small chamber ventilated by anaperture in the roof. It had evidently been formed with great labourand perseverance for the purpose it was now to be put to, and wascapable of containing three or more persons without inconvenience.
"If the police discover us here, your wounded friend must also takerefuge within this place; and they will have more wit than I give themcredit for, if they espy him. Hark! I hear footsteps; surely none canhave betrayed me. If so, all is lost."
Scarcely were the words uttered, than a thundering attack of blows washeard at the door, and a voice loudly demanding admittance in the nameof the Emperor. The conspirator turned pale with terror, and rushedtowards the entrance of the concealed chamber.
"Stay," said Azila, "would you leave your wounded comrade to perish,while you secure your own retreat? First place him in safety, and allwill be well; fear not, for I will soon manage to get rid of ourunwelcome visitors."
Ivan thanked her with a look of gratitude, as the conspirator, followingher directions, with the feeble aid of the old man, lifted him throughthe narrow aperture, and laid him on some straw hastily thrown together;when Azila, carefully closing the entrance, prepared to receive theemissaries of justice. She threw a cloak over her head and shoulders,so as completely to cover her form and features, busying herself overthe fire, as if watching some culinary operation, while the old manemployed himself in slowing unbarring the door, muttering and growlingas if just aroused from sleep.
A second and more impatient summons made him hasten to withdraw thebolts, when the door flew open, almost knocking him down, and a party ofthe police rushed into the vault, but started back confounded, onbeholding who were its sole occupants.
Azila's watchful eye marked the servant of Count Erintoff--the ruffianKruntz, among the party.
"Well, I could have sworn," said the man; "that I saw some person enterhere not a quarter of an hour ago; and I know that he could not haveagain escaped without my seeing him."
"This is strange," said the leader of the police, "we must question theold man, if he has sense enough to understand us. Here, old man! hasany one lately left this mansion of yours?"
"Few come to visit one overcome with age and infirmities, who dwells ina dark vault where the light of day scarcely enters," said the hermit;"no, no! they leave me alone to die in peace and quiet, it is all Irequire. What is it that you desire of me, gentlemen? can I do aught toserve you? I have, indeed, little to offer!"
"Cease your prating, old man!" said the officer, "and listen to what Isay. A foul plot has just been discovered, and some of the conspiratorshave taken refuge in this neighbourhood. Now harken! I am not to betrifled with: you, old man, know somewhat of them."
"Woe is the day, that such things should be!" cried the old man. "Lookaround--see! none are here; there must be some mistake."
"We shall prove it," exclaimed the police officer, who, exasperated atthe chance of his prey escaping him, produced a thick leathern thong,with which he struck the aged hermit a violent blow across theshoulders; "this will refresh your wits and ideas perchance. Say!can'st thou now remember, old knave; or must another blow yet reviveyou?"
"I cannot speak more than the truth," said the old man, meekly, andbowing before the petty tyrant, too well accustomed to such deeds."Your stripes can draw no more than the truth from me, I know not ofwhom you speak."
"Is it so!" cried the officer, now growing furious at hisdisappointment, and having strong suspicions that he had, in some way,been deceived. "We shall see what efficacy there is in leather to drawthe truth from you," aiming at the same time several more blows at theold man, which made him shrink down cowering before the barbarian,though he uttered no words of complaint, nor could the slightestinformation be elicited from him.
Since the entrance of the myrmidons of police, Azila had kept her seatapparently unnoticed, bending down her head before the fire, her cloakconcealing her features so effectually that none could know them; at thesame time keeping a watchful eye on those whose presence caused suchrisk to Ivan's safety; hoping that a woman's wit, in case of necessity,would lead them astray. She now, however, could no longer contain herindignation at the cowardly assault by the police officer on thedefenceless and decrepit old man, for, suddenly rising from her seat,she boldly confronted the tyrant.
Drawing herself up to her full height, and assuming a look of prouddisdain, she thus addressed the brutal ruffian:
"Dastardly tyrant, can you not find some nobler object to vent yourunjust rage upon, and to display your power, than yonder decrepit oldman? Perchance you may deem a weak and helpless woman a fitter subjectfor the exercise of your proud prerogative, if so--strike! fear not! Ican bear as much as that infirm old man--perchance more. What! are youafraid? Then order some of your myrmidons to begin the attack; do theyalso lack courage? Oh! most brave and noble band to fear an old man,and young woman! Go your way then, if you have no better errand--orsearch here first, for what you want!"
The rough natures of the men were awed by the majestic air, andauthoritative manner of Azila, for they drew back to the entrance of thecavern; while their leader foamed with rage at finding himself baffledby a young girl; but he meditated revenge.
Azila had shewn much tact in drawing off the officer's anger from theold man to herself, and then working him into a fury, and increasing itso as to confuse his faculties, and prevent him from making a strictersearch, when the retreat of the two conspirators might by chance havebeen discovered. Her plan had well nigh succeeded, and the officer waspreparing to depart, when something seemed to strike him as left undone,and turning to the old man, he seized him roughly by the shoulderdemanding his name; the latter hesitating to give this at once, broughtupon himself a fresh shower of blows.
"Stay--stay your hand!" cried he, "do you demand my name? alas! mymemory is so bad that I can scarcely remember it; but I am calledOrenoff, and I live here on the charity which a few people, whose heartsare not yet turned to stone, bestow on me. My heart has undergone alike fate, else I could not bear your treatment."
While the old man was babbling away in this strain, the officer madenotes on paper, and presently turning to Azila, said:
"Now, Madam, you must give me some account of yourself, or else prepareto follow me. What do you here?"
"I answer your questions," replied Azila, "because forsooth, it pleasesme to do so. I came then to attend yonder weak, sick old man, and tobring him food and medicine, for he has none other to attend him."
"Whence do you come, then?" demanded the officer.
"From a noble and charitable lady," said Azila; "and perchance it mayoccur to your wisdom, that it was my cloak, which was seen entering thevault, and which your spies took for one of the conspirators!"
"If you can give no better account of yourself than this, you mustaccompany me forthwith," said the officer.
"But, should it not be my pleasure to leave, you may experience somedifficulty in compelling me," replied Azila.
The officer smiled grimly, and was stepping forward to seize her slightfigure, which could indeed have offered but a slight resistance to hisgrasp, when she exclaimed:
"Stand aside, and touch me at your peril!" producing at the same time apaper from her bosom. "Know you that signature?" she said. "Go yourway, and leave this old man to rest, who is too ill and infirm to movehence, and learn in future to exercise your bravery on objects capableof self-defence."
The police officer, with an abashed and scowling look, now prepared todepart; still however shewing some hesitation, as if doubtful of actingwisely; but a significant wave of Azila's hand, decided him to order hismen to withdraw, when they, glad to escape, soon made their exit throughthe narrow doorway of the vault, followed by their leader.
As their footsteps were heard receding, the old man hastened to closethe door, but was checked by Azila.
"No, father," she said, "let them not suppose that we have aught toconceal, by manifesting haste to shut them out, or they may perhapsreturn and renew t
heir search, although I think their brutal leaderwould rather not attempt it." Some minutes accordingly elapsed, ere thedoor was again closed and barred.
While this scene was taking place, Ivan's feelings may be betterconceived than described, as he lay concealed with his companion intheir narrow cell; first, on hearing the entrance of the police, andtheir treatment of the old man, and again when their leader threatenedto seize Azila. At first he felt inclined to rush out, and at all risksto arrest the barbarian, but the pain of his wound recalled him totimely reason, and he reflected that the act would not only sacrificehis companion and himself, but also indeed doubly commit his aged hostand Azila. The maiden appeared at the entrance of the cell, soon afterthe police had
The Circassian Chief: A Romance of Russia Page 30
