Part 40 (2/2)
The man's appearance was, in truth, ferocious. Of gigantic height, his face was almost covered with tangled dark locks hanging down from his head, on which he wore a cap of undyed brown and white goat-skin, the long hair of which, falling in front over his neck, added to the wildness of his features. His body was clothed in a tunic of the same material, and a long black cloak of goat's hair fell from his shoulders.
Rough sandals of bark were on his feet, fastened to his ankles by thongs of leather. At his back hung a bow and quiver, and in one hand he grasped a thick spear or club and a round black s.h.i.+eld of bull's hide; while in the other he held the slender form of Ina.
”Set me at freedom! How dare you thus insult me?” she cried. ”I would seek my way homeward.”
”Not so, fair maiden,” answered the man with rough harsh tones, in a strange dialect, though Ina could comprehend it sufficiently to understand the tenor of his words. ”Not so; you are a prize of too much value to be allowed to escape so easily.”
”Begone, barbarian, and loose your hold,” cried Ina, though fearful and trembling in his rude grasp, yet retaining her native dignity. ”Think you to escape the vengeance of my tribe, if you should wrong me?”
”Vengeance! say you?” exclaimed the man scornfully. ”Think you I fear the vengeance of any?”
”You will have cause to fear it, if you do not release me,” she answered. ”Know you not what chieftain's child I am?”
”I know full well,” said the savage. ”You are the daughter of the chief who wronged my master; who slew my master's brother; and you are the timid maid who would not be his bride. But now you'll not again refuse to obey his will.”
”I know not of whom you speak,” cried Ina. ”My father never slew a chief of Atteghei.”
”I know your father well,” answered the ruffian. ”He is the Chieftain Arslan Gherrei, and you refused to be the bride of the brave Khan, my master, Khoros Kaloret.”
”Your master Kaloret Khan?” cried Ina, still more terrified than before, at the sound of that name. ”Yet he would never dare to rob a n.o.ble Uzden of his daughter. Release me, ruffian!”
”My master fears not any chief of Atteghei,” answered the man, fiercely.
”I'll waste no more speech; so cease your cries, and come willingly.
My n.o.ble master waits your coming.”
Ina shrieked with fear. ”Oh, Allah, protect me!” she cried, as the savage endeavoured to drag her away. ”Barbarian, release me, I pray you, let me go.”
”No, no, girl, your prayers are useless,” answered the man. ”Let my master hear them. On me, they are thrown away.”
”Haste, haste, Conrin,” she cried, in Turkish; ”fly to our home. Send messengers to Selem, to my father, and rouse the villagers.”
As the barbarian saw the page hastening to obey, he said to Ina: ”Stay that boy, till we are out of sight. If he moves hence, I'll send an arrow through his breast.”
Conrin, who understood not his words--Ina being too terrified to interpret them--was hurrying from rock to rock, fearless of the peril which a single false step might cause, or of the cruel death which threatened him; when the barbarian prepared to put his threat into execution. For an instant, he loosened his hold of Ina, unslinging his bow from his back, and drawing a shaft to its head, with a hand which never missed its aim. In vain, Ina shrieked to Conrin to stop, and implored the monster to hold his hand. Neither of them heard her voice.
The last moment of the poor boy's life seemed to have arrived, as the arrow flew from the string; but ere the hand which drew it reached the ear, it was struck by a violent blow, and the shaft wavering in its aim, flew high above the page's head. The fierce mountaineer, taking a second arrow, turned to his aggressor, when he found his arm held by a powerful and firm grasp.
Ina shrieked with fear for her preserver's life--for in him she beheld the stranger Thaddeus--as the follower of the Khan attempted to seize his heavy spear, and to fell him to the ground. But the young Pole, grappling with him, prevented his raising it high enough to strike.
Though Thaddeus was strong and active, his fierce opponent was heavier and more powerful. Releasing his arm with a sudden exertion, he sought his dagger in his girdle; but the Pole throwing himself upon him with his whole force, the two combatants fell to the ground.
”Fear not for me, dearest Ina,” cried he; ”save yourself. Hasten down the cliffs, and fly homewards. I will hold this robber, until you are safe.”
Ina scarcely heard his words, or, if she did, thought not of following his advice; but trembling for his life, she watched the combat, so as, if possible, to lend her aid. For an instant, Thaddeus was uppermost; but endeavouring to grasp his opponent's throat, he was obliged to release one arm; when, drawing his dagger from his belt, the mountaineer, by a violent effort, threw himself round, grasping the fatal weapon in his hand, and bringing the unfortunate youth below him.
He was about to stab the young Pole, when another, though a feeble hand, directed its aim, and it struck deeply into the earth, in a cleft of the rock.
Thaddeus seized the dagger; when his opponent, with tremendous exertion, arose and attempted to hurl him over the cliff; but as the mountaineer approached the edge, his foot slipped. Seizing the fortunate moment, and mustering all his strength, Thaddeus struck the dagger deep into his breast. The huge barbarian fell heavily, still clasping Thaddeus in his arms, who, nevertheless, forced him to the edge of the platform, when the body rolled over to a jutting craig, some feet below where they stood.
Recovering himself, Thaddeus turned to Ina, ”Lady,” he said, ”I owe my life to your courage: your timely aid saved me.”
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