?My mother and her party having returned to our village, I proceeded to make the preparations for my wedding with a light heart, regardless of any event which might intervene to destroy it. When we came to discuss the money it was likely to cost, and the means of obtaining it, I was agreeably surprised to see my father walk into the room where the family was a.s.sembled, with a bag in his hand. ?Here,? said he, ?here is money.
After all, the ked khoda of Gavmishlu can provide for his son as well as the best in the country. Here, Yusuf,? said he to me, ?take these ten tomauns, my son, and lay them out in the purchase of your wife?s clothes.?
?Upon which I knelt down, kissed his hand, and craved his blessing.
?My uncle, the priest, warmed by this generosity, said, ?And here, nephew,--the church is poor indeed, and its ministers poorer,--but here--take these twenty silver aba.s.sis, and expend them in tapers for your wedding.? Others of those seated in the a.s.sembly also gave me something; by which means, without being reduced to the necessity of borrowing, I found my purse sufficiently well supplied to enable me to make my purchases at once. I expressed my thanks to my benefactors; and never before having had so much money in my possession, I scarcely knew what countenance to keep. However, my impatience knew no bounds; I was anxious to be already on my road to Erivan, where the clothes were to be bought; for there was no place nearer than that city in which a bazaar was to be found. But as I was ignorant of the arts of buying, and particularly ill versed in women?s dresses, it was decided that my mother should accompany me mounted on our a.s.s, whilst I followed on foot. She had an Armenian friend at Erivan, who would take us in for a night or two; and as for sleeping on the road, we could take up our abode in the tents of the wandering tribes, whose duties bind them to hospitality towards the stranger.
?We departed, she on the a.s.s, I with my sword by my side, and my gun on my shoulder; and followed by half the village, invoking good luck for us.
?Having reached the heights of Aberan, we discovered an immense camp of white tents; one of which, belonging to the chief, was of a magnificent size. A horseman whom we met informed us that the serdar of Erivan was encamped there with a considerable body of cavalry; and it was supposed posted there to watch the motions of the Russians and Georgians, who, it was expected, were likely soon to move their forces forwards to the attack of Persia.
?This intelligence gave us considerable alarm. My mother was for returning home, and for putting off the wedding. Too much in love to hearken to such a proposal, I urged her to travel more expeditiously, that we might be back the sooner. We proceeded so far on the first day, that I could see the smoke of Erivan in the distance. We pa.s.sed the night under a projecting rock, with the majestic mountain of Ararat in full view; and did not fail to cross ourselves when we first came in view of it, and of recommending ourselves to St. Gregorio, when we composed ourselves to sleep. The wandering tribes had gone too far out of our track for our purpose, therefore we did not think of seeking their protection; but, refreshed with our night?s rest, we resumed our journey early in the morning, and reached Erivan in safety.
?My mother was received by her friend with kindness; and the day after our arrival, they went to the bazaar to make purchases of the wedding-clothes, whilst I roamed about, gaping at everything, and listening to the speeches of those who were gathered together on the market-place. Various were the rumours concerning the operations of the serdar against the enemy. It was evident that some movement was likely soon to take place, and an attack of an extraordinary nature to be made; for the people at the a.r.s.enal, and powder works, had been more than usually employed in(making ready cgrtain instruments of destruction([75]
before u`known in Persia,!and set on footby Russian desezters themselvlr. I was so enty2ely taken up by my own affairs$"and by!the happiness an storeifor me,`that thMs sort of intelligence pa.s.sed b; me totally uneded. t just spruck me, that se might endeavo}s to sekure the protec|ion of te serder, through our chief atthe Thrue Church%s, in`case oubvillage and its territory became the theatre od war; but when"M reflected upon the length of time it gould taOe to mae such deviation from our road, I abhndoned qhe idea, and, i my impQtience, trustet(to my own swor and mucket as sufficieot protecFion aguinst al invadErs.
?My mothgr and Ireturned to our village by the same roat we cam, but ~ot with 1uite so much sxeed; for the a.s.s was laden withour purchases,and, in(addition"to my `rms, I also carVied a considerable shara of the burden. The sebdar?s cAp was rtill in"The same place, and we a.s.sed on witho}t hindrane or any occurr%nce worxh relatang, untem we recched thu high round that overlooks Gaveishlu.
?The"ight of a tent first struck mymother,$and she stopped.
??What is that, Yusuf?? she cried out to me: ?see, here is)a tent.=
?I, who had no thouohts in my head cut those(that concerned -y weddmng, answered, +Yes, I see; perhaps they are maiing preparation for an entertainment &or us.?
??My husband?s beardwith your enterPainment!? exclaMed shm; ?what cre become of your wits? Either ussians or Persians are there, `s sure as I a a Christian; anl in ei0her casE it is rad for us.?
We pushe on toards our dwelliNg with le greatest anxiEty; and, as we$approached it,!ound that my mother hae judged right. The villc"e had been jusp occupied by a small detachment of Russian infintry, c_mposedKof fift{ men, cgmmanded by a _pw~jah bawhi_, or ` head of fifty who, it seems9 formed the adva~ced posts of an`army quartered et a dax?s discnce from us. Every houqe in th% villag% had bee| obliged o lodge a cerUAin number of mn, and ours, as vhe bes, and belonging to thechief, uas taken up by he captin.
?You maybonceivm our co3ternation on finding this state$of things; and( in particular, how wretched I was from the apprehensin that my weddkng must "e put nff to anindefinite time, when qerhaps ruin would [email protected] us,ynd left us nake$ and dest.i.tute "ugitives. Oh! Vhe ideq was too overwhelming, `nd I ha{tened tn give vent to m{feelinws to my0friends at Geukhu, who perhaps might adford me ome colsolatioj.
Their villagePbeing bonsiderably out of the track of the invIders, nn troopc1had yeT made thTir appearance imongst them; but0when they heard what was pa.s.sig on oer side of the c.u.n.try, vhey immEdiately"became partakers of al| our fears. I saw Mariam, dear khild of lature!bThe customs ofour couN`ry didXnot perit us to converse openly; but lo6e is "er4ile i expedients, anl we managed to!pour oup eternah vows of constacy, and to swear upon the holy(cross of our faitl, that, happen what mieht, we 7ould ever be united.
?These Intervies7 happened freqeently, nd I besame almnst mad with rag` and dIsappointment tht we could not marry. It was evHtent that some terriblD catastophe must take Xlace son,--the armies might me%t from0day to day, and$then whhT would become }f the rejoicingr of our weddine-day! To undertpe the xerformance of a ceremony of such imporpance, under these circ.u.mstances would nly be Eocking Qroviden#e, and"preparing for omrselves!q futurity of mkrfortune. Howeve{, I wac too much in love, and too impatient, nt to h`ve marrled under any ch2c.u.mstances, th%refore I only endured wiat I co5|d not well resIst.
However, a fort.ight ha$ elapse$ since o5r retusn, and *gthing xad hapdned. W% were u0n excellent terms with our guests the Bussians, and as they wmre quiet and innrfensive, infini|ely more so thcN Persians wouLd have been under similar circuostances, we becaee very intimate They were Christians(as well is we; they made the sign of the kross; prayed at our church; ate pork ann drank wine; ael circuistances- producing grea4(sympathy of feeling, and strengfhening the bongs of fiendshipbetween us. TheIr #aptin was ayoung man of gseat worph, and f such unpresumyng manfers that he gave universal satisfaction" He kept the stbictest"disciplane amone his troops, ane was himself thE soberes4 of menkind. `e was anxious to gain ifformatio~ concebning our manners and customs, and encouraged us to conferse wi4h him upnn everything phat intrested or famiLy. This"brought on a ful exposition of our siduation in regard to my edding, to which0he listened wiph a degee of i~terest$so gread( as to make him0my frind for life.
?He saidl ?But why shoul it not take p|ce noww There y nothiNg to hinder it: we are ere to)protect$]ou, an whatevEr we caN give or lend,I promisd that i will procure. the Persmqns do not show the leayt sign*of moving, and Otr army must waiv for rminforcements frkm Tefli beforeM it can`advance"fqther; therefore you will have cll the necessary time to perfoM your eremonier in quiet and xappiness, and peshaps wmth more- splendOur thanif we had not been here.?
?He( moreover, promised to make a resent to the bRide of some Georgian gold lace,and to!lend me is horwe, a fine Karadighi, whmch I might mouNt on thu occasiml. He sqid so mu`h, tha| he at ength persuaded mine and my brade?s redations not to defer the`CeremonI, and a day was fixed."had any"other m!n pressed the buiness so much, and appeared so personally intgrested an it, I0should `robably0pave beEn suspicious of the puzity of his intenUions, and certcin feelings of n%alousy`might have ariqen; but!phe capTain was wo ugly, so hidusly ugly, so opposite to whaT pa.s.ses for beauty amongst us, that I c.uld havm no fear conceRning Mariam on 2is account; for"if she could notice him< she="" cowld="" wit="" the="" same="" facility="" become="" enamoqred="" of="" )n="" ape.="" his="" face="" was="" com`osed="" ofa="" white="" leprous="" skin,="" ith="" a="" h5ad="" cove`ed="" by="" hyr,="" or="" rather="" quiils,="" thrwn="" abowt="" in="" a="" vriety="" of="" stiff="">
?=No,? said I, tomyself, ?MariaM(would sooner lve her Xersian gant than this`creature; and when she comes to!sompare him to er intended (looking over myself at the same tyme withsome com`lacenc}), I flatter mxself that I may lay my jealous &ears asie.?
?And thuq it wac settledthat I should wed. The evening!before uhe weddmng-day* the clhes and other articles4 placed in trays borne upon men?s headc, and preceded by$singers pnd musicians (od which some are to be(found il every village), were s%nt to m bride. My band6#onsistld of aan whoplayed on the _ourna_,$or hautbois, a qerformeR on the tambousine, ant two wh sang. Qs a mark of addtional cplendour$ our ussian vriends dent us q`drum, he beatiNg of wHich by one of our shephdrd boyk produc%d great effect all over`the couopry. I nollowed!ey pre{ent a feV hours`after, fNr the `urpose oF receiVing the one which my bride, acording |o custoi, was t0make mg; consicving of a pair nv brasr mounte$ pistols, made ao the C`ucasus, which hid belonted to a great ucle of hers, wh had been a soldier in the troms of the Wali Of Georia, bef-re the p.u.s.s.ians iad got!possessi/n of tpat country.
?On the followin day, te day of my long-expectud happinss, I end all my family arose betimes0in the morning. The weather was serene jt sulry; the2 had ben a tentency tk storm FOr seveRal days `efore, and heavy clouds stood in threatening gtt.i.tude{ with the)r white heads in the horizon. Cut naturm was beautiful* and refreshed b a shower that had fanlen in te night. My frhmnd, the captain, lent me his ho3se- wHich I cetarisongd and orNamenteg as well4as I could on the occaqion.
I myself put on a`new suit of clothes from head t foot, and with`the adfition ov many silver-studded belts, cartouche-boxes, daGers, a~d otheR(appendages fasDened abkut me, `nd which had bee~ lent Me by aGeorgiAj in the service(of the Sussians I was Told, and I belieVe it,that I mqde a very handcome app%arance.Accompanied by my male relatioNs, the Russian ciptain, and as m!ny of his men aw could be spaed in order to greate a crowd, we proceuded to C%uklu, and app2oaching`it, marshalled .urselveS in pro`ession, preceded by musik, songs, and shouts. We aligh|gd at my bride? house,where wepartook of re2eshments, and received the congratulathons of all the village; end then, when everythhng was trepared"for our eturn do Gavmi{hlu, whre my uncle was to perform the cIWemony, we mounzgd again. My brmde, covered by a crims}n veil rom head to foow which(flowed oer a flat plattar placed on heb crown& was mounted on"her father?s steed, led`on either side by her rothersIt is 4he cust-m for tle bridegroom to`hold a sash orgirdle fy his right hand, which is heldat the mther end by the bride,0on theih way to vhe church, and`|his we did. All our friendq, oq~ relauions, ad/ the youth of Qhe villges, some on font, some"/n a.s.ses, others on ho{ses, accompaniet the prkaessionn making(shouts, and magifestin" their jOy by adl sorts&of games and joIos during the wh/le cotrse of t e march. When t lengtl we had reached&a smallrising ground owerlooking my vIllage the procewpion stopped, and every one who had a 0art to Ict in the ceremNny received a tirer, which was jorthwit( lighted. The procession then moved on"with slow and mCsured qteps, iaaded by my uncle, who,(a.s.sisted by my /ther unble from the Thre Churches, sang psalms as they walkedforward$`amidst al the noise of the surrounding lookers-on. The Russian captain haD had&the attu.tion uo dress his menup on tHe occaseon, and(they mazched to the chuvch with us, adding much0to thedignity0of the scene.
?We at length a
Iy forejead was"then placed against Mariam?s in a sort gf b.u.t.ting att.i.tude, anl`the Bible opened and laid upon our heads, whilsr her hand was given into mine.The priest thev asked, if we agreed to take each other for hu3band and wife; Nd after we had made an`inclination of kur heas as marking our consent, and a suitable proporion of trayers had beeO read aOf chanted, the ceremony was at an end, a~d notibmed to all the`uorld b9 the shouts of the mult.i.tude, and by thredoubled sounds of our drums flutes,0and tamboqrs.
KDaylight by this time (ad enti2ely disappeared,aand th weather, which had threateneda storm$ now besame verx loweri~g. The Rky was `arkened rain fell, and distant thundeBs were hgard. This circ.u.mstancetut an dnd to |he entertainment given by my faher ear~ier than it otherwise wnpld have done;and when our gufqts had 6etired, the hour at length arr)ved whHch was tm make md the hatpiest of men.
?Oh, bhall I stop here to rec~lect adm the hm2rors of0that nifht, orshall I pa.s.s on, and ngt distrers you by relatang them/ You must conceive my b2ide lovely as te morn)lg star, innocelt as an cngel, ad attached to }e by tha purest$love;0ad you -y imagYne whatI felt a4 that loment,-)I who 8ad looke upon otr unio~ as impssible,$and [email protected] my awaiting0happiness as a bright spt in m9 existence, to which I expectetnever to attai~.
?But in ordEr to gi6e a rieit impression onthe scgne whicH I am aBkut to%describml you muWt know$that the villag%s in GemRgia, and in ourpart of2Armenia)!are bui,t partdy under0oround, and thur a stra~ger finds himse|f walkg on the roof of a house when `e thinks that he is onplain gRound, te greatgSt part!nf them ceing lighted by`apertusus at The top. Such waq!the house in which my family lmved, an$ in which my wding wcS celebb`ted. My nuptial chambeR0had one of the[e apertures, which had been closed on The occasion, anDdwas siuated wi4h its d/or leeTing at once intg the opgn air.E
?It )s the curtom amolg the Qbmenian3 for thebridegroom to retire frst. Hiq shoes und stocings a3 then taken off by hiswife; aod, befoRe she esigns her veillhas the task ov extingyshing t`e light The storm had just broke,--thunders Vere rolnyng over`our heqds,--thd lightning flased,--torrents cf rain ?Mre pourIng down with fuarful oise,--There semed to Fe a genDral commotion o the ele}ents, uen my ariam, unveiling hersel, extinguished the lamx. She had scarceLy laidEherself!down, wen we hdard an(unusualriolent`noise at the aperre inhe ceiling: souds of mdn?s voices wergbmingled with t|e crashof the thunder; trampliog of hkses was!also distinctlq heard;and prewfntly w$ were adarmed jy a heary noise of something having falen in ouR room gjd nea2 our bed, accomptnied bi a glara and a Sell ofculphur.
???Uhs a thuderbolt by all that is sacred! Oh hea6en protmct us!?- cried O. ?Fly, y soul, my wif%, escape!?
?S(e had k}st timE to snaush up hAr veil,and to "dt without the foor, wpen an explosion(dook place in thu very Rmom, so`1wful, so treme.dous, hat I iimediately thoug`t myselF`transpgrted [email protected] regHons of the d.a.m.n!d. I fell sensE,ess, aEidst thewreck of falline stone3, plastgz; andurniture. All I can re#ollect i{, that an immen3e blaz% of lighd was succeedef by an kverpoweBing sulX8ureous smell,-mvhen a head silence.
?I lay there fwr some time, unfnsciouc of whawas pawsing; but by degrees came to micelf, anj when found that I could mov"my limbs, and.uhat nothing ab/tt my pEsson wa3 material, hurt,`I beganAvo conser how I had ot therm. As for my wedeing, tha4 appeared to me a dream: all `heard Arout me now wasthe firimg of muukets, |ud and frequent explocyons, c2ies and Shouts gf men,-=wf men wounded and in pqhn,--ofmen att`cking and puttig otherw to deaph,--tha tramplijgs of xOrses,he clashing of arms. ?Uhat, in the nam of Heaven, can !ll this$be??
z!id I. y still Thought Myself tansporte$ into cnother Lanet, when theM shriek of a woman struk{ my ear. ?It i1 Mariam# It is rhe, by %ll thatais sacred! Where, wherul shall seek ler?? I was rousEd: I direnc.u.mbered mysElf of th weight`of rubBish thathad faLen upoNme, and, once Upon my`legs agcin, I saolied fo{th in sarch of her. The scenwhich yresented [email protected] more terrible than language can exp2ess; fmr the first objdct whic struckmy sighT was a Xersianbushing by me, uith a drwn sword in one"hand, a~d a human headl dripping with blood, i anothpr. The blacknesSof the night was lightdd up a`rapid i~tervals bi vivid flashes of lightning, whIch, quick as Vhe eye could [email protected], now discov%red the$hideous pragedy"that waR then icting, aOd now Threw it`qgain ito darkness, leaving the imagin!tion to0fill up the reSt. By one flash$ I saw Persiansvith upLifted swrds, attackinodefenceless Ruqsians, bushing fbom theIr beds:`fy anotder, the$poor villagers"7ere discovered)flying Fvom(theib smoking cottages in utter dikmay. Then an immdnse exphosion |Ook plage, whic` shook*gverythifg aroufd.[76] Dhe villave cattl, loosened from theirkonfinements, ran about0in wild confusio., and mixed th$mselves ith the horrozs of the night: in short< my="" words="" fall="" short="" o&="" any="" decriptioz="" that="" aould="" be-ade="" ofthis="" aw&ul="" scenu!of="" devatation{="" and="" i="" must="" bles{="" the="" mdrcy="" of="" that="" almighty="" hafd="" which="" hath="" sp#red="" me="" in="" the="" dmstruct!}n="" that="" surroujded="">
?I kzuw not w`ere toturn myself to wek for my wife I had ard her shrieks; and The shivEring ofdespair came over me, when I thought iT might xave been her deATh groans which had struck my ears. I threw myself into the midst of the carnage, and, armed with a firebrand, s.n.a.t.c.hed from my burning nuptial chamber, I made my way through the combatants, more like a maniac at the height of his frenzy, than a bridegroom on his wedding-night. Getting into the skirts of the village again, I thought I heard the shrieks of my beloved. I ran towards the direction, and a flash of lightning, that glanced over the adjoining hill, showed me two hors.e.m.e.n making off with a woman, whose white veil was conspicuously seen, mounted behind one of them. Heedless of everything but my wife, I followed them with the swiftness of a mountain goat; but as the storm subsided, the lightning flashed no more, and I was left in utter darkness at the top of the hill, not knowing which path to take, and whether to proceed or not. I was almost naked. I had been severely bruised. My feet, otherwise accustomed to the naked ground, had become quite lacerated by the pursuit I had undertaken; and altogether, I was so worn with grief, so broken-hearted, that I laid myself down on the wet earth in a state of desperation that was succeeded by a torpor of all my senses. Here I lay until the first rays of the morning glared in my eyes, and brought me gradually to a sense of my situation.
??What has happened?? said I. ?Where am I? How came I here? Either the demons and wicked angels of another world have been at work this night, or else I am most grossly abused. To see that glorious...o...b..rising in that clear unclouded sky; to mark the soothing serenity of nature, the morning freshness, the song of the birds, the lowing of yon cattle, and the quiet and seclusion of my yonder paternal village, I ought to suppose that the images of horror, of indescribable horror, now floating in my mind, must be those of a diseased imagination. Is it possible that in this secluded spot, under this lovely sky, in the midst of these bounteous gifts of nature, I could have seen man murdering his fellow creature, the blazing cottage, the mangled corse, the bleeding head; and, O cruel, O killing thought, that I should have been bereft of my dear, my innocent wife?? and then, then only, was I restored to a full possession of every occurrence that had taken place; and tears which before had refused to flow now came to my a.s.sistance, and relieved my burning temples and my almost suffocating bosom. I got up, and walked slowly to the village. All was hushed into quiet; a slight smoke was here and there to be seen; stray cattle were grazing on the outskirts; strangers on horseback seemed to be busily employed in preparations of some kind or other, and the wretched peasantry were seen huddled together in groups, scarcely awake from the suddenness of the destruction which had visited them, and uncertain of the fate which might still be in reserve. As for me, the loss which I had already sustained made me expect every other attendant misfortune. I had made my mind up to find my relations dead, to see the total ruin of our house, and to know that I was a solitary outcast on the face of the world, without a wife, without a home, without parents, without a friend. But no, imagination had worked up the picture too highly; for one of the first persons I met on entering our village was my poor mother, who, when she saw me, recollecting all the trouble she had been at to secure my happiness, fell on my neck, and shed a torrent of tears. When her first grief had subsided, she told me that my father had suffered much from bruises, and from a blow received on the head; but that the rest of the family were well; that our house had been considerably injured, many of our things pillaged; and that my nuptial room, in particular, had been almost totally destroyed. She informed me that the good Russian captain had been the first to fall a sacrifice to the attack of the Persians; for almost immediately after the explosion in my room, he had rushed out to see what had happened, when two Persians seized him, one of whom at once decapitated him: this was the head that I saw brandished before me, when first I sallied forth. She then took me to a place of shelter, and put on me what clothes could be found.
?The Persians, having completed their deeds of horror, had retired from the scene of action, leaving to our unfortunate villagers the melancholy task of burying the dead bodies of thirty wretched Russians, who had fallen victims to their treacherous attack, and whose heads they had carried off with them as trophies.
?After I had visited my father, and left my home in as comfortable a situation as I could, under the existing circ.u.mstances, I determined instantly to set out in pursuit of my wife. It was evident that she had been carried away by some of those who had attacked our village, and that she must have been taken to Erivan, as the nearest market for slaves, for such was no doubt the purpose for which she had been seized.
My sword, pistols, and gun, which had formed part of the ornamental furniture of my bridal chamber, were found buried in its ruins, and with these for my protection, and with some pieces of silver in my purse, I bid adieu to Gavmishlu, making a vow never to return until I had found my Mariam.
?I travelled with hurried steps, taking the shortest cuts over the mountains to Erivan, and as I crossed a branch of the high road I met two hors.e.m.e.n, well-mounted and equipped, who stopped me, and asked whither I was going, and upon what errand.
?I did not hesitate to tell them my wretched tale, hoping they might give me some hint which might throw light upon the fate of my wife. This they did indeed, but in a manner so cruel, that their words awakened the most horrid suspicions, and almost to a certainty convinced me that my poor innocent, my hitherto unspotted, though wedded wife, had fallen into the power of a most licentious tyrant.
??Is it possible,? said I, when they had related to me the horrid expedients to which their chief, the serdar (for it was to two of his bodyguard that I was talking), had recourse, for the accomplishment of his wickedness,--?is it possible that selfishness can be carried to such an extreme, that vice can have reached to such a pitch in the heart of man? Women, by you Mussulmans, I know are treated as mere accessories to pleasure; but, after all, they are G.o.d?s creatures, not made for the serdar alone, as he seems to think, but given to us to be our help, our comfort, and our companions through life.?
?My hearers only laughed at my sentiments, and tauntingly a.s.sured me, that, if I was seeking one who had got into the serdar?s harem, my labour would be in vain, and that I might just take the trouble to return whence I came.
?Little heeding what they said, I hastened my steps, without knowing why or wherefore; but impelled by a sort of feeling, that it could not be in the wisdom of the Almighty to heap such a load of misfortune upon a wretched sinner like me, without at length giving some counterbalancing reward, or some consolation which it is ever in His power to bestow.
?I was now near the camp at Aberan, where I knew the serdar in person was settled, and, hoping to hear some favourable intelligence, I made towards it. It was greatly agitated by the arrival of the detachment of Persians who had attacked our village, and were giving proofs of the success of their enterprise, by exhibiting the Russian heads which they had brought away, and which were laid in several heaps before the tent of the chief. One might have supposed that a great and signal victory had been achieved, such were the rejoicings and boastings that took place at the sight. The horrid objects were forthwith salted, and sent off in great parade and ceremony to the Shah of Persia, who never will believe that a victory is gained until he sees these palpable proofs of it. However, in the midst of all this joy, a courier was seen arriving in great haste from the Russian frontier, whose intelligence produced a change of scene. He announced that the Russian army, having heard of the late attack upon their outpost at Gavmishlu, was now in full march against the serdar, and coming on so rapidly, that he must expect to be attacked even before night-close. The scene that ensued defies all description. The whole camp was ordered to be struck, and an immediate retreat was commanded. Tents falling, mules loading, men screaming; horses, camels, men, cannon, all were in motion at one time; and before two hours had elapsed, the whole had disappeared, and the army was on its march for Erivan.
?I had in the meanwhile received no account of my lost Mariam; and it was plain that, if in the power of the serdar, she was within the walls of his seraglio at Erivan. Thither then I bent my steps, hoping that in this great confusion something might turn up for my advantage.
?Upon my arrival there, I posted myself at the bridge over the Zengui, from whence I had a full survey of that part of the serdar?s palace which contains his women; and as the troops were crossing it at the same time in constant succession, I was unnoticed, and pa.s.sed for one of the camp followers. The building is situated upon the brink of a precipice of dark rock, at the foot of which flows the Zengui, a clear and rapid stream, foaming through a rocky bed, the stony projections of which form white eddies, and increase the rush of its waters. A bridge of three arches is here thrown over it, and forms part of the high road leading to Georgia and Turkey. The princ.i.p.al saloon of the palace, in a corner of which the serdar is usually seated, opens with a large cas.e.m.e.nt on the river, and overlooks the rugged scenery. At some distance on the same surface of building are the windows of the women?s apartments, distinguished by their lattices, and by other contrivances of jealousy.
However, I observed they were not so well secured, but that objects pa.s.sing and repa.s.sing the bridge might well be seen from them; and I imagined that if Mariam was a prisoner there, she might perchance make me out as I stood below. ?But if she did, what then?? said I to myself in despair: ?seeing me there would only add to her torture, and to my desperation.? To escape from such a height appeared impossible, for a fall would be instant death; and excepting a willow tree, which grew out of the rock immediately under one of the windows, there was nothing to break the descent. However, having remained in one spot so long in meditation, I feared to be observed; and left my post for the present, determining to return to it at the close of day, and indeed at every hour when I could appear without suspicion.
[Ill.u.s.tration: ?I beheld her fair form in the air, falling down the giddy height.? 19.jpg]
?I had been watching the windows of the seraglio in this manner for more than a fortnight, and had not ceased to parade up and down the bridge at least three times every day, when one evening, as the day was about to close, I saw the lattice of the window over the willow tree open, and a female looking out of it. I watched her with breathless suspense. She appeared to recognize me. I extended my hand; she stretched forth hers.
?It is she!? said I; ?yes, it must be her! It is my Mariam!? Upon which, without a moment?s hesitation, without thinking of the consequences, I plunged into the river, and having waded through it, stood at the foot of the precipice immediately under my beloved wife. She stretched her arms several times towards me, as if she would have thrown herself out.
I almost screamed with apprehension; and yet the hope of pressing her to my heart made me half regret that she had not done so. We stood there looking wistfully at each other, fearing to speak, yet longing to do so.
At length, she shut the lattice suddenly, and left me in an att.i.tude and in all the horrors of suspense. I kept my post for some time without seeing anything more of her, when again suddenly the lattice opened, and she appeared, but with looks that spoke of intense agitation. I scarcely could tell what was about to happen, but waited in dreadful anxiety, until I saw her lean forward, retreat, lean forward again--then more and more, until, by a sudden effort, I beheld her fair form in the air, falling down the giddy height.[77] My legs refused to perform their office, my eyes were obscured by a swimming, and I should have probably sunk under the intenseness of my feelings, when I saw her half suspended, half falling, from a branch of the willow tree. I bounded up, and in an instant had mounted the tree, and had clasped her senseless in my arms. I seemed to be impelled by new vigour and strength; to reach the ground, to recross the river, to fly with my precious burden from the inhabited outskirts into the open country, appeared but the business of a second. I was perfectly drunk with the thousand feelings which agitated me; and although I acted like one bereft of his senses, yet everything I did was precisely that which I ought to have done. Nature guided me: the animal acting only from instinct would have done like me.
I had saved that which was most precious to me in this world.
?When I had worn out my first efforts of strength, and had felt that my hitherto senseless burden showed some symptoms of life, I stopped, and placed her quietly on the ground behind some broken walls. She was terribly bruised, although no bone had been broken. The branches of the tree, upon which she had alighted, had wounded her deeply in several places, and the blood had flowed very copiously. But she was alive; she breathed; she opened her eyes, and at length p.r.o.nounced my name. I was almost crazy with joy, and embraced her with a fervour that amounted to madness. When she had reposed herself a little, I s.n.a.t.c.hed her up again, and proceeded onwards with all the haste imaginable, in the determination to strike at once into the mountains; but recollecting that I had the river of Ashtarek to cross, and that with her in my arms it would be impossible to do so except by the bridge, I at once directed my steps thither.
?We were reposing at the foot of the bridge, when I heard the footsteps of your horses. Although nearly exhausted with my previous exertions, I still had strength enough left to clamber up the bank, and take refuge in the ruined church, where you first discovered us; and there I watched your motions with the greatest anxiety, concluding that you were a party sent in pursuit of us by the serdar. Need I say after this, that if you will protect us, and permit us to seek our home, you will receive the overflowing grat.i.tude of two thankful hearts, and the blessings of many now wretched people who by our return will be made supremely happy?
Whoever you are, upon whatever errand you may be sent, you cannot have lost the feelings of a man. G.o.d will repay your kindness a thousand times; and although we are not of your faith and nation, still we have prayers to put up at the Throne of Grace, which must be received when they are employed in so good a cause.?