CHAPTER X
THE HAMARI
The love of all things living which was so positively a trait ofcharacter with the Princess Irene was never stinted in her dealingswith her own country folk. On this occasion her whole establishment atTherapia was accorded her guests; yet, while they wandered at willmerry-making through the gardens, and flashed their gay colors alongthe side and from the summit of the promontory, they seemed to haveunited in holding the palace in respectful reserve. None of them,without a special request, presumed to pass the first of the stepsleading up into the building.
When Sergius, approaching from the outer gate, drew nigh the front ofthe palace, he was brought to a stop by a throng of men and womenpacked around a platform the purpose of which was declared by its use.It was low, but of generous length and breadth, and covered with freshsail-cloth; at each corner a mast had been raised, with yard-arms wellsquared, and dressed profusely in roses, ferns, and acacia fronds. On agallery swung to the base of the over-pending portico, a troupe ofmusicians were making the most of flute, cithara, horn, andkettle-drum, and not vainly, to judge from the flying feet of thedancers in possession of the boards.
Lifting his eyes above the joyous exhibition, he beheld the carvencapitals of the columns, tied together with festoonery of evergreens,and relieved by garlands of shining flowers, and above the musicians,under a canopy shading her from the meridian sun, the Princess Ireneherself. A bright carpet hanging down the wall enriched the positionchosen by her, and in the pleasant shade, surrounded by young women,she sat with uncovered head and face, delighted with the music and thedancing--delighted that it was in her power to bring together so manysouls to forget, though so briefly, the fretting of hard conditionsdaily harder growing. None knew better than she the rapidity of thenational decadence.
It was not long until the young hostess noticed Sergius, taller of hishigh hat and long black gown; and careless as usual of theconventionalities, she arose, and beckoned to him with her fan; and thepeople, seeing whom she thus honored, opened right and left, and withgood-will made way for him. Upon his coming her attendants drewaside--all but one, to whom for the moment he gave but a passing look.
The Princess received him seated. The youthful loveliness of hercountenance seemed refined by the happiness she was deriving from thespectacle before her. He took the hand she extended him, kissed itrespectfully, with only a glance at the simple but perfected Greek ofher costume, and immediately the doubts, and fears, and questions, andlectures in outline he had brought with him from the city dropped outof mind. Suspicion could not look at her and live.
"Welcome, Sergius," she said, with dignity. "I was afraid you would notcome to-day."
"Why not? If my little mother's lightest suggestions are laws with me,what are her invitations?"
For the first time he had addressed her by the affectionate term, andthe sound was startling. The faintest flush spread over her cheek,admonishing him that the familiarity had not escaped attention. Greatlyto his relief, she quietly passed the matter.
"You were at the _Pannychides?_" she asked.
"Yes, till daybreak."
"I thought so, and concluded you would be too weary to see us to-day.The Mystery is tedious."
"It might become so if too frequently celebrated. As it was, I shallnot forget the hillside, and the multitude of frocked and cowledfigures kneeling in the dim red light of the torches. The scene wasawful."
"Did you see the Emperor?"
She put the question in a low tone.
"No," he returned. "His Majesty sent for our Hegumen to come to theChapel. The good man took me with him, his book and torch bearer; butwhen we arrived, the Emperor had passed in and closed the door, and Icould only imagine him on his knees alone in the room, except as therelics about him were company."
"How unspeakably dismal!" she said with a shudder, adding in sorrowfulreflection, "I wish I could help him, for he is a prince with a tenderconscience; but there is no way--at least Heaven does not permit me tosee anything for him in my gift but prayer."
Sergius followed her sympathetically, and was surprised when shecontinued, the violet gray of her eyes changing into subtle fire. "Asky all cloud; the air void of hope; enemies mustering everywhere onland; the city, the court, the Church rent by contendingfactions--behold how a Christian king, the first one in generations, isplagued! Ah, who can interpret for Providence? And what a miracle isprophecy!"
Thereupon the Princess bethought herself, and cast a hurried glance outover the garden.
"No, no! If these poor souls can forget their condition and be happy,why not we? Tell me good news, Sergius, if you have any--only the good.But see! Who is he making way through the throng yonder? And what is ithe is leading?"
The transition of feeling, though sudden and somewhat forced, wassuccessful; the Princess' countenance again brightened; and turning tofollow her direction, Sergius observed Lael, who had not fallen backwith the other attendants. The girl had been a modest listener; nowthere was a timid half smile on her face, and a glistening welcome inher eyes. His gaze stopped short of the object which had inspired hishostess with such interest, and dropped to the figured carpet at theguest's feet; for the feeling the recognition awakened was clouded withthe taunt Demedes had flung at him in the hall of the monastery, and hequestioned the rightfulness of this appearance. If she were not thedaughter of the Prince of India, she was an--impostor was the word inhis mind.
"I was expecting you," she said to him, artlessly.
Sergius raised his face, and was about to speak, when the Princessstarted from her seat, and moved to the low balustrade of the portico.
"Come," she called, "come, and tell me what this is."
Sergius left a friendly glance with Lael.
Where the roadway from the gate led up to the platform an opening hadbeen made in the close wall of spectators attracted by the music anddancing. In the opening, the hamari was slowly coming forward, histurban awry, his brown face overrun and shining with perspiration, hissharp gypsy eyes full of merriment. With the leading strap over ashoulder, he tugged at Joqard. Sergius laughed to see the surprise ofthe men and women, and at the peculiar yells and screams with whichthey struggled to escape. But everybody appearing in good nature, hesaid to the Princess: "Do not be concerned. A Turk or Persian with atrained bear. I passed him at the gate."
He saw the opportunity of speaking about the brass plate on the post,and while debating whether to avail himself of it, the hamari caughtsight of the party at the edge of the portico, stopped, surveyed them,then prostrated himself in the abjectest Eastern manner. The homage wasof course to the Princess--so at least the assemblage concluded; andjumping to the idea that the bear-keeper had been employed by her fortheir divertisement, each man in the company resolved himself into anally and proceeded to assist him. The musicians were induced to suspendtheir performance, and the dancers to vacate the platform; then, anynumber of hands helping them up, Joqard and his master were promoted tothe boards, sole claimants of attention and favor.
The fellow was not in the least embarrassed. He took position on theplatform in front of the Princess, and again saluted her Orientally,and with the greatest deliberation, omitting no point of theprostration. Bringing the bear to a sitting posture with folded paws,he bowed right and left to the spectators, and made a speech inlaudation of Joqard. His grimaces and gesticulation kept the crowd in aroar; when addressing the Princess, his manner was respectful, evencourtierly. Joqard and he had travelled the world over; they had beenthrough the Far East, and through the lands of the Frank and Gaul; theyhad crossed Europe from Paris to the Black Sea, and up to the Crimea;they had appeared before the great everywhere--Indian Rajahs, TartarKhans, Persian Shahs, Turkish Sultans; there was no language they didnot understand. The bear, he insisted, was the wisest of animals, themost susceptible of education, the most capable and willing in service.This the ancients understood better than the moderns, for inrecognition of his superiority they had twice exalted him to
theHeavens, and in both instances near the star that knew no deviation.The hamari was a master of amplification, and his anecdotes neverfailed their purpose.
"Now," he said, "I do not care what the subject of discourse may be;one thing is true--my audience is always composed of believers andunbelievers; and as between them"--here he addressed himself to thePrincess--"as between them, O Most Illustrious of women, my difficultyhas been to determine which class is most to be feared. Everyphilosopher must admit there is quite as much danger in the man whowithholds his faith when it ought to be given, as in his opposite whohurries to yield it without reason. My rule as an auditor is to waitfor demonstration. So"--turning to the assemblage--"if here any man orwoman doubts that the bear is the wisest of animals, and Joqard themost learned and accomplished of bears, I will prove it." Then Joqardwas called on.
"For attend, O Illustrious Princess!--and look ye, O men and women,pliers of net and boat!--look ye all! Now shall Joqard himself speakfor Joqard."
The hamari began talking to the bear in a jargon utterly unintelligibleto his hearers, though they fell to listening with might and main, andwere silent that they might hear. Nothing could have been more earnestthan his communications, whatever they were; at times he put an armabout the brute's neck; at times he whispered in its ear; and in returnit bowed and grunted assent, or growled and shook its head in refusal,always in the most knowing manner. In this style, to appearance, he wastelling what he wanted done. Then retaining the leading strap, themaster stepped aside, and Joqard, left to himself, proceeded to provehis intelligence and training by facing the palace, bringing his armsoverhead, and falling forward. Everybody understood the honor intendedfor the Princess; the bystanders shouted; the attendants on the porticoclapped their hands, for indeed never in their remembrance had theprostration been more profoundly executed. Arising nimbly the performerwheeled about, reared on his hind feet, clasped his paws on his head,and acknowledged the favor of the commonalty by resolving himself intoa great fur ball, and rolling a somersault. The acclamation becametumultuous. One admirer ran off and returned with an armful of wreathsand garlands, and presently Joqard was wearing them royally.
With excellent judgment the hamari proceeded next to hurry theexhibition, passing from one trick to another almost without pauseuntil the wrestling match was reached. This has been immemorially thereliable point in performances of the kind he was giving, but heintroduced it in a manner of his own.
Standing by the edge of the platform, as the friend and herald ofJoqard, he first loudly challenged the men before him, every oneambitious of honor and renown, to come up and try a fall; and upontheir hanging back, he berated them. Wherever a tall man stoodobservable above the level of heads, he singled him out. Failing tosecure a champion, he finally undertook the contest himself.
"Ho, Joqard," he cried, while tying the leading strap around thebrute's neck, "thou fearest nothing. Thy dam up in the old Caucasiancave was great of heart, and, like her, thou wouldst not quail beforeHercules, were he living. But thou shalt not lick thy paws and laugh,thinking Hercules hath no descendant."
Retiring a few steps he tightened the belt about his waist, and drewhis leathern jacket closer.
"Get ready!" he cried.
Joqard answered promptly and intelligently by standing up and facinghim, and in sign of satisfaction with the prospect of an encounter soto his taste, he lolled the long red tongue out of his jaws. Was helicking his chops in anticipation of a feast or merely laughing? Thebeholders became quiet; and Sergius for the first time observed howvery low in stature the hamari seemed.
"Look out, look out! O thou with the north star in the tip of thy tail!I am coming--for the honor of mankind, I am coming."
They danced around each other watching for an opening. "Aha! Now thouthinkest to get the advantage. Thou art proud of thy fame, and cunning,but I am a man. I have been in many schools. Look out!"
The hamari leaped in and with both hands caught the strap looped aroundJoqard's neck; at the same time he was himself caught in Joqard's readyarms. The growl with which the latter received the attack was angry,and lent the struggle much more than a mere semblance of danger. Roundand about they were borne; now forward, then back; sometimes they werelikely to tumble from the boards. The hamari's effort was to chokeJoqard into submission; Joqard's was to squeeze the breath out of thehamari's body; and they both did their parts well.
After some minutes the man's exertions became intermittent. A littlefurther on the certainty of triumph inspired Joqard to fierceutterances; his growls were really terrible, and he hugged somercilessly his opponent grew livid in the face. The women and childrenbegan to cry and scream, and many of the men shouted in genuine alarm:"See, see! The poor fellow is choking to death!" The excitement andfear extended to the portico; some of the attendants there, unable toendure the sight, fled from it. Lael implored Sergius to save thehamari. Even the Princess was undecided whether the acting was real oraffected.
Finally the crisis came. The man could hold out no longer; he let gohis grip on the strap, and, struggling feebly to loose his body fromthe great black arms, shouted hoarsely: "Help, help!" As if he had notstrength to continue the cry, he threw his hands up, and his head backgasping.
The Princess Irene covered her eyes. Sergius stepped over thebalustrade; but before he could get further, a number of men were onthe stage making to the rescue. And seeing them come, the hamari laidone hand on the strap, and with the other caught the tongue protrudingfrom Joqard's open jaws; as a further point in the offensive sosuddenly resumed, he planted a foot heavily on one of his antagonist's.Immediately the son of the proud Caucasian dam was flat on the boardssimulating death.
Then everybody understood the play, and the merriment was heightened bythe speech the hamari found opportunity to make his rescuers beforethey could recover from their astonishment and break up the tableauthey formed. The Princess, laughing through her tears, flung the victorsome gold pieces, and Lael tossed her fan to him. The prostrations withwhich he acknowledged the favors were marvels to behold.
By and by, quiet being restored, Joqard was roused from his trance, andthe hamari, calling the musicians to strike up, concluded theperformance with a dance.
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