure, when they were boys together; and lately, in the sterner andsanguinary scenes of warfare. He too was in his most gallant array, hisarms furbished to their utmost polish, his coat and steel almostconcealed by a gay-coloured vest, and by the cloak which hung from hisshoulders. He had been selected by his friend for the honourable andimportant post of bridesman, to escort the bride to the house of herdestined lord.
In the meantime, young Zara was counting the hours, as they seemed tocrawl by, ere he came; and in spite of all old Kahija's notions ofpropriety, stole often and furtively to the wicket of the enclosuresurrounding the anderoon, to throw many a searching glance up the valleyto the summit of the hill, over which she knew her knight must pass.Then she would run back again, and pretend to be busily engaged in herwork, her ear anxiously intent to catch the sounds of his horse's hoofs,as her eye was to search for his graceful figure. Then she wouldpersuade herself and her friend that she had a head-ache, and that alittle more fresh air would wonderfully benefit her; and she would seizeIna's arm, and hurry off. Her friend fully comprehended the reasons ofher constant visits to the gate.
"Why comes he not, Ina?" at length she said. "What think you could havedelayed him on the road? He said he would come ere the shadows ofyonder tree had reached the waters of the rivulet, and see it alreadytouches the edge of the bank. Oh, Allah! can any harm have befallenhim? I never think of those dreadful Urus without shuddering, and Alpis always on some hazardous expedition against them; their very namefrightens me."
"Nay," said Ina, "let not your thoughts dwell on such fears. See theshadow has not yet reached the water, and ere it does, perhaps Alp willbe here."
"Tell me, Ina, how is it that some women of our country can be socourageous as to rush into battle, fearing not the Urus, and bearthemselves as bravely as the men? For my part, I tremble at the reportonly of a rifle, and could not fire a pistol to defend my life," saidZara.
"Because, dearest," answered her friend, "you have been removed from thescenes of havoc and bloodshed, which steel their hearts from allfeelings of compassion for our foes, and which nerve their arms, andinspire them with courage to avenge their wrongs."
"It is dreadful to think of it," exclaimed Zara, shuddering. "I wouldrather die at once than look on blood. The foe might kill me, but Icould not fight."
"Oh, let us pray, Allah, that the dread foe may never come near th
isvalley, and then you need have no cause to fear them," answered herfriend.
"I almost wish that Alp was not so great a warrior; but yet I love tohear of his brave deeds. They say he will be equal to his father, andhe is one of the bravest heroes of Atteghei. Ina, I will tell you asecret. I have loved Alp for a very long time--ever since I first sawhim--when he once came home, bringing two Russian prisoners. Hearingevery body praise so much, I ventured to look at him, and then I sawwhat a gallant and noble youth he was. Then he danced with me at themarriage of one of my grandfather's followers. Oh, how my heart leapedas he pressed my hand, and led me out on the green. I did not care forall old Kahija's frowns. And then the