The Circassian Chief: A Romance of Russia

There are yet some hours to dawn. Think on my vows, and promiseto obey my wishes. A word of yours would win my love again; else,before the sun mounts highest in the sky, you will have become a coldand senseless clod. I leave you now."

  The girl answered not, but looked disdainfully on the Count as heretired. Then, sinking on the hard log, she placed her hands before hereyes--to shut out something dreadful from her sight. A terrificstruggle seemed to take place in that tender, that loving, bosom, as ifthe agitated spirit were about to burst its tabernacle; but it passed,and she was calm--so calm that it seemed she slept.

  Volume 3, Chapter X.

  The morning came, the glorious sun rose undimmed by clouds, and naturewore a face of gladness; the birds sung sweetly from their leafycoverts, the refreshing dew which sprinkled the herbage, and theautumnal-tinted leaves, sparkled brightly. A light mist, rising fromthe lowlands, faded away, and left the landscape more clear and lovelyfrom the contrast.

  The prisoners were led forth from their places of confinement. Theirtrial commenced. Undauntedly they stood before all the highest officersof the garrison.

  Several soldiers declared that they had seen them fighting on the sideof the enemy. Neither of the prisoners would answer a word to theinterrogations made to them. Their sentence was passed. Death wasrecorded. Their guilt was clear, nor did they deign to sue for pardon.As their sentence was pronounced, Javis sprang forward with an imploringlook towards the president, and was again about to utter someexclamation; but a glance from the supposed page stopped him, and,dejectedly he stepped back, turning a troubled and anxious eye towardshis companion, though he seemed perfectly resigned to his own fate. TheBaron hurried over the proceedings with brutal haste; and the prisonerswere ordered forthwith to be led from the camp and shot as traitors toRussia.

  They were conducted from the tent where the court martial was held,between a file of soldiers, walking as firmly and composed as if theyhad forgotten that a few minutes more were to be their last.

  The fort, as we have before said, was erected on some elevated ground,at a short distance from the mountains, rising like an island from theplains and marshes of the Kouban. The intervening space between thefort and the mountain, was one uninterrupted meadow, unbroken by rocksor inclosures. The spot selected for the cruel execution, was on agreen slope reaching from the entrenchments to the plain facing themountains; and here a body of the troops were now drawn up while theremainder continued at their labours digging the entrenchments, anderecting the requisite buildings for barracks and store houses, inpreparation for the coming winter.

  At a short distance from the fort, a foraging party in compact order,accompanied by artillery and cavalry were seen marching along the plain,from the direction of the Kouban, unaware of the execution about to takeplace.

  The Baron had sternly commanded the Count Erintoff to lead the troopsdestined for the execution, though it seemed that he would willinglyhave escaped the office; but he was compelled to obey: and he now stoodat the head of his regiment, drawn up in line on the green slope we havedescribed, the firing party a little in advance of the other troops.The General himself stood at some distance on the newly raisedembankments of the fort, pacing to and fro, with a dark frown on hisbrow, and his eyes glancing restlessly around. As the young prisonerswere led out from the fort, they passed the spot where he stood. Hecommanded the party who guarded them to halt, and bring them before him.

  The disguised page wore the same stern look as on the previous day; buta brighter almost supernatural foe burned in her eye as she met that ofthe General. Javis advanced boldly with a firm tread and perfectcomposure; but as he turned his looks towards his companion, hisfeatures would become convulsed as if some pang of agony passed throughhis frame.

  "Prisoners," said the Baron, "you have but a few short moments to live;but, even now, I give you a chance of escape. Obey my orders, and Ipromise to pardon you. To you, boy, I speak first. Will you do as Iwish?"

  "Never!" answered the page in a deep firm voice. "I am prepared todie."

  "Then lead him on," cried the Baron furiously. "You, perchance, mayhave more wisdom," he continued, addressing Javis, "than yonderobstinate boy, who brings his own fate on himself. Will you save, notonly your own life, but his?"

  "I would save his life on any terms," exclaimed Javis; "but he would bethe first to blame me. For my own, I value it not. But, Oh! spare him,General, spare him for his youth alone. Ask him not to do that to whichhe cannot consent. You know not what you do in slaying him. Spare him,as you hope for mercy!"

  "Lead off the audacious rebel," cried the Baron furiously. "Let the boybe shot first," he added, addressing an officer who waited his commands."I can gain nought from him; and let his companion witness his fate:perchance it will bring him to reason."

  There was not an officer in the camp who would not, if he could, havesaved the lives of those youths at this moment; but none dared speak;even the dull soldiers felt tears spring to their eyes. The wild Khan,who was on horseback in company with a troop of cavalry, looked on withastonishment; and, as he witnessed the noble bearing and bravery of theprisoners, even he repented that he had brought this untimely fate uponthem, until he remembered that it was by the hand of one of them thathis brother fell. But of all the party the Count Erintoff seemed themost affected. His countenance was as pale as death; he dared not turnhis eye towards the prisoners. He felt himself to be a wretch cursed byheaven; a cold-blooded murderer, instigated by the basest, the blackestrevenge. The prisoners had reached the fatal spot, and the youngest wasplaced upon the ground, while Javis was led aside: they exchangedglances, but neither spoke. The supposed page heaved a deep-drawn sighas she saw the glance of agony which the faithful Javis--of whose deathshe was too truly the cause--cast towards her.

  A soldier advanced to bind her eyes.

  "No," she cried, putting the handkerchief aside. "I would look my lastupon the bright blue heavens, to which my spirit so soon must fly. Ican face death as fearlessly as the oldest-soldier present. Let my eyesat least be at liberty, to the last."

  The soldier looked towards his officer, who ordered him to follow theprisoner's wishes, and he returned to the ranks.

  All was prepared. The girl stood undaunted; but her eyes wanderedtowards the mountains with an anxious glance. What does she see there?Is it the sun which sparkles on the shining leaves of the forest? Shestands entranced, regardless of her executioners; for a band ofsteel-clad warriors, their swords flashing in the sun like a foamingtorrent, sweep downward from the mountain's brow. The wood is full ofthem. On every side they pour forth from amid the trees. At their headrides one urging on his steed at its utmost speed, and waving aloft hissabre. The eye of love distinguishes him from afar, before theRussians, intent on the scene of execution, have perceived their danger.The prisoner uttered a cry of joy. "Thank thee, Great Spirit, that Isee that loved one ere I die!" she exclaimed. "Yes! yes! I'll joinyou, in spite of these tyrants!"

  Forgetful of her situation, forgetful of all but that he whom she lovedwas approaching to her rescue, she lifted up her arms to rush to meethim. It was the signal of her death; and Javis, breaking from hisguards, sprang forward and threw himself before her.

  At that moment the foraging party reached the fort, when a soldierrushed forward from the ranks to where the Baron stood.

  "Hold! hold!" he cried with fierce excitement. "Stay the execution.Barbarous chief! you know not what you do! Stay, or you will murderyour own daughter, who was carried off from you by the dwarf Ladislau;she was placed in my hands for her mother's sake, a daughter of mytribe. Know me as the Gipsy Conrad."

  The Baron seemed as one who heard him not; he was astounded, and gazedwildly at the speaker. His faculties were paralysed; his limbstrembled. The precious moments flew by. He lifted his arm.

  "Stay the execution!" he shrieked. But ere the words were uttered, therattle of musketry was heard. The smoke hung like a funeral pall overthe spot, as, rush
ing towards it, the fierce Baron fell senseless nearthe slaughtered form of his daughter, the Gipsy girl, Azila; and by herside lay the body of her humble, devoted, and despised lover, Javis.

  The alarm was given that the enemy were upon them. There was no time toretreat to their entrenchments. Fast and furious came the mountainhorsemen. The drums beat to arms, the soldiers rushed to man the guns,and to seize their weapons. The troops drawn up outside wheeled toreceive the shock from the furious charge of the foe, the cavalryadvanced to meet them; but they were like reeds bent beneath the tiger'sspring. Men and horses trembled at the wild war shriek. None couldwithstand that desperate onset; and the first, the foremost who fell,was the traitor Khan, cut down by the sword of Thaddeus.

  "A well-timed blow, brave Pole," cried the Hadji, as he swept by tocharge the Russians.