"He well deserves punishment; but I must not speak of him; and now, farewell. I know not when we may meet again; but believe me, my friendship will ever remain unchanged."
Saying which, Thaddeus warmly clasped his friend"s hand, and hastened back to resume the post he had quitted.
Javis and the guide, who had retired to a short distance during the conference, now approached; and on their way back to the village, Javis related to his master his adventures in the fort. As Ivan entered the guest-house, the Hadji started up from his couch, eager to hear an account of his adventures, laughing heartily at the success of Javis"s disguise, and of the defeat of the plan to entrap him.
"So the General of the Urus thinks we are prepared to attack him, does he?" he exclaimed. "Bismillah! we will make his fears come true. I shall not sleep all night for thinking of some plan to surprise him."
Volume 2, Chapter XV.
How often in our lives have we been obliged to quit some delightful abode, or some enchanting scene of pleasure, to visit places and persons we dislike, or to mix in the coa.r.s.e bustle of the vulgar world! and thus must we once again lead our readers from the beautiful and romantic scenery of Circa.s.sia, and from its gallant inhabitants, to the detested castle of Ghelendjik, and into the presence of its fierce governor.
The Baron Galetzoff had just returned from riding round the fortifications, and was about to throw himself on his couch for the night, when his servant entered the room to announce Count Erintoff.
Throwing his cloak around him, he angrily arose to receive his guest.
"You come at an unseasonable hour, Count," he said, with a harsh tone.
"Am I to have no rest either from friends or foes? What brings you here?"
"I come with news which may interest you; but for your private ear, General," returned the Count, looking at the servant who remained.
"Why stay you here? Begone, sirrah," exclaimed the Baron to the man, who hastily disappeared. "Now, Count, your news," he continued, turning to his guest, and relaxing his features a little. "It is late, and I would try to seek some rest; so pray no delay."
"My news is not of much general importance," returned the Count; "but to you, Baron, it may afford some satisfaction. At length I have found that immaculate officer, Lieutenant Stanisloff, tripping, if indeed I do not succeed in proving him a traitor. As he was to mount one of the outer guards to-night, it occurred to me that he might perhaps communicate with that arch-traitor, your once adopted son, whom, as I told you, I recognised among the horde of the mountain barbarians we were engaged with yesterday. I, therefore, having gone my rounds, waited for some time, and returned to his post; but when summoned, he did not answer: he was nowhere to be found. I, therefore, left my orderly to watch him, enjoining secrecy, and called others to witness that he was absent from his post, in the face of the enemy. My orderly has just come in to say, that after a long absence, he returned from the direction of the mountains. He is, therefore, entirely in your power; but I would not seize him without first consulting your wishes."
"Then haste, seize him, and bring him here at once," said the Baron.
"To-morrow he shall die."
The Count hurried off to obey, and during his absence, which lasted some time, the Baron strode up and down the room in an angry mood.
At length the Count returned with Thaddeus Stanisloff, his prisoner, strongly guarded.
"So, Lieutenant Stanisloff," said the Baron, glaring fiercely at him, "you have been absent from your post when before the enemy. You have held conversation with an arch-traitor to the Emperor, and you are suspected of an intention to desert your colours."
"Whoever accuses me," exclaimed Thaddeus, returning the Baron"s look firmly, "speaks a foul and slanderous falsehood, if he says that I am, or ever have been wanting, in my allegiance to the Emperor."
"I accuse you," cried the Count stepping forward. "I myself discovered that you were absent from your post."
"I grant it," replied Thaddeus firmly; "and I await my punishment; but, beyond that, whoever was your informer is a vile slanderer."
"Know you not that even for what you acknowledge to have done, your punishment is death?" said the Baron. "Confess therefore where you went, or expect no mercy."
"I expect no mercy at your hands," answered Thaddeus. "If I deserve death, I am prepared to meet it."
"Hear me, obstinate youth," cried the Baron, "you have held some communication with my once reputed son. You may do so again, but in the company of some trusty guards; and if I can see him safe within the walls of this fort, not only shall you go free, and your crime be overlooked, but your rise shall be rapid in the army, and honours and distinctions shall await you."
At these words the prisoner seemed to gasp for breath. "Baron Galetzoff, I am in your power," he exclaimed, "or you should pay dear for such an insult as you have now offered me. Think you that a son of my unhappy and enslaved country can be sunk so low as to hear calmly such vile propositions? No! you have torn us from our homes, you have taken from us our lands, you have ravaged our fields, you have overthrown our kingdom, and ruined our once proud families; but you cannot take from us our honour. I have ever been faithful to your Emperor, our conqueror. I defy your malice. I will speak no more."
The Baron"s own stern eye sunk before the n.o.ble indignation of the prisoner, as standing before him without trembling, he folded his arms on his breast. "Madman," cried the Baron furiously, "you bring your doom on your own head. No power in heaven or earth shall save you."
Thaddeus spoke not, but looking towards heaven seemed to implore its aid.
"Colonel Erintoff," continued the governor, "I commit this prisoner to your charge, and you will take measures that he does not escape."
"I will strictly obey your orders, General," said the Count with a significant and sinister look.
Closely guarded, Thaddeus was led out and placed in a miserable hut, built to serve the purpose of a prison for the fort.
He pa.s.sed a wretched night, heavily ironed. Indignation at the Baron"s base propositions at first smothered all thoughts of his own impending fate. He rejoiced that Ivan had escaped; but he longed to warn him of the danger he ran; and the impossibility of doing so added to the poignancy of his feelings. By degrees the conviction of his own miserable destiny crept on him.
"How dark! How wretched is all around me," he cried in the agony of his spirit. "Do thus end all my hopes of military glory? Must I die with my once proud name blackened and disgraced; my character as an officer maligned? My father"s last few and sad days hastened by the foul history of his son"s disgrace and untimely death? I cannot bear such thoughts! Oh that Ivan"s unkind sword had rather cut me down on the field of battle, than saved me for this end! Little does he think that my anxiety to see him has been the cause of this misery. No! there is no hope, no glimpse of light left me in the world. Let me prepare then to meet my inevitable fate like a man, and then my comrades in arms may at least say, that I died with courage and firmness. And, oh heaven!
give me strength to bear my lot."
He prayed, and ere the morning broke he slept calmly, even on the hard ground, in sweet forgetfulness of his doom.
He was awakened by the entrance of a soldier with an open letter, sent by his brutal gaoler, in hopes of adding to his misery. It was from his father"s kind friend announcing the death of his parent, his last words being blessings on his son.
"Heaven be praised," he cried, falling on his knees, "that misery has been spared me. The rest will be easy to bear." And with a serene countenance he prepared to meet whatever might follow.
Count Erintoff soon after made his appearance; he was received by Thaddeus with the most haughty coldness. "I come to learn," said the Count, "whether you have thought better of the Governor"s propositions, and are prepared to accede to them, or meet the fate you deserve."
"Were I tied to the stake, I would spurn the vile offer, as I do now,"
replied the prisoner. "I have no more to say."
"If such is your answer, expect no mercy," replied the Count fiercely, and he quitted the prison, greatly to the occupant"s relief.
Thaddeus was left for some hours to his meditations, when, his prison doors opening, a file of soldiers appeared to conduct him before the Court Martial a.s.sembled to try him.
"I fear that it will go hard with you, Stanisloff," said the officer in charge of the men, casting a look of pity on the prisoner. "You must be prepared for the worst."
"Fear not for me, my friend," answered Thaddeus; "but I trust that neither you nor my brother officers will judge me harshly, though I am fully convinced of the result of my trial."
"Think not that your character will suffer," answered the other. "We all feel a warm interest in your fate."
"That is already settled," said the prisoner. "I am ready to accompany you."
When placed before the princ.i.p.al officers of the garrison, his trial proceeded as was to be expected, when the Governor had determined on his condemnation. He was clearly convicted of having left the post he had been placed to guard, by his own colonel as witness; but when there was some demur as to his having communicated with the enemy, two servants of Count Erintoff"s stepped forward, and swore positively to having seen him speaking to one of the chiefs of the Circa.s.sians, and having overheard him promise to give them timely notice of any movement among the Russians.
Though great doubt was thrown on the credibility of the men, who were known to be bad characters, yet as their own Colonel swore to their honesty, they were received as witnesses. Notwithstanding the preponderance of the influence against him there was a strong feeling in favour of the prisoner, both in the court and throughout the garrison.
So great indeed had the ferment become, when it was reported that he was condemned to die, (most people being convinced that his sentence was unjust), that the Count expressed his fears to the Governor that a general outbreak would be the consequence, if measures were carried to extremities with the prisoner.
"We shall see," cried the Baron, furiously, "if my authority is not of more avail; however, I will disappoint their hopes, if they think to save the prisoner."
After sentence of death had been pa.s.sed on Thaddeus, he was led back to prison, there to await his execution, while the Governor summoned the Count to his private councils.
A fort had been lately erected between Anapa and Ghelendjik, during a time when the greater part of the patriot forces were engaged in another part of the country, some occupied in attending a religious festival, and others in agricultural pursuits, so that the few who remained to guard the coast, were unable to defeat the object of the Russians when first landing; and in a day or so, by the time others arrived to their a.s.sistance, the entrenchments had become too strong to attack. The garrison left in it had lately been much reduced by disease, and had also lost many men in a party foraging for wood and water, so that the Baron determined on sending reinforcements thither, and also to despatch the Count there with the culprit, under the plea of inspecting the fortifications.
"He is there, a stranger," he added, with a hideous smile. "And while those here are left in doubt of his fate, you Count, can take the order for his execution."
"I shall obey your orders, General, and hope to return in a few days, with an account of their having been fulfilled," replied the Count, as he left the quarters of the Governor, to make arrangements for his voyage.