Part 19 (1/2)

CHAPTER xxxVIII

Sequel of the foregoing history, and of the resolution which Hajji Baba takes in consequence

The Armenian youth here finished his narrative, and left me in astonishment and admiration at all he had related With my permission he then quitted me to visit his wife, and promised to return immediately with the report of her present state, and how she felt after her repose

?He surely cannot have been inventing lies to my face all this ti woman is here in evidence to corroborate what he has advanced; but then should I permit him to proceed, and the serdar was to hear that I had done so, ould become of me? I should certainly lose my place, and perhaps my ears

No; coht not to ree Locman, I believe, once said on this occasion, which runs soether; for then the other beasts will knohat to trust to: but if you wear a tiger?s skin, and long ears are discovered to be concealed therein, they will then treat you even worse than if you walked about in your own true character, an undisguised ass??

I kept turning over in myin great perplexity between the ass and the tiger, when Yusuf returned He told me that his Mariam was considerably refreshed by repose; but, weak from loss of blood, and stiff by the violence of the contusions which she had received (in particular, one upon her leg, which was of consequence), it would be impossible for her to move for several days; ?except indeed ere pursued by the serdar,? added he, ?when I believe nothing but force could hinder us froth enough to relate her own adventures from the time she had left him at Gavmishlu

It appears that the instant she had darted from the nuptial chamber, only covered by her veil, she had been seized by a Persian, who, discovering by the glare of the lightning that she was young and handsome, ran off with her to some distance, and there detained her until, with the assistance of another, she was mounted on a horse and taken forcibly away; that these two ht to the camp at Aberan, and offered her for sale to the serdar; who, having agreed to take her, ordered her to be conducted to his seraglio at Erivan, and there put into service; that the horrid plight in which she stood, when exhibited to the serdar, her disfigured looks, and her weak and drooping state, lected; particularly when she heard as his character, and to what extent he carried his cruelties on the unfortunate victi to herself, then said, ?Hoping, by always talking of myself as a married woman, that I should meet with more respect in the house of a Mussulman, than if I were otherwise, I never lost an opportunity of putting my husband?s name forward, and this succeeded, for little or no notice was taken of me, and I was confounded with the other slaves, and performed the different tasks of servitude which were setkeep my own counsel; I confided my story to a Persian wo by that means to soften her heart somy freedo it to the serdar, who immediately forced me to confirm her words with my own lips, and then the extent of my imprudence became manifest He announced his intention to avail hi him Conceive then ere the horrors of my position I turned over in my mind every means of escape, but all avenues to it were shut I had never before thought of looking over the precipice upon which the s of our prison opened; but now I seriously thought of precipitating myself, rather than submit to the tyrant But a few hours after I had had the blessing to discover you on the bridge, I had been ordered to hold myself in readiness to receive him; and it was then that I had positively deter out, either once more to bejoined to you, or to die in the attempt When I shut the lattices in haste, several women had just come into the roo dressed; and when I hadit, and had sent them out of the room, it was then that I opened the lattice a second ti finished the recital of his and his wife?s adventures, was very anxious to knohat part I would take, and earnestly entreatedwas far spent

My men were alreadyexpedition, and ht struck ard to the young Armenian and his wife

I called him to me, and said, ?After what you have related, it will be impossible to leave you at liberty You have, by your own account, run off with a wolio, a crime which you perhaps do not know, in a Mussulman country, is punished with death, so sacred is the hareht not to lose ayou both back to Erivan; but that I will not do, provided you agree to join us in our present expedition, and to serve us as guide in those parts of the country hich you are best acquainted? I then explained to him the nature of my office, and as the object of the expedition

?If you are zealous in our cause,? said I, ?you will then have performed a service which will entitle you to reward, and thus enable me to speak in your favour to the serdar and to my chief, and, _Inshallah!_ please God, to procure your release In the meanwhile, your wife ood folks of this village; and by the time we return, she will, I hope, have been restored to health?

The youth, upon hearing this language, tookI had said, and having girt on his aro to his wife, to give her an account of this arrangement, and to console her, with proper assurances, that they would soon be restored to each other He again thanked ained the suun to ascend it

CHAPTER xxxIX

The Armenian Yusuf proves himself worthy of Hajji Baba?s confidence

We proceeded towards the Georgian frontier, shaping our track over unfrequented parts of the mountains, in which ere very materially assisted by Yusuf, who appeared to be acquainted with every landmark, and who knew the directions of places with a precision that quite surprised us He did not seee; and, in fact, he assured me, that had he even permission so to do, he could not, because he felt hi it, not to return, except accoence which had been brought to the serdar of the advance of the Moscovites proved false, for we found the the village of Ha themselves in Karaklisseh We were not far from the former place; and as we approached it, I beca the nuht struck e--?I will either save this youth or lose hiht I, ?and never was there a better opportunity than the present He shall go to Ha can preventboth his pardon and his wife for hiet rid of hiitive slave?

I called hiht, he seized all the different bearings of the question, and without hesitation accepted of irt hiirdle, putting his cap on one side, and slinging his long gun at his back, he darted down thewoods

?_Ruft ke ruft_ He is gone and doubly gone,? said the young delikhan; ?we shall never see hiain?

?And why should he not return?? said I ?Have we not got a hostage?

Arh he is, he will not leave his wife?

?Yes,? said the youth, ?he is an Armenian; but he is also an Isauvi (a Christian) The Russians too are Isauvis; and we all know, that when these infidels get together, they will rather die than return to the sons of Islam No; were he the chaste Joseph himself, and his wife Zuleikha in person, I will bet this horse,? pointing to the beast under him, ?that we see hientleman!? said a sturdy old cavalier, whose sunburnt face was harrowed by a thousand wrinkles, and shaded by a shaggy beard, mustachios, and eyebrows:--?ithout any use, do you eat dirt? The horse is the Shah?s, not yours: and do you pretend to make the _bahs_ (bets) upon it??

?The Shah?s property is mine, and mine is my own,? retorted the youth