thither we urged our steeds: but I hope my bride saw not what I saw on
the way, hideous shadowy forms, that seemed to wring their hands and
wail, while others seemed to urge us on in fierce diabolic delight. We
rode along, hand in hand, neither of us seeming to have any heart for
talk, as lovers should have, for we were both of us too much absorbed
with our own thoughts: Hildegard with the step she had taken in running
away from her father and I with terrible fears of the danger into which
I had led the confiding girl. At length our guide pointed out a black
spot crowning a rocky height, which, as he informed me, was to be our
home. To reach it, we had to descend into a deep and dark ravine, in
the depths of which we could hear, though not see, a rushing torrent.
We scrambled down to it with some difficulty and danger owing to the
darkness, but would not have ventured to cross had not a blue flame
suddenly shot up from the bank at the opposite side just where the
ford was, and showed us where we might safely pass. So frighted was
Hildegard that she clung as close to me as our horses would permit,
nor would anything have persuaded her to go forward had not her fear
of returning equalled her present fear. From the depths of the ravine
we toiled up a rocky narrow path until we came to the outworks of the
castle, whence continuing between embattled walls we arrived at a
frowning and gloomy portal. I had never seen the place before, nor,
indeed, knew that such a castle existed in the neighbourhood. It is
true that I had heard that in the direction which we had taken there
was a haunted wood in which no hunter would dare to allow the shades of
night to overtake him, and many were the tales I had heard of the awful
things that had been seen there; and belike for this reason my lord of
Schneckenstein never cared to turn his footsteps that way,--certainly,
I had followed our guide the more readily because I considered that
we were in less danger of pursuit in this direction than had we taken
another, but the horrors of our ride and the eerie aspect of the
castle, I think, had begun to shake my nerves, and had I not had to
comfort and reassure Hildegard I do not think that I should have had
courage to go on. Though the night was dark, and our way had only
been illumined by some fitful moonbeams that stole out between the
scudding clouds, yet every stone of the old crumbling walls was visible
to us clothed in a sort of phosphorescent light of their own, but the
casements were mere black cavities, excepting a row of great windows in
the distance belonging as I guessed to the banqueting hall, which were
all lit up with a ruddy glow which waned and again waxed as if from
the flames of a furnace. Yet all was deathly silent, though we were
near enough to have heard sounds of revelry had there been any, as the
lights indicated. When we halted at the edge of the moat, the vapours
from the stagnant waters of which smote our nostrils like the poisonous
steams of the plague, we could see no watchman or warder, nor indeed,
was there any sign of life visible. Then my squire sounded a discordant
blast on his horn that seemed to freeze the very marrow in our bones,
upon which the drawbridge slowly descended with many creaks and groans,
and we passed into the courtyard. Here, however, we still saw no one,
but he of the evil countenance seemed to reck of none of these things,
and merely motioned us to a crumbling archway which stood in the corner
beyond a ruined fountain. We entered, and found ourselves on a dark
but broad stone staircase, that led into a hall or banqueting chamber,
spacious enough, but merely lit at the further end by a few ill-burning
sconces sufficient to show that the table was spread. We were hungry
after our ride and all the fears we had gone through and took our seats
at the daïs at the head of the table; whereupon a trumpet sounded and
in trooped men-at-arms and varlets, at least so they seemed to be, but
they were all clad in some sort of grey stuff that gave them a sort
of shadowy look, and all wore their hoods drawn over their heads so
that their visages were hidden. One only saw here and there an eye
which shone with a strange lambent flame such as I had never before
seen in human countenance. They made their obeisance, and there they
sat as silent as death, and had we not noted now and again a turn of
the head or seen them raise their hands to their mouths, we should
have thought indeed that we were in the company of the dead. Even as
it was, Hildegard was in an agony of terror, and whispered, asking me
whither I had brought her. Amidst such chill surroundings it was some
comfort to see the meats smoking on the board, but when I had helped
my Hildegard and myself, we found them icy cold, insomuch that some
fear began to enter even into my heart, small as the matter was; but,
taken with all that had gone before, I think I had some cause for
fear. Poor Hildegard could not touch a morsel, but sat looking at me,
afraid to show how fearful she was, and indeed, I had much ado to put
on a cheerful countenance, for it was not a cheerful feast. The hall,
as I have said, was only dimly lighted, and such vagrant moonbeams as
managed to struggle through the heavily mullioned windows seemed but to
make more spectral the grey and silent guests. The roof was in utter
darkness, and here and there it seemed to be gone, disclosing through a
tangle of rafters a few dim and distant stars. Outside, the wind moaned
drearily, and ever and anon a gust shook the mouldy tapestry that still
festooned the walls, causing them to wave to and fro so that the faded
figures worked into them seemed to be endued with life, and looked all
the more weird in the flickering of the torches. Now and again, too, an
owl or a bat, attracted by the light, would brush past, almost touching
the table, so that neither of us could do more than sit still and
look, for we were deprived of all appetite for food. After the feast
had proceeded for some space, one of the figures, who appeared by his
habit to be the seneschal, rose up in his place, and in a hollow voice
spoke words of welcome for the bride and bridegroom; then he bade his
fellows fill their cups and drink to us--to our +ETERNAL DAMNATION+!
They all arose in their places, and as they did so, their hoods fell
from their heads and each one was revealed to us as a skeleton; as
they waved their cups in their bony hands, blue flames shot up from
them which they poured down their cavernous jaws; but we saw no more,
for Hildegard had swooned in my arms, while I, in a frenzy of fear and
horror, had seized her up, and rushed with her into the ruined chapel
which opened into the hall behind our seat.
Here all was quiet. The pale moonbeams struggling with the rising
dawn shone coldly through the broken windows upon the many sculptured
monuments of priests, and lords and ladies who once had lived here, but
now were mouldering into dust. With warm kisses upon her icy forehead
I restored my darling back to life, and she had hardly come to, when,
seeing where she was, she threw herself before the altar and clasping
my hand in hers, commended our souls to God. Shouts, and howls, and
blasphemies, together with the rattling of bones, resounded from
the hall without, while, as if awakened by these cries, horror upon
horror! the graves gave up their dead, and the chapel began to fill
with filmy gibbering ghosts in numbers that continued to wax until the
chapel became so full that they seemed to stand within each other,
and crowded, pressing threateningly around us. With a mind full of
anguish I looked at Hildegard, fearing that she would go mad with
horror and fright, and would, if I had dared, have cursed my folly for
my impatient dallying with the Evil One; but the brave girl seemed
to gather more courage as the need for it became the greater, and,
throwing her arms about my neck, prayed earnestly and without ceasing.
Still the ghosts thronged nearer, with everincreasing threatenings, and
forms of demons seemed to arise out of them that pressed into the front
rank and made as though they would seize us. Nearer they came, and I
felt redhot claws searing into my flesh, but Hildegard still remained
untouched as though some heavenly power were guarding her. Me, however,
they seized, and they were dragging me away, though she clung to me
with tears and prayer, when a sudden inspiration came to her; she tore
off the crucifix she had been wearing and threw it round about my neck.
With a howl the demons started back, but only for a moment, and then
one among them pierced her with a dart, and she fell cold and dead into
my arms. What happened after that I know not. I seemed to fall into an
ecstasy, and see a troop of angels come down, whose very sight put all
the ghostly forms to flight. They seemed to lift my Hildegard up and
bear her away to Paradise, while the ground rose up, the walls of the
castle fell, and I found myself lying on the bare rocks in a desert
place as the morning sun began to gild the clouds. Only the crucifix
which my sainted love had placed about my neck remained to show that
what we had suffered was aught but an awful dream. I staggered to my
feet, and guiding myself by the sun, set forth to expiate my sins at
Rome, if it were possible to save my sinful soul; and so, wandering on,
I presently found myself at Marseilles, where I took ship, and the next
day in a calm was captured by these heathens. This is my story. If I
die now, I shall die damned, and never meet my Hildegard again.
* * * * *
By these stories and the like, our labours were somewhat beguiled, but
it was a fearful life; and though owing to our numbers, our work was
not so heavy as it would have been had we been the slaves of any one
but the Dey, yet, so terrible were his moods that no one who came near
him, not even the greatest of his subjects, was ever safe from the most
horrible of deaths. To work too fast or too slow, to salute him or not
to salute him, were equal offences in his eyes. When he stirred abroad
it was always on horseback, and any horse he had once bestridden it
was death for any meaner person to back. Before him went the greatest
of his officers, then came a cavalcade of soldiers galloping hither
and thither, and executing marvellous feats of horsemanship while they
fired their small arms into the air or into the ground. He himself was
surrounded by black slaves, some running before and some behind, while
it was the office of one to carry an umbrella over him, and woe betide
him if he let one ray of sunshine touch his countenance. In his hand
he always carried a dart with which he would transfix any one that
angered him, and beside him ran another slave, whose only office it
was, when his master darted his weapon into the air, which he would
do when it irked him to carry it any longer, to catch it before it
fell; in which, if he failed, as like as not the Dey would order him
to be tossed, which is a punishment peculiar to the Turks, and done in
this manner. Four or five strong blacks seize upon him on either side,
and stooping a little, suddenly straighten their backs at the same
time throwing him up with all their strength, with his feet upward, so
that he pitches down with his head foremost. In this by much practice
they are so dexterous that they can make him fall how they please, and
according as the Dey signs to them they either break his neck at the
first toss or let him fall on his shoulder, when at another sign they
will toss him again until he be dead, or the Dey signify that it is
enough. Others of the Dey’s slaves are scarred all over by his dart,
and in particular that one which bears his umbrella, for at the least
offence he will make use of it. Indeed, to show what sort of a temper
he hath, and how terrible he is, I cannot do better than relate a story
that was credibly told me of his youth, when he was newly come into his
kingdom.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
_THE STORY OF HELIODORA._
At the time the Dey was newly come into his kingdom, he was warring
not only with the Christians by sea, but also against his brothers
that contested the kingdom against him at his father’s death; when he
not only showed his people that he was a lion in the fight, but also
showed them that he was a better general, young as he was, than any
emir his brothers could bring against him. Now it happened, after that
he had won several great victories, and driven his brothers to take
refuge in the mountains with such few of their followers as remained
to them, he retired to Algiers, where he sought to consolidate his
kingdom and rest for a while from the fatigues of war. Nor had he
been there long, when his fleet arrived in port, having on board much
riches plundered from the Christians, and also many slaves, among whom
was a most beautiful Greek girl whom the captain had brought as a
present for his sovereign. This slave indeed was a miracle of beauty,
a very jewel, barely seventeen years of age, and such as one might
scarcely conceive to exist in the flesh or in any other way than in
the conception of the great sculptors of ancient times. I need not
say that no sooner had the Dey seen her than he fell deeply in love,
insomuch that he could take no delight out of her company, and his
love increased little by little until he utterly neglected the affairs
of his kingdom, leaving his emirs to do as they pleased, and oppress
and plunder the people, while the enemy that was before utterly routed
and obliged to skulk in caverns and difficult places, began again to
take heart of grace in the general disorder, and so to harass the
kingdom that there was no security or peace from end to end. In these
circumstances the Janissaries, or soldiers, began with open voice to
murmur, complaining that their lord consumed his life effeminately
and that they were left without employment while the kingdom went to
ruin; while the poor commonalty were oppressed on the one side by their
rulers, and on the other by the enemy, so that they too began to broach
open sedition, saying that their lord was no lord for them, since he
conferred no profit on the kingdom but allowed them to be eaten up
from without and within. Yet there was none that durst declare any of
these things to the Dey, for they all knew his terrible humour: and,
moreover, he was so deeply steeped in love for the beautiful Greek
that it was no light thing to draw him away from her. Thus it was that
his people began to despair of a remedy, and began to be of one mind
to yield no more obedience to him, but to choose some other prince to
be Dey, more martial and more warlike, that would rid the kingdom of
its enemies and make the emirs give some account of their government.
Now, among the counsellors of the Dey, there was one that was called
Hamed, the greatest favourite that he ever had, who had come almost a
boy into his army, and had distinguished himself in several actions.
Having thus come under the young Dey’s notice, and being, moreover, a
youth of great parts, frank and noble, and of a merry humour, the Dey
grew into great familiarity with him, insomuch that he allowed him to
enter his presence whenever he would. This Hamed was heartily grieved
at the infatuation of his master and the danger into which he had
fallen of being bereft of his kingdom, and resolved that, come what
might, he would seek to draw him away from the Greek. When, therefore,
he perceived a convenient time, such as he desired to have, he repaired
to the Dey who was walking alone in his garden, and after he had made
great reverence according to the custom, he said: ‘My sovereign lord,
if thou wilt permit me to speak freely without fear, I have that to
tell thee which greatly concerns thy State, and what is still more
important to all thy loving people, the safety of thy own person.’ To
which the Dey answered merrily: ‘Cast aside all fear and speak freely
what is on thy mind, for who shall speak to me if thou mayest not?’
Then Hamed continued: ‘I doubt that what I say may be displeasing to
thee, but believe me that nothing but the love and reverence I have
for thee compels my tongue to wound thy ears; and indeed, I fear that
I have kept silence too long.’ He then proceeded to tell him as gently
as he could, what was the state of his kingdom, how the enemy were
pressing upon him, how the emirs governed and oppressed the people, and
how the people murmured; so that the kingdom was ripe for rebellion,
and there was already talk of deposing him and appointing a new Dey.
Then he exhorted him to attend to the government and leave off his
slothful life. ‘Be now,’ he continued, ‘a conqueror of thyself, and
separate thee from thy slave; or, if so be the Greek delight thee so
much, who shall prevent thee from carrying her with thee on all thy
expeditions, and why canst thou not both enjoy her company and use the
practice of arms? And if I have spoken anything disagreeable to thy
mind, pardon the same according to thy wonted clemency, and impute
the fault rather to my sense of duty, and the care that I have of thy
honour and safety.’ The Dey, when he had listened to the discourse of
his friend, stood as though he had been struck by a thunderbolt: his
eyes were fixed upon the ground, his chest heaved, his breath came
fast and thick, his colour changed, the veins in his forehead swelled,
and, in short, he discovered every sign of agitation and unquietness
of mind, insomuch that Hamed, seeing him in these alterations, was
in doubt of his life. A furious battle raged in the mind of the Dey,
for he knew that Hamed had spoken the truth, while on the other side
the beautiful eyes of Heliodora seemed to plead with him to continue
in his perfect love and happiness, and the idea of abandoning her was
as though he contemplated tearing his own heart from his bosom. With
great rage he turned upon Hamed and said: ‘Before the sun shall once
again turn in the heavens, I will let thee and others know what power
I have over myself, and whether I am able to bridle my passion or no.
Bid the emirs and bashas and grandees, and the captains and principal
men assemble to-morrow in the great hall of the divan, where I will
meet them, and now, if you value your life, be gone!’ The next day, all
the emirs and bashas and grandees, and all the principal men, together
with Hamed, were assembled in the great hall of the divan, wondering
what the Dey’s words had portended, when, to the sounds of drums and
cymbals, the Dey entered, leading Heliodora by the hand. When he had
come to the throne, he stood still, and cried with a loud voice: ‘Ho,
emirs and grandees, it has been brought to my understanding that ye
complain I devote too much time to this fair being, to the neglect of
the affairs of my kingdom, and that I am weak and unable to overcome my
passion and am unworthy any longer to command you.’ Then he drew the
veil from the face of Heliodora, and all present were amazed at her
beauty, insomuch that they could only murmur Allah! Allah! extolled
be the perfection of Him who hath fashioned thee! And they placed
the finger of admiration in the mouth of wonder, and stood there dumb
as fish newly taken from the seas. Then the Dey said to them: ‘Which
among you that possessed this miracle would have done otherwise than I
have, or would have endured any moment apart from her?’ To which the
assembled great men of the kingdom cried with one voice: ‘None of us, O
Dey; may we be your sacrifice, had it been vouchsafed to us, we should
have done even the same!’ ‘And which among you,’ cried he, ‘would have
done as I do?’ And so saying, he drew the glittering falchion from his
side, seized the fair Heliodora by her yellow hair, and drawing her
head back, cut her ivory throat with one stroke from ear to ear, so
that she fell on the ground, and her life’s blood welled out over his
feet. With a terrible frown he commanded them straightway to assemble
their men-at-arms, and to meet him the next day to march against the
enemy, when he fought as even he had never fought before; for he raged
among them as a lion that has lost its whelps, until they were utterly
defeated, and those of his officers who had oppressed the people, he
caused to die by the most horrible of deaths, nor did he pass over any
dereliction of duty in any one, so that people hardly dared to move
for fear of him, and they regretted that they had aroused him from his
sloth. For many years he was never seen to smile, but waged incessant
war with all the tribes round about until old age grew upon him; but
even at the present day it is whispered that he starts and weeps and
groans in his sleep, and agonised cries still ring through the palace
in the dead of night of ‘Heliodora!’
* * * * *
Such is his character, yet, when it pleases him, he cares for none
of the state and appanage of his magnificence, and will go a-hunting
like any other man, enduring heat, and thirst, and fatigue. On these
occasions, a body of slaves go before, bearing with them the camp
equipage, and such of his women as it pleases him to have with him,
on a train of camels, which are marvellous tall beasts, having a neck
twice as long as a horse, and a great hunch growing out of the midst of
their back, as big as a peck. They are covered with wool something like
a sheep, and are cloven-footed like them, yet their feet are round,
something about the size of a trencher, and soft, so that they can walk
equally well on the hard rock or yielding sand. Their strength is very
great, for they will carry as much on their backs as four horses, and
continue marching at a slow pace for two score hours without meat or
rest. Now, it so befell that the Dey bethought him of setting out on a
hunting expedition in the mountains, and I among the other slaves set
out the day before in the manner that I have described. When we had got
into the wild and rugged parts, we made our way to a delightful valley,
into which there was only one entry, through a long and narrow gorge,
by the side of a mountain torrent. This valley was wholly surrounded by
mountain cliffs, whose scarped, inaccessible faces added beauty to the
scene, by the veins of colour, blue, green, and red, that ran through
them in wavy lines. The valley itself was a verdant garden, watered by
the torrent of which I have already spoken, through which it rushed in
a series of miniature cascades, sprinkling its mossy and fern-covered
banks with sparkling diamonds as it pursued its impetuous course, and
ever and anon spreading into broad, quiet pools, that lay smiling in
the sunshine. Here we pitched the tents, amidst groves of oleander and
palms, on a carpet of flowering plants of every sort and kind, that
gladdened both the eye by their rich colours, and the senses by their
subtle perfumes; that is, we pitched the pavilion of the Dey, and the
tents for his women and their slaves, and raised huts of branches for
his immediate servitors; but all the hunters and the guard were posted
outside the valley, which could not be entered or departed from, save
by the gorge through which we had come. On one side of the stream
were the servants and on the other, hidden by the groves, the tents
and ground devoted to the women, where no man excepting the Dey might
intrude, save at those times when they were confined to the inclosure
walled by camelcloth, and guarded without and within. Then we, that is
I and the other slaves appointed thereto, worked in the garden, and
made art look more natural than nature.