by Talbot Mundy
“Ah-h-h!” he exclaimed, using the back of his hand to wipe mobile lips. “Not since I drank in Tony’s have I tasted that stuff! The taste makes me homesick for what never was my home, nor ever can be! Tony’s — ah!”
“What Tony’s?” demanded Will, emerging from whispered interludes with Gloria like a man coming out of a dream.
“Tony’s down near the Battery.”
“What — the Battery, New York — ?”
“Where else? Tony was a friend of mine. Tony lent me money when I landed in the States without a coin. It was right that I should take a last drink with Tony before I came away forever.”
Fred reached into the corner for a lump of wood and set it down suggestively before the fire. Kagig accepted and sat down on it, stretching his legs out rather wearily.
“I noticed you’ve been remembering your English much better than at first,” said Will. “Go on, man, tell us!”
Kagig cleared his throat and warmed himself while his eyes seemed to search the flames for stories from a half-forgotten past.
“Weren’t the States good enough for you?” Will suggested, by way of starting him off.
“Good enough? Ah!” He made all eight fingers crack like castanets. “Much too good! How could I live there safe and comfortable — eggs and bacon — clean shirt — good shoes — an apartment with a bath in it — easy work — good pay — books to read — kindness — freedom — how could I accept all that, remembering my people in Armenia?”
He ran his fingers through his hair, and stared in the fire again — remembering America perhaps.
“There was a time when I forgot. All young men forget for a while if you feed them well enough. The sensation of having money in my pocket and the right to spend it made me drunk. I forgot Armenia. I took out what are called first papers. I was very prosperous — very grateful.”
He lapsed into silence again, holding his head bowed between his hands.
“Why didn’t you become a citizen?” asked Will.
“Ah! Many a time I thought of it. I am citizen of no land — of no land! I am outlaw here — outlaw in the States! I slew a Turk. They would electrocute me in New York — for slaying the man who — have you heard me tell what happened to my mother, before my very eyes? Well — that man came to America, and I slew him!”
“Why did you leave Armenia in the first place?” asked Gloria, for he seemed to need pricking along to prevent him from getting off the track into a maze of silent memory.
“Why not? I was lucky to get away! That cursed Abdul Hamid had been rebuked by the powers of Europe for butchering Bulgars, so he turned on us Armenians in order to prove to himself that he could do as he pleased in his own house. I tell you, murder and rape in those days were as common as flies at midsummer! I escaped, and worked my passage in the stoke-hole of a little merchant steamer — they were little ships in those days. And when I reached America without money or friends they let me land because I had been told by the other sailors to say I was fleeing from religious persecution. The very first day I found a friend in Tony. I cleaned his windows, and the bar, and the spittoons; and he lent me money to go where work would be plentiful. Those were the days when I forgot Armenia.”
He began to forget our existence again, laying his face on his forearms and staring down at the floor between his feet.
“What brought it back to memory?” asked Gloria.
“The Turk brought it back — Fiamil — who bought my mother from four drunken soldiers, and ill-treated her before my eyes. He came to the Turkish consulate, not as consul but in some peculiar position; and by that time I was thriving as head-waiter and part-owner of a New York restaurant. Thither the fat beast came to eat daily. And so I met him, and recognized him. He did not know me.
“Remember, I was young, and prosperous for the first time in all my life. You must not judge me by too up-right standards. At first I argued with myself to let him alone. He was nothing to me. I no longer believed in God. My mother was long dead, and Armenia no more my country. My money was accumulating in a savings bank. I was proud of it, and I remember I saw visions of great restaurants in every city of America, all owned by me! I did not like to take any step that should prevent that flow of money into the savings bank.
“But Fiamil inflamed my memory, and I saw him every day. And at last it dawned on me what his peculiar business in America must be. He was back at his old games, buying women. He was buying American young women to be shipped to Turkey, all under the seal of consular activity. One day, after he had had lunch and I had brought him cigarettes and coffee, he made a proposal. And although I did not care very deeply for the women of a free land who were willing to be sold into Turkish harems, nevertheless, as I said, he inflamed my memory. A love of Armenia returned to me. I remembered my people, I remembered my mother’s shame, and my own shame.
“After a little reflection I agreed with Fiamil, and met him that night in an up-stairs room at a place he frequented for his purposes. I locked the door, and we had some talk in there, until in the end he remembered me and all the details of my mother’s death. After that I killed him with a corkscrew and my ten fingers, there being no other weapon. And I threw his body out of the window into the gutter, as my mother’s body had been thrown, myself escaping from the building by another way.
“Not knowing where to hide, I kept going — kept going; and after two days I fell among sportmen — cow-punchers they called themselves, who had come to New York with a circus, and the circus had gone broke. To them I told some of my story, and they befriended me, taking me West with them to cook their meals; and for a year I traveled in cow camps. In those days I remembered God as well as Armenia, and I used to pray by starlight.
“And Armenia kept calling — calling. Fiamil had wakened in me too many old memories. But there was the money in the savings bank that I did not dare to draw for fear the police might learn my address, yet I had not the heart to leave behind.
“So I took a sportman into my confidence, and told him about my money, and why I wanted it. He was not the foreman, but the man who took the place of foreman when the real foreman was too drunk — the hungriest man of all, and so oftenest near the cook-fire. When I had told him, he took me to a township where a lawyer was, and the lawyer drew up a document, which I signed.
“Then the sportman — his name was Larry Atkins, I remember — took that document and went to draw the money on my behalf. And that was the last I saw of him. Not that he was not sportman — all through. He told me in a letter afterward that the police arrested him, supposing him to be me, but that he easily proved he was not me, and so got away with the money. Enclosed in the package in which the letter came were his diamond ring and a watch and chain, and he also sent me an order to deliver to me his horse and saddle.
“He explained he had tried to double my money by gambling, but had lost. Therefore he now sent me all he had left, a fair exchange being no robbery. Oh, he was certainly sportman!
“So I sold his watch and chain and the horse — but the diamond ring I kept — behold it! — see, on Maga’s hand! — it was a real diamond that a woman had given him; and with the proceeds I came back to Armenia. In Armenia I have ever since remained, with the exception of one or two little journeys in time of war, and one or two little temporary hidings, and a trip into Persia, and another into Russia to get ammunition.
“How have I lived? Mostly by robbery! I rob Turks and all friends of Turks, and such people as help make it possible for Turks as a nation to continue to exist! I — we — I and my men — we steal a cartridge sooner than a piaster — a rifle sooner than a thousand roubles! Outlaws must live, and weapons are the chief means! I am the brains and the Eye of Zeitoon, but I have never been chieftain, and am not now. Observe my house — is it not empty? I tell you, if it had not been for my new friend Monty there would have been six or seven rival chieftains in Zeitoon to-night! As it is, they sulk in their houses, the others, because Monty has rallied all the
fighting men to me! Now that Monty has come I think there will be unity forever in Zeitoon!”
He turned toward Monty with a gesture of really magnificent approval.
Caesar never declined a crown with greater dignity.
“You, my brother, have accomplished in a few days what I have failed to do in years! That is because you are sportman! Just as Larry Atkins was sportman! He sent me all he had, and could not do more. I understood him. Why did he do it? Simply sportman — that is all! Why do you do this? Why do you throw your life into the hot cauldron of Zeitoon? Because you are sportman! And my people see, and understand. They understand, as they have never understood me! I will tell you why they have never understood me. This is why:
“I have always kept a little in reserve. At one time money in a bank. At another time money buried. Sometimes a place to run and hide in. Now and then a plan for my own safety in case a defense should fail. Never have I given absolutely quite all, burning all my bridges. Had I been Larry Atkins I would not have gambled with the money of a man who trusted me; but, having lost the money, I would not have sent my diamond and the watch and chain! Neither, if the horse and saddle bad been within my reach would I have sent an order to deliver those! That is why Zeitoon has never altogether trusted me! Some, but never all, until to-night!
“My brother—”
He stood up, with the motions of a man who is stiff with weariness.
“I salute you! You have taught me my needed lesson!”
“I wonder!” whispered Fred to me. “Remember Peter at the fireside? Methinks friend Kagig doth too much protest! We’ll see. Nemesis comes swiftly as a rule.”
I shoved Fred off his balance, rolled him over, and sat on him, because cynicism and iconoclasm are twin deities I neither worship nor respect. But at times Fred Oakes is gifted with uncanny vision. While he struggled explosively to throw me off, the door began resounding to steady thumps, and at a sign from Kagig, Maga opened it.
There strode in nine Armenians, followed closely by one of the gipsies of Gregor Jhaere’s party, who whispered to Maga through lips that hardly moved, and made signals to Kagig with a secretive hand like a snake’s head. I got off Fred’s stomach then, and when he had had his revenge by emptying hot pipe ashes down my neck he sat close beside me and translated what followed word for word. It was all in Armenian, spoken in deadly earnest by hairy men on edge with anxiety and yet compelled to grudging patience by the presence of strangers and knowledge of the hour’s necessity.
When the gipsy had finished making signals to Kagig be sat down and seemed to take no further interest. But a little later I caught sight of him by the dancing fire-light creeping along the wall, and presently he lay down with his head very close to Rustum Khan’s. Nothing points more clearly to the clarifying tension of that night than the fact that Rustum Khan with his notions about gipsies could compel himself to lie still with a gipsy’s head within three inches of his own, and sham sleep while the gipsy whispered to him. I was not the only one who observed that marvel, although I did not know that at the time.
The nine Armenians who had entered were evidently influential men. Elders was the word that occurred as best describing them. They were smelly with rain and smoke and the close-kept sweat beneath their leather coats — all of them bearded — nearly all big men — and they strode and stood with the air of being usually heard when they chose to voice opinion. Kagig stood up to meet them, with his back toward the fire — legs astraddle, and hands clasped behind him.
“Ephraim says,” began the tallest of the nine, who had entered first and stood now nearest to Kagig and the firelight, “that you will yourself be king of Armenia!”
“Ephraim lies!” said Kagig grimly. “He always does lie. That man can not tell truth!”
Two of the others grunted, and nudged the first man, who made an exclamation of impatience and renewed the attack.
“But there is the Turk — the colonel whom your Indian friend took prisoner — he says—”
“Pah! What Turk tells the truth?”
“He says that the Indian — what is his name? Rustum Khan — was purposing to use him as prisoner-of-war, whereas in accordance with a private agreement made beforehand you were determined to make matters easy for him. He demands of us better treatment in fulfilment of promise. He says that the army is coming to take Zeitoon, and to make you governor in the Sultan’s name. He offered us that argument thinking we are your dupes. He thought to—”
“Dupes?” snarled Kagig. “How long have ye dealt with Turks, and how long with me, that ye take a Turk’s word against mine?”
“But the Turk thought we are your friends,” put in a harsh-voiced man from the rear of the delegation. “Otherwise, how should he have told us such a thing?”
“If he had thought you were my friends,” Kagig answered, “he would never have dared. If you had been my friends, you would have taken him and thrown him into Jihun River from the bridge!”
“Yet he has said this thing,” said a man who had not spoken yet.
“And none has heard you deny it, Kagig!” added the man nearest the door.
“Then hear me now!” Kagig shouted, on tiptoe with anger. Then he calmed himself and glanced about the room for a glimpse of eyes friendly to himself. “Hear me now. Those Turks — truly come to set a governor over Zeitoon. I forgot that the prisoner might understand English. I talked with this friend of mine — he made a gesture toward Monty. “Perhaps that Turk overheard, he is cleverer than he looks. I had a plan, and I told it to my friend. The Turk was near, I remember, eating the half of my dinner I gave him.”
“Have you then a plan you never told to us?” the first man asked suspiciously.
“One plan? A thousand! Am I wind that I should babble into heedless ears each thought that comes to me for testing? First it was my plan to arouse all Armenia, and to overthrow the Turk. Armenia failed me. Then it was my plan to arouse Zeitoon, and to make a stand here to such good purpose that all Armenia would rally to us. Bear me witness whether Zeitoon trusted me or not? How much backing have I had? Some, yes; but yours?
“So it was plain that if the Turks sent a great army, Zeitoon could only hold out for a little while, because unanimity is lacking. And my spies report to me that a greater army is on the way than ever yet came to the rape of Armenia. These handful of hamidieh that ye think are all there is to be faced are but the outflung skirmishers. It was plain to me that Zeitoon can not last. So I made a new plan, and kept it secret.”
“Ah-h-h! So that was the way you took us into confidence? Always secrets behind secrets, Kagig! That is our complaint!”
“Listen, ye who would rather suspect than give credit!” He used one word in the Armenian. “It was my plan — my new plan, that seeing the Turks insist on giving us a governor, and are able to overwhelm us if we refuse, then I would be that governor!”
“Ah-h-h! What did we say! Unable to be king, you will be governor!”
“I talked that over with my new friend, and he did not agree with me, but I prevailed. Now hear my last word on this matter: I will not be governor of Zeitoon! I will lead against this army that is coming. If you men prevent me, or disobey me, or speak against me, I will hang you — every one! I will accept no reward, no office, no emolument, no title — nothing! Either I die here, fighting for Zeitoon, or I leave Zeitoon when the fighting is over, and leave it as I came to it — penniless! I give now all that I have to give. I burn my bridges! I take inviolable oath that I will not profit! And by the God who fed me in the wilderness, I name my price for that and take my payment in advance! I will be obeyed! Out with you! Get out of here before I slay you all! Go and tell Zeitoon who is master here until the fight is lost or won!”
He seized a great firebrand and charged at them, beating right and left, and they backed away in front of him, protesting from under forearms raised to protect their faces. He refused to hear a word from them, and drove, them back against the door.
Strange to
say, it was Rustum Khan who gave up all further pretense at sleeping and ran round to fling the door open — Rustum Khan who took part with Kagig, and helped drive them out into the dark, and Rustum Khan who stood astraddle in the doorway, growling after them in Persian — the only language he knew thoroughly that they likely understood:
“Bismillah! Ye have heard a man talk! Now show yourselves men, and obey him, or by the beard of God’s prophet there shall be war within Zeitoon fiercer than that without! Take counsel of your women-folk! Ye—” (he used no drawing-room word to intimate their sex)— “are too full of thoughts to think!”
Then he turned on Kagig, and held out a lean brown hand. Kagig clasped it, and they met each other’s eyes a moment.
“Am I sportman?” Kagig asked ingenuously.
“Brother,” said Rustum Khan, “next after my colonel sahib I accept thee as a man fit to fight beside!”
We were all standing. A free-for-all fight had seemed too likely, and we had not known whether there were others outside waiting to reinforce the delegation. Rustum Khan sought Monty’s eyes.
“You have the news, sahib?”
Kagig laughed sharply, and dismissed the past hour from his mind with a short sweep of the hand.
“No. Tell me,” said Monty.
“The gipsy brought it. A whole division of the Turkish regular army is on the march. Their rear-guard camps to-night a day’s march this side of Tarsus. Dawn will find the main body within sight of us. Half a brigade has hurried forward to reenforce the men we have just beaten. Are there any orders?”
Fred’s face fell, and my heart dropped into my boots. A division is a horde of men to stand against.
“No,” said Monty. “No orders yet.”
“Then I will sleep again,” said Rustum Khan, and suited action to the word, laying his head on the same folded goat-skin he had used before and breathing deeply within the minute.
Nobody spoke. Rustum Khan’s first deep snore had not yet announced his comment on the situation, and we all stood waiting for Kagig to say something. But it was Peter Measel who spoke first.
