The Circassian Chief: A Romance of Russia
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yondersight enough to rejoice the breast of every foe to Russia?"
Selem turned his eyes in the direction his father indicated, where theground, in front of the Russian entrenchments, was strewn with theslain; so rapidly and surely had the Circassian sabres done their workamong the panic-stricken ranks. Few, if any, had reached the gates ofthe fort; for of those who escaped the first fierce onset, most had beenmowed down by the showers of grape and rockets fired by their owncountrymen. Many of the Circassians had fallen; but not one had beenleft on the field; every horseman seizing his comrade as he was woundedor slain, and bearing him on his steed from the ground.
The band of warriors, assembled in the forest overlooking the fort, keptthe garrison in a constant state of alarm; their swords and armour beingseen amid the trees, when any of them approached the skirts of the wood.
A council of war was now held. The Hadji proposed attacking the fortagain at once, rushing from their concealments, without a moment'swarning to the enemy, and leaping the trenches on their chargers, inspite of the shower of grape they might expect.
"Mashallah!" he cried, "they should soon learn how little use their bigguns would be, when we got at their tails, for they cannot kick as wellas bite."
Even Selem, generally cautious, as well as bold, eagerly seconded hisold friend's proposition; and Alp was employed in persuading most of hiscompanions to accompany him. But the proposition was overruled byArslan Gherrei, and the more prudent leaders, who considered the attemptwould be madness; as, to their cost, they had already found the fort sostrongly guarded with cannon; not one of their warriors having fallen,except by the destructive fire from the guns. It was at last agreed tostorm the fort at a future day, when the garrison would be unprepared toreceive them.
Selem, rousing himself from his grief, introduced the Gipsy chief as thefoster father of the slaughtered maiden, explaining to them his history.As there was now no further cause for delay, the band of warriorsprepared to leave the scene of their exploit; the Dehli Khans rushingforward, and waving their swords as a parting salute of defiance totheir foes.
Selem stood by the side of Azila's corpse. The Gipsy approached him.
"Let me take the office of bearing those remains," he said; "to you itwould be too severe a task."
Selem offered no resistance, as the Gipsy enveloped the body in hishorseman's cloak, and placed it before him on his saddle. A follower ofArslan Gherrei carried the body of Javis, in like manner; while Thaddeusrode by Selem's side, offering vain consolation to a heart so deeplywounded.
After riding some distance, the party separated; some to return to thecamp, and a few, among whom was Alp, to accompany Selem to the valley ofAbran Bashi.
Volume 3, Chapter XI.
It was a sad and mournful train which returned to the valley of AbranBashi, the scene but a few days before of the bridal festival and ofjoy. Selem had sent to announce his return to his sister, with anaccount of the sad catastrophe which had occurred. As the cortegeapproached the house of the chief, she, her woman, and the other femalesof the hamlet, came out to meet them; and into their hands the remainsof the slaughtered Azila were committed.
The Gipsy approached Selem, who, after embracing his sister, hadsauntered through the grove to indulge in his grief unseen.
"Young chief," he said, "where shall my poor child be buried?"
How sadly, how harshly did those words grate on Selem's ears! How manyunutterable thoughts of anguish and regret do they summon to the mind ofall! The closing for ever of some loved object from our view--the sadreality of death, before only looked on as a remote object!
"Would she not wish to lie in some secluded spot, where her spirit, thathad been sorely troubled in this life, might be at rest?"
"My friend," answered Selem, "there is near here a grove sacred to theone Great Spirit we all adore, whatever may be our religious creeds.None approach that spot with irreverent or light feelings, and thereshall Azila rest."
"Such would have been the spot she would have chosen," answered theGipsy. "And by her side we will place poor Javis. He well deserves tobe near her, for he might yet be alive, had he not thrown himself beforeher to receive the shot."
"He was truly faithful to the last," said Selem. "And yet it was ahappier fate for him to die. But, my friend, speak no more on thesubject. We must soon again haste to the exciting scenes of war, which,as men, befit us most. Know you where the people of your tribe arestationed, that we may endeavour to assist them in escaping from thefoe? They will be received by my countrymen with open arms, and you mayresume your former habits of independence, and your free mode of life.You will find here no tyrannical laws to restrict you, if you conform tothe simple habits and customs of my people; and you may again become thechief of your tribe."
"That can never be," answered the Gipsy. "My tribe are broken anddispersed; though the few who may escape from Russian thraldom, willobey me as of yore. But where are our women and children? Where ourcattle and our tents? I and my people will serve under you. Where yougo, we will go; and we will be faithful and true to you, until death."
"I could not wish for a more faithful follower than poor Javis proved,"answered Selem. "And I fear not but you will be equally true to me.Thus, gladly do I agree to the compact you propose."
After walking some way, side by side, a low and plaintive melody, waftedthrough the grove, reached their ears, and, returning, they found a agroup of veiled maidens standing round an open bier, on which lay, as ifreposing in a calm sleep, the body of Azila. Once more, ere the earthclosed over her for ever, she was clothed in the garments of her sex. Awhite veil was fastened to her hair, and lay on each side of her paleface that looked like some beautiful piece of sculptured marble. Herhands were joined on her breast, on which a rose was placed; a whiterobe enveloped her form, while flowers, fresh picked from the groves andmeadows, strewed the bier.
The maidens, with Ina weeping at their head, bore the body along,singing, in plaintive tones, a low dirge; while an aged minstrel, whopreceded the train, chaunted, at intervals, to the sound of his wildharp, an account of her death. A band of young men followed, carryingthe body of Javis, wrapped in his winding-sheet, on an open bier; and atthe end of each verse, they joined their voices in chorus to those ofthe females. Next followed Selem, Thaddeus, and many others of theyouths and maidens of the village, who had the day before beenperforming the same sad office to those who had fallen in the conflictwith the Khan.
When the mourning train reached the sacred grove, where the graves hadbeen already dug, they found the most venerable elder of the valleywaiting their arrival; and, as the bodies of the two young beings wereplaced in their last resting-place, he offered up prayers to the GreatSpirit for a quick translation of their souls to the realms of bliss,and a happy immortality; in which pious supplication the assembly allreverently joined.
The graves of the deceased were placed side by side beneath the shelterof an overhanging rock that projected from the steep slope of themountain. Two trees bent over the spot, entwining their boughs above.A small slab of stone was placed at the head of each grave; and on thetrees the maidens hung chaplets of wild flowers.
The stranger girl sleeps calmly in her early and bloody grave; nor hasher name departed from the memory of the mountaineers. Her romantichistory and sad fate are recorded in their songs, and chaunted amongtheir many wild and melancholy ballads, for which, alas! they have buttoo many subjects.
Those who came to perform the funeral ceremony were gone, and our heroremained. He thought alone, by the grave-side of her who had so deeplyadored him, and whom he, too late, had learned to love. He heard agentle sob; he looked up, his sister was beside him; he took her hand,but did not speak. The last time he had attended a funeral was whentheir mother was buried; and her dying injunctions recurred to him moreforcibly now that his heart was softened with sorrow.
Selem hitherto had felt that he was wanting in one of the greatrequisites, enthusiasm in the cause of rel
igion. He had never indeedthought deeply on the subject; and how could he, when engaged in abloody and revengeful war, be a follower of a creed which indicatedpeace and good-will towards all men? Had he not sworn never to sheathehis sword while a Russian remained in arms near them? How could heindeed hold up to the example of his countrymen a religion professed byfoes, who were engaged in openly breaking every precept it commanded, bythe unjust and exterminating war on the liberties of their country? Heknew that they would laugh his lessons to scorn, when he had no betterreasons to give them than those he could advance; and that they woulddespise him for his infatuation in proposing a creed which allowed itsprofessors to act as their enemies did towards them.
He felt, however, that his sister would not be swayed by theseconsiderations, when she heard that it was the faith in which theirmother died; and that it had been the last wish