The Circassian Chief: A Romance of Russia, Page 2

Thaddeus!" cried Ivan, indignantly. "I blush to hear one,whom I call my friend, and who I trusted was formed for nobler purposes,confess himself ready to become the willing tool of a despot; for tothis does your declaration amount."

  Thaddeus laughed, and gave a shrug of his shoulders, as he replied--

  "Your emancipation from college, my dear Ivan, has, in truth,wonderfully expanded the liberality of your sentiments; and it is indeedfortunate that the idea had not there occurred to you of giving lectureson the rights and independence of man; they would have wonderfullyedified your hearers among the cadets, and made most admirable subjectsand soldiers of them for the Emperor; but your exertions in the cause ofliberty would not have gained you much credit in higher quarters."

  "Your foolish bantering," answered the excited Ivan, "is but a poorapology for your want of liberal principles. Nor am I the madman youwish to make me appear. You well know how much I detested the thraldomin which we were kept at college, and that I pursued my studies withredoubled efforts and perseverance, in order to emancipate myself assoon as possible from that irksome and hated state. To you, as a triedand only friend, I have now opened my mind, trusting to have had ahearer who would cordially agree in my sentiments; but it appears that Ihave been grievously mistaken, and I have learned a bitter lesson--totrust in no living soul!"

  The tones of the speaker's voice shewed that his anger had risen to sucha degree, that a reply in the former bantering strain would probablyhave caused a breach in the friendship of the two young men. Thaddeus,therefore, wisely endeavoured to calm his friend's anger byacknowledging the justness of his sentiments, and by promising to adoptthem himself if possible, when suddenly their attention was roused by asound, which seemed like a human voice shrieking for help, as from adistance the breeze conveyed it faintly to their ears. They had nowentered an extensive tract of open forest, the trees generally scatteredover the ground at some distance from each other, yet in many placesclustering together, surrounded by dense masses of thick and tangledunderwood.

  The young men seemed mutually to have banished the feelings raised bytheir late warm discussion, and instantly urged their horses at fullspeed in the direction whence they fancied the sound had proceeded, whena second faint cry, though appearing to come from a greater distance,assured them that they were following the right course.

  Their horses were greatly impeded by the rough and uncertain nature ofthe ground, and often they were obliged to make them leap over the furzeand straggling underwood, at the risk of descending into some unseencavity, or of plunging into a morass. Notwithstanding the numerousobstacles, they hurried on at increased speed, eager to render theirassistance; for they were confident that the piercing cry they had heardmust have been uttered by a woman in distress. They were just emergingfrom a clump of trees among which they had been entangled, when againthe cry was heard, loud and distinct, and at that instant they caughtsight of two horsemen galloping among the trees, one of whom bore afemale in his arms; these were followed by two men on foot running atfull speed. It was the work of some few minutes before they coulddisengage themselves from the thickets and brushwood, a delay whichafforded the party ahead of them an opportunity of increasing theirdistance; but, urging their horses with whip and spur over everyobstacle, and gaining the more clear around, they ere long overtook themen on foot, who, seeing their rapid approach, shouted loudly to theircompanions to return to their support. The latter, however, in lieu ofturning to render assistance, redoubled their speed, intent upon escape,and regardless of the loud cries of their overtaken followers. These,finding escape impossible, rushed forward to seize the bridles of theirpursuers' horses, but were so effectually attacked by the heavy whips ofthe two cavaliers, that they were fain, not only to loose their hold,but were completely disabled from following.

  Having thus got rid of these antagonists, the two friends set off inpursuit of the mounted ruffians, who were forcibly carrying away thefemale; her continued cries for assistance, indicating the track theyhad taken.

  The scene had become highly exciting. Before them lay an open forestglade, and it was now a trial of speed. The noble animals urged totheir utmost, dashed onwards, appearing to partake of the feelings whichanimated their riders.

  The ravishers, on the near approach of their pursuers, turned on theirsaddles, each levelling a pistol at his selected man; these, fearful ofwounding the female, would not venture to use their arms. Theunencumbered horseman discharged his pistol at Thaddeus, as the latterapproached; but, at the speed they rode, the aim was uncertain, and theball flew wide of its mark; before the villain had time to use a second,the young Pole struck him on the head with the butt-end of his whip,with so powerful and well directed a blow, as to force him from thesaddle, from which he fell heavily to the earth.

  At the same moment, his companion, on Ivan's attempting to seize hishorse's bridle, aimed a pistol at his breast; but that movement leavinghis victim free, she quickly disengaged her arm from the folds of thecloak which shrouded her, and struck aside the barrel of the weaponlevelled at her rescuer; the impulse, though feeble, was sufficient todivert its deadly aim; the ball nevertheless grazed Ivan's side. Thelatter succeeded, notwithstanding, in grasping the bridle of hisantagonist's horse, and the same delicate hand which had but a momentpreviously, in all probability saved his life, promptly snatched thepistol yet remaining in the ruffian's belt, and cast it to the ground.

  The man who had fired at Ivan, was now obliged to defend himself, andwas accordingly compelled to relax his hold of the girl, who, whenfalling from the saddle, was fortunately caught by Thaddeus. The latterhad thrown himself from his horse to prevent her sustaining any seriousinjury, which, closely engaged as Ivan was with his adversary, he had nopower to avert.

  Giddy from the pain of his wound, and loss of blood, Ivan loosened hisgrasp of the rein he had seized; this being perceived by his antagonist,he plunged his spurs into his horse's flanks, and dashed off at headlongspeed into the depths of the forest, where pursuit was entirely useless.

  The young men, left victors of the field, now turned their attention tothe fair creature whom their gallantry had so opportunely rescued; andwell did the extreme beauty of her form and features merit the looks ofsurprise and admiration with which they regarded her.

  Her appearance was indeed unusual, and though they saw at once, that shewas not one of the exalted and proud ones of the land, they internallyconfessed, that she was well worthy of that distinction. The agitationof the scene had caused the rich blood to mantle on her brow andbeautifully oval cheeks, the complexion of which was of a clear, thoughslightly tinted olive, while her large sparkling black eyes, moist withtears, were now beaming with a look of gratitude, as bending on herknees, she attempted to kiss the hands of her deliverers, who preventedher from paying them this homage. Her glossy black locks, bound by asilver fillet on her high and polished brow, were uncovered, and hungdown in long ringlets on her neck, nearly reaching to her slender waist.A light blue cloak thrown over her shoulders, and a vest and petticoatof red cloth trimmed with silver, completed her fantastic, but elegantand rich attire.

  The character of her strange costume, and her dark expressive features,proclaimed her to be of that extraordinary race now wandering over thegreater part of the old world, who profess to trace their origin fromthe aboriginal inhabitants of Egypt; retaining the same language andcustoms from age to age, and ever keeping distinct from the people inwhose territories they pass their migratory lives.

  The scene we have described, passed in the course of a few moments,during which time the young men had become entire masters of the field;one villain, who by his dress and manners, appeared to be of a rank farabove his companions, had fled; the other still remained senseless onthe earth, from the stunning blow Thaddeus had dealt him; while the twomen, whom they had first attacked, lay in a similar plight at aconsiderable distance.

  Astonishment kept her deliverers silent, as they gazed with admirationon the Gipsy girl, for her de
licate features and slight airy figureshewed her extreme youth; she was accordingly the first to speak, whenshe found herself prevented by them from expressing her feelings ofgratitude in the way she wished.

  "Though you may deem, gentle Sirs, that the thanks of a humble Gipsygirl can be but of little worth," she said, "oh! believe me, that fromthe depth of my heart, I am grateful to you, for having saved me fromworse than death, for well do I know the vile nature of the man fromwhom you have rescued me. But let me entreat you, haste from hence, orthe ruffian noble who has escaped, will return with a band of hisfollowers trained to evil, and will thus not only render your generousand timely aid unavailing, by again getting me into his power, but hisreturn may bring destruction on yourselves."

  "Fear not for us;" cried Thaddeus, "for your sake, lovely maiden, wewould face a hundred foes; and think not that such an arrant coward, asyonder