The Circassian Chief: A Romance of Russia

slaves.

  Then curs'd be the traitors who yield to the foe, And curs'd be the cowards who fly! May they ne'er while they live, peace or happiness know, And hated, and scorn'd, may they die! In lands far away may they rot in their graves, And their children bear ever the foul mark of slaves!

  Now sharpen our spears, well prove each tough bow, And the swords of our forefathers wield. Don the armour so often they wore 'gainst the foe, Seize each rifle and glittering shield, And their shadows yet hovering over their graves, Will guard us from foes who would make us their slaves.

  Then to arms, then to arms, and this harp shall proclaim The proud deeds that your valour has done; And the world shall resound with the praise of your name, To be handed from sire to son; And tell of the heroes who lie in their graves, Who died that the Atteghei ne'er should be slaves.

  The warriors grasped their swords, their eyes kindled, their breastsheaved at the minstrel's tones, the effect was such as would bedifficult to understand from the above meagre translation, without theaccompaniment of the bard's rich and animated voice, and the high loudtones of his instrument.

  Several other baras succeeded, taking various themes for their song.When describing the heroic deeds of their warriors, their tones werelofty and inspiring. When singing of their untimely deaths, cut off bythe foe, their voices would sink to a low and plaintive wail. Whenpicturing the beauty of some maiden more lovely still than hercompanions, the air would be soft, sweet, and melting.

  When the banquet was concluded, the gallant Hadji and his brother,Achmet Beg, rose to depart, for their home was at no great distance, andthe Hadji's wife was anxiously expecting the return of her lord, thoughthe old warrior dreamed not of giving himself a day's rest, but hadengaged to be ready on the following morning, to accompany the otherchiefs to the banks of the Ubin.

  When search was made for young Alp, he was nowhere to be found, for hehad early stolen from the feast.

  "Your gallant son has been a constant visitor here, of late," said thevenerable host to the Hadji. "The youth loves to listen to my tales ofour wars with the Urus. He will follow closely in your steps, nobleHadji, and I love him much. I know not if it is so; but I sometimesthink he casts an eye of affection towards my Zara; and if it pleaseyou, my friend, he may have her."

  "It is no time for the youth to take to himself a wife, when histhoughts ought to be alone of war," answered the Hadji; "but Mashallah!he would be happy to possess so sweet a partner."

  The aged chieftain's suspicion was correct, for Alp was at lastdiscovered, coming from the direction of the anderoon; and he set offwith his father to their home.

  The next morning a large band of warriors, amounting almost to a smallarmy, assembled in the valley, prepared to set off for the camp on theUbin. Headed by the aged chief, they repaired to a sacred grove in theneighbourhood, in which stood an ancient stone cross, a relic of theformer religion of the country, round which the chieftains and theirfollowers knelt, while supplications were addressed to the Oneall-powerful being, to aid their arms in driving the Urus from theircountry. Each warrior bore a chaplet in his hand, which he hung up as avotive offering to the Divinity--a heathen custom handed down from theremotest times.

  This ceremony being performed, the chiefs mounted their war-steeds, andcommenced their journey; the aged chief raising his hands towardsHeaven, bestowing blessings on them as they passed.

  Selem had much difficulty in compelling young Conrin to remain behind;but at last he succeeded in drawing a reluctant promise from the boythat he would not quit the valley without permission, but would remainas the page of Ina, and obey her behests. He did not attempt topersuade Thaddeus to accompany him, and the young Pole had foundattractions, stronger even than those of friendship, to detain him inthe valley. It would also have been against the usual custom to allowone, who had so lately quitted the enemy, to appear in arms on the sideof the patriots; a degree of suspicion existing among the chiefs againstall strangers, until their fidelity to the cause had been proved. Hetherefore remained, with Karl as his attendant--a life the honest serfseemed wonderfully to enjoy.

  Volume 3, Chapter II.

  Deep was the grief of Ina when she saw her beloved father and brotherdepart for the scene of conflict, nor could her heart refrain from sadforebodings when she thought of the dangers to which they must beexposed. Too often had she been witness to the misery and heart-rendingwailing of her countrywomen, when anxiously expecting a father, ahusband, or a brother, as they met in lieu the mangled remains of theloved one brought home on a bloody bier by his comrades. Such grief sheherself had never known; but she felt too clearly that horrors likethose might be in store, too, for her; nor could the fierce blast ofwar, which raged round the land, steel her heart.

  Zara did all in her power to tranquillise and cheer her friend under heraffliction; but too well could she also enter into and share her fears,for she had seen her gallant father brought home stiff and cold on hisshield, slaughtered by the foe in repelling an inroad into his country.That father was the last prop of her grandsire's declining years; andhopelessly for him had the old man mourned, for he had now no warriordescendant to succeed to his name and possessions, and none to guard hischild from danger. At his death the disposal of Zara in marriage woulddevolve on the eldest of his tribe, and they would not inquire if herheart could be given with her person. Her destiny, therefore, might bea cruel one. A new chief would be chosen to lead the clan to battle,and, in peace, to preside at their councils, and poor Zara might beneglected.

  Such was the fair girl's account of herself; and thus the two friends,by pouring their griefs into each other's bosom, found mutualconsolation. She confessed, indeed, that there was one whom she hopedmight win her, and whom she thought loved her; but he had no wealth, andas yet had little renown in arms. Yet she whispered to her friend'sear, that she fondly loved the gallant young Alp, though she had enjoyedbut few opportunities of meeting him.

  The aged Prince, Aitek Tcherei, having warmly embraced the tenets ofMahomet, the two maidens were more strictly secluded than Ina had beenaccustomed to; the old Ana, or nurse, who presided over the domesticarrangements of the anderoon, keeping a constant and vigilant watch uponthem. Though the custom of the country would not allow of their beinglimited to the same strict seclusion as in a Turkish harem, the nursewas, nevertheless, horrified at the idea of Ina's appealing in publicwithout her face being entirely shrouded by a thick veil, nor did she atall approve of her propensity to ramble through the groves, or amid theshadowy cliffs.

  The old Kahija's ideas of female happiness did not extend beyond theacquisition of a new veil or robe, or, more than all, the enjoyment of agossip. What pleasure could the girls find in scrambling over the dirtymountains and damp grass? or why should they dance or sing, except toplease their lords and masters, when other persons are paid to dance andsing to them?

  Her parents had sold her, when young and promising great beauty, to aTurkish slave-merchant; and it was with unalloyed pleasure, inanticipation of the novelty and magnificence of the great Stamboul, thatshe leaped on board the vessel which was to convey her from her friendsand country. At first she herself felt the irksomeness of constraint;but soon became reconciled to her self-chosen lot, and learned toapprove of all the regulations of the harem to which she was consigned.Her notions, therefore, on her return, at the death of her master, toher own country, were much scandalised at the freedom and what sheconsidered the levity of her young countrywomen; and she loved toexpatiate on the superior manners and customs of the fair captives inthe seclusions of Stamboul. Like other dames, who find that theircharms can no longer captivate, her temper at times became rather crossand crabbed, though she always tried to treat her young motherlesscharge with kindness.

  Such was the old Ana, Kahija, who, wrapped in her feridji, now enteredthe anderoon to interrupt with her gossip the conversation of the twomaidens. She delighted in gossiping--what old nurse does not?particu
larly a Turkish one. She now came out of breath, with herexertion of walking from a neighbouring cottage, to say with greateagerness, that the chief shepherd had just come in from the distantmountains, where he had seen the dark mountain khan, Khoros Kaloret,whose brother had turned traitor, and been killed by the young chiefSelem, galloping by with a long train of savage followers, who wereriding furiously in the direction of the Ubin.

  "Oh, Allah, grant that he meet not my father or Selem there!" exclaimedIna, in accents of terror.

  "I know not what may happen, child," said the old nurse. "They say heis a fierce chief. I hear, too, that he sought your hand. Mashallah!but you might have been proud to wed so rich a Khan; and yet, Bosh! whatis he even to a merchant of Stamboul?"

  "Why could you not love him?" asked Zara; "they say he is of gallantappearance."

  "Ah, Zara! love him?