dressed in the high furcap of Armenia, with a long-flowing, dark robe, bound by a belt roundhis waist, at which he carried an ink-horn, pen, and book.
A slave followed him, staggering under the weight of large packages,which he had unloaded from two horses at the door.
He took his seat respectfully, at some distance from the chiefs, andhumbly ate the viands which the Prince ordered to be placed before him.
"Whence come you?" demanded the host of the stranger, who seemed to be apedlar or travelling merchant. "What goods do you bring for sale?Allah knows we have little need of any, except powder and lead in thesetimes."
"I come from the City of the Sultan," replied the Armenian, "from therich Stamboul; and I bring jewels and silks for your lovely wives anddaughters, and gemmed daggers and swords for you, noble chiefs. But Iam a man of peace, and thought not of the powder and lead."
"You will find but a bad market for such wares here," answered thePrince; "but in my house you are welcome. What news bring you fromStamboul? Do you hear what measures the great Padishah is taking in ourcause? Or, forgetting the children of his holy creed, does he tamelysubmit to the audacious tyranny of the proud Moscov?"
"Alas! my father," replied the merchant, "though all men desire to aidyour cause, and many would eagerly hasten to your assistance, yet thepower of Russia is great, and no movement can be made without coming tothe ears of her minister in the capital of the Sultan, where a wholehost of spies are ever on the watch to carry information to him. TheSultan--may Allah prosper him!--would of his own free will do much foryou; but where is now his power, since the standard of the Osmanlis hassunk before the eagles of the Moscov? Alas! fallen is the greatness ofthe Turks, my father. Their old allies, the Inglis, have forsaken them,and joined the armies of their foes. What help have you, but to yieldto the mighty power opposed to you?"
"What help have we!" vehemently exclaimed the Hadji. "You are a man ofpeace, and the guest of our host, or you should eat those words of dirtyou speak. What help! We have the help of Allah in our rightful cause,and our own good swords to defend our homes; and with the will ofheaven, we will show those cursed Urus that we know how to use our arms.Let them venture from their strongholds, and we will teach them alesson they will not easily forget. Go to their camps, merchant. Tellthem to come on; we fear them not. But, man, you speak false. Bosh! itis nonsense. I, too, have come from Stamboul; and the Inglis are againthe friends of the Sultan; and I know well they would aid our cause ifthe Urus did not cram their ears with lies. There are many noblespirits among them, ready to fly to our assistance. Go to, man, youspeak of things long passed. You know not what you say."
The Armenian pedlar looked confused for a moment, but his assurance soonreturned.
"If the noble Hadji has just arrived from Stamboul, I have no more tosay. I have journeyed far by land since I left that city, so he,perchance, brings fresher news than I do."
"The Hadji is right," said the Prince. "For I too know that the Inglisare our friends, and if they would but send us powder and lead, we wouldbe grateful, and be their friends for ever."
"The Inglis, say you, Prince?" answered the Armenian; "you are deceivedin the Inglis. They are a nation of merchants like me, and aid not acause where they cannot make gain; some few are gallant warriors, andwould shed their blood perhaps in your cause; but of what assistancewould a few more swords be among a nation of warriors? No, Prince, Isay, expect no help from them. Seek not to war against so powerful anation as the Moscovite. I say not, be friends, but it is madnesscontending with them."
"Mashallah!" exclaimed the Hadji, furiously regarding the stranger, "Iwarned you, trader, not to speak of peace with our foes, and you haveagain done so. Beware how you utter those words again. The Inglis area brave nation, and I know that they are good warriors, for I have metmany of them; and all who come to this country shall be welcome. Butwhat want we more than our own arms to defend our own mountains? Speaknot again of peace. Bosh! such words I spit upon;--they are vile."
"I see, noble Hadji, your slave is wrong," cringingly returned thepedlar. "I thought of some other Franks; mine too is not a nation ofwarriors like your's, to hold out so long against an invader, and toendure, for so many years, all the miseries of war. I spoke but my ownfeelings, therefore let not your anger be kindled against a poormerchant, who would do nothing to offend you."
The Hadji's anger was as quickly appeased as it was easily excited, andhe regarded the Armenian more with feelings of the deepest contempt thanwith any hostile thoughts. The pedlar himself appeared to havediscovered that the most discreet conduct he could follow, was to keepsilence among the present company.
Appealing to the Prince, he craved leave to exhibit his goods to theladies of the family.
"I have but little to give for aught you may possess, merchant; yet asthe women love to look on fine silks and jewels, you may send in yourpackages to the anderoon, and see if they will select any. Go now, itis late, they will soon retire to rest."
As the Armenian left the apartment, the Hadji glanced at him with a lookof disgust. "For what should that slave talk to us of treating with theUrus?" he cried; "one might think from his words that he was a friend oftheirs; but he is a craven-hearted slave, and not worth furtherthought."
The principal part of the company now adjourned to the verandah in frontof the house, where they passed an hour in smoking the much prizedtchibouks.
Before they retired to rest, the pedlar returned, having disposed ofsome of his silks to the ladies of the family.
"Your slave," he said, humbly addressing the Hadji, "hears that you andsome other noble chiefs are travelling towards the north to-morrow, andit would be a high honour as well as a great kindness, if you wouldallow him to accompany you."
"Do you fear, merchant, that your friends the Moscov would ease you ofyour goods, if you happen to go near their forts?" The pedlar started."But what care I? you may go with us if your pack horses can keep pacewith our steeds; but remember that we delay not for a few bales ofsilk."
"Thanks, noble chiefs," replied the pedlar, bowing before them; "muchshall I prize your protection. But do not say that the Russians are myfriends; I know them not, I hate them, I detest them, I spit upon them."
"You do well, man," replied the Hadji. "But remember another time, thatif you talk of peace between the sons of the Atteghei and the Moscov,while they remain on our coasts, you may chance to take a leap from ahigher rock than you would like."
"Your servant hears, and will follow your advice," replied the Armenian;then turning to the Prince, he presented to him a richly jewelleddagger. "Perchance, as the noble Prince Mahmood will not purchase, hewill accept as a gift this dagger from his servant, to prove his lovefor the Atteghei, and his hatred for the Moscov. He will honour hisslave much by receiving it from his hands."
The Prince looked musingly at the dagger, which seemed of great value.
"Take back your gift, merchant," he said; "what Mahmood requires he canpurchase, and beware how you make such gifts. They are too much likethe bribes the Urus offer to tempt traitorous hearts to join them.Mahmood thanks you, but cannot accept your gift."
"Your slave would be more gratified if the Prince would take thetrifling gift. He can repay it when he pleases."
"I thank you, merchant, but I have said I will not accept your gift,"replied the Prince. "Therefore take it back, and go in peace."
The Armenian, as desired, took the dagger, concealing it beneath thefolds of his dress, while the Prince whispered a few words into AchmetBeg's ear.
The night being already far advanced, the party prepared for rest.Slaves entered the guest-house, bringing cushions and coverlids of richsilk, and spreading them on the floor, to form beds for the guests, onwhich the voyagers gladly threw themselves to rest.
Seeing that every thing was arranged, their Princely host retired to apart of the dwelling appropriated to himself.
The walls of the room were adorned by tablets w
ith passages of the Koranwritten on them, while the arms of the guests, with several suits ofrich armour, hung suspended around. The internal ornaments afforded astrong contrast to the primitive simplicity of the mansion, and to thesimple habits and customs of its inhabitants. The manners of thechiefs, however, were courteous and knightly, resembling all we hear ofthe chivalry of the middle ages, or perhaps still more like the heroesof ancient Greece.
The lower orders and serfs, also, are certainly less barbarous, andperhaps more intelligent than the Scottish highlanders of the same classa century ago, if it is necessary indeed to go back so far.
The next morning, the Uzden Achmet Beg assembled his followers, who hadbeen dispersed about the neighbouring hamlet for the