The Circassian Chief: A Romance of Russia

you know not what love is, to ask such a question.Love him! No! I could only fear him, he looks so stern and fierce; sounlike the calm and grave features of my father," said Ina.

  "What is all this stuff the girls are talking about love?" chimed in theold nurse. "Bosh! what nonsense is this? Love! What is love? it isnothing; it is worse than nothing; it is folly--it is Bosh! What shouldmaidens know about love? Let them be married, and then it is time tolove their lords and masters."

  Ina and Zara were in despair; for it was hopeless to carry on anyinteresting conversation on their own feelings, with the constantobservations and interruptions of old Kahija; who could be veryentertaining at times, when she had the whole of the conversation toherself, with her wonderful stories about Turkey and Stamboul. Theywere relieved, however, from the dulness their constrained silence threwover them, by the entrance of Conrin, with a small packet from hismaster to Ina.

  We have said that Arslan Gherrei had been educated in Turkey, and held ahigh post in the army of the Sultan, where he acquired manyaccomplishments very unusual to the generality of his countrymen. Inthe calm retreat of his daughter's anderoon, when no strangers were byto witness his occupation, he had endeavoured to cultivate her youthfulmind by the aid of the few books he had brought with him; and he hadtaught her not only to speak, but to read and write Turkish,accomplishments possessed probably by no other maiden in Circassia; forfew were blessed with fathers equally heroic in war, and capable ofenjoying the blessings of peace.

  Zara, ignorant of her friend's accomplishments, looked with mutesurprise when Ina, taking the note from the page's hand, hastily brokethe thread which tied it, and read an account of the safety of herfather and brother, as far as they had as yet proceeded in their warlikeoperations. The page was equally eager.

  "Tell me, lady, tell me is my dear master in safety?" he said.

  "Yes he is. Allah be praised! he and my father are well; and he tellsme not to forget my care of you, Conrin."

  "Heaven be praised that he is safe. That he remembers me, brings joy tomy heart!" exclaimed the youth, clasping his hands.

  The venerable Prince was kind and courteous in the extreme to his Polishguest; yet Thaddeus found, to his great disappointment, that theanderoon was, to him, forbidden ground; and instead of the constantcommunication he had delighted in the prospect of enjoying with Ina, hecould never approach her, except to offer a few words of courtesy whenshe was taking the air. Those short sentences were understood byKahija, who was scandalised that the young lady should be addressed,even in the ordinary terms of greeting; and more so on perceiving thatIna tolerated them. All his attempts at any further conversation werefruitless, owing to the constant vigilance of the old woman; and Ina'snative modesty forbade her making any advances herself, however shemight have received them on his part.

  At last he bethought him of gaining the confidence of young Conrin; butthe boy constantly avoided him, though he would now and then stop tolisten if he began to speak of his master, and to make any observationsin his praise. He thus felt the time hang heavily daring the absence ofhis friend; for he had few to converse with, except the old Prince, whospoke Turkish, and some of the Polish prisoners, or rather deserters,from the Russian army; his only satisfaction being the occasionalglimpses he caught of Ina, and the delight of hearing the musical tonesof her voice as she returned his salutations.

  His great resource was the chase. With a light rifle in his hand, andattended by Karl and his former Polish servant, who enjoyed their lifeof freedom and independence, so different from the abject servitude towhich they had hitherto been accustomed, he roamed the woods andmountains. In these excursions he was also accompanied by several ofthe youths of the valley, too young to go to war, who guided his stepsalong the precipices, and shewed him where same abounded. At othertimes he would mount a steed, appropriated to his use, galloping alongthe green valleys, and up the mountain's sides, and vieing with theyoung mountaineers in their equestrian exercises, till he became asexpert a horseman as they. He would often, with his rifle, bring down abird on the wing which they could not hit; thus winning their hearts byhis proficiency in what they most admired.

  He, however, began to regret not having accompanied his friend to thecamp; and accused himself of want of friendship towards him.

  We have said that Ina longed to breathe the free air of the mountains,unrestrained in her liberty by the slow-moving steps of old Kahija.Though she could not persuade the timid Zara to accompany her, shefrequently asserted her independence by sallying forth attended only byher page. On her return, she listened, with composure, to the severelectures she received for these transgressions of decorum; and stilldetermined to renew them at every opportunity. How delighted she feltas, bounding like a young fawn, whose fleetness she rivalled, she flewthrough the shady groves. Then she would climb the mountain's brow,inhaling the fresh pure air, and almost forgetting, as she gazed overthe fair land of mountain, vale, and stream, the miseries whichthreatened it.

  Towards the end of one lovely day, she left the confines of theanderoon, attended by her page, who had now learned to love her, notmore from his affection for her brother than for her own endearingqualities; looking around from the open wicket and seeing none to impedeher progress, she took her way through the grove towards a valley shehad long wished to explore, at some distance from the house. It was alovely place, originally formed from a fissure in the mountains,increased by the constant wear of winter floods. Under the summer heat,the torrent had dwindled into a tiny and clear rivulet, in one partleaping in a bright cascade, then flowing in a gentle current, and nextrushing over a ledge of rocks, and falling into the larger valley, whereit expanded into a tiny lake.

  The lady and her attendant walked on by its side over the soft velvetherbage which the receding waters had left, and began to climb the rockysides of the glen, the summits of which were now blooming with varioussweet scented shrubs and herbs. A soft and mellow sky cast a soothinginfluence over the scene, and the air was laden with fragrant odours.Thoughtless of the difficulties they had passed, and fearless of thesteep and rocky paths, they clambered on, leaping lightly from ledge toledge, and holding by the shrubs and plants to aid their steps, till atlength they reached a platform, where they rested to view the broad andbeautiful valley into which the little ravine opened.

  Below them was the smiling village amid its groves of stately trees, itsfarm-yards, granaries, orchards, and cattle-pens. At a little distance,at the side of the stream, was the rustic and unpretending Mosque, fromthe platform of whose primitive minaret the Muezzin was calling all truebelievers to the evening prayer. Here were shepherds driving theirflocks from the mountain's side to their pens, to shelter them from thewild beasts. The kine were lowing on their way to their sheds, whilethe village maidens carolled gaily as they milked their cows. The birdswere singing from every rock and spray; and all living nature seemedcalm and contented--

  The page roused Ina from her contemplation of the scene.

  "Lady," said he, "we ought ere this to have sought our homeward way: thepath is steep and difficult, and the shades of evening will overtake us,ere we can reach the valley."

  "Fear not, Conrin. There are no dangers we need dread," returned Ina."Old Kahija's scolding is the worst that can happen to us. We mountainmaids are sure of foot, and fearless as you seem, on the edge of thesteepest precipice. But, as you say, it is full time we should returnhome; for, as it is, we shall be missed from the anderoon, and oldKahija will think that we have fled for ever from her grave rule."

  But as they looked round, doubtful on what part of the steep cliff tobegin their descent, they found that to return was not so easy anachievement as Ina had pronounced it to be; for so many turnings hadthey taken, that they could not discover the path by which they hadattained the spot where they stood.

  It was difficult to say how they could have reached their presentposition, as in vain they searched for the path. At length, Conrinhazarded a spring to a low
er ledge, from which it appeared thatpracticable footing was to be found, when he was startled by a screamfrom above; and, gazing upward, he beheld the Lady Ina in the grasp of aferocious, wild-looking man, who was endeavouring to drag her up thesteep cliff, while she resisted with all her power, calling her page toher assistance. Conrin fruitlessly attempted to reach the upper ledge,for the slender shrubs and herbage gave way in his hands as he clutchedthem. Trembling with agitation, he fell back to the spot from which hewas strenuously trying to climb.

  The man's appearance was, in truth, ferocious. Of gigantic height, hisface was almost covered with tangled dark locks hanging down from hishead, on which he wore a cap of undyed brown and white goat-skin, thelong hair of which, falling in front over his neck, added to thewildness of his features. His body was clothed in a tunic of the samematerial, and a long black cloak of goat's hair fell