"Ah, your Excellency, it is strange to you, but has a different
significance to us; we to whom that land yielded a livelihood have been
driven to other ways of making one. Our harvests--good or bad, as the
good God decided--were taken from us in payment of taxes, which were so
great that even the whole year's profit would not pay them. So--what
would you? I, myself, worked ten years on the land my father and
grandfather had owned. But every year the burden grew greater; and, as
on the last occasion I could not pay the collector, he drove off my
animals, such as they were, and would have taken me to prison only I
stuck my knife into him and fled."
He told me this quite calmly. He had most probably killed the
collector, but it evidently struck him as a justifiable deed, and in my
heart of hearts I could not altogether blame him. It gave me an inkling
of what the treatment of peasants was like, under the rule of this man
who starved his soldiers and squandered their pay on courtesans.
A little farther on, we were informed that the time had come for them to
blindfold us; and there being no opposition they proceeded to do so.
With our eyes covered we were led forward again for a while, and then
the climb began. Our hands were placed in niches, or our feet guided to
some rock or projection, as, without mishap or inconvenience, we
clambered up and up, until once more our feet were on a pathway.
Another longish walk, a sharp turn, and then we were halted, and the
bandages which prevented our seeing taken away.
I stood absolutely amazed, blinking my eyes to find out whether I was
really awake or dreaming, for we were in a place that no one could ever
have dreamed existed. It was like an enormous cup scooped out of the
mountain, and its sides must have been a couple of hundred feet high.
The diameter of the cup seemed over a mile; a more perfect hiding-place
it would have been impossible to conceive. There was one part covered
with fine trees, another splendid pasture, upon which were numerous
cattle and sheep, while a small stream wandered across the whole length
of the place, providing a good water supply. On our right stood some
fifteen wooden houses, substantially built, with patches of vegetable
gardens in front of each.
This much I took in with my first bewildered glance.
"Well, I'm damned!" said Carruthers.
"So am I!" said I.
"In fact we all are!" said Mr. Neville sagely.
The litter had by now been carried down through the narrow fissure
through which we had entered, and a host of people came running from the
houses and fields; people of all ages and both sexes. They surrounded
us with looks far from amiable, until the nominal leader explained our
presence to their satisfaction, and incidentally to ours. I had a busy
time, for I believe they would all have embraced me. One did, but as
she turned out to be the betrothed wife of Piotr, she was forgiven; she
was a dashed fine looking girl too, so very attractive that Carruthers
grumbled, and murmured that he had wanted to save Piotr himself.
For some days they feasted and made much of us; nor was it dull, for
Carruthers, as usual, had to try to teach the male portion of the
community how to play games. This was a source of continual delight to
him; and, as Mr. Neville was chiefly engaged in looking after Piotr, I
amused myself by enticing all and sundry into conversation. I say
"amused," but it really was not amusement to listen to some of the tales
of brutality of the tax gatherers with which these people had put up,
before breaking away to the free life they then led.
Upon the day before the one upon which we had decided to leave,
Carruthers got up what he was pleased to call "Athletic Sports." It was
a great success, and some very fine performances took place; it was
astonishing, too, how these men took to the idea, and allowed themselves
to be bullied by Carruthers and myself, who acted as "Officials." The
event which was afterwards voted the greatest success was the obstacle
race for women; in this Carruthers had surpassed himself in the
ingenuity of the obstacles. Every one, both performers and onlookers,
was simply helpless with laughter before the end of the race, which was
won by a fine old woman of over sixty.
Mr. Neville was attending Piotr, who sat propped up at one of the
windows.
Piotr's reception of me was rather funny. He was so deadly ashamed of
his motive in coming to us as guide, especially so, when I chaffed him
about the path he had expected us to follow, by air. However, I
understood that in him I had a friend, who would sacrifice his life for
me should occasion arise.
We had numerous conversations about Rudarlia, and I found that he was a
man of ideals, as well as being professionally a brigand; what is more,
I believed him when he told me that he had only taken to it when there
was no other way open.
Mr. Neville had asked him whether he would give up his present career,
if the laws were readjusted.
"Give us fair taxation, and justice, and we will serve God and the King
until the end," had been his response.
"Ivan?" I asked.
"I said a 'King,'" was the stern reply. "One who puts his country
before such things as his mistresses; Ivan is no king, he is a vile,
grasping tyrant."
"Are there many who think as you do?"
"I never knew or heard of a man who wouldn't rejoice at news of his
death."
Decidedly the King was not beloved.
We started early the next morning, and were almost sorry to go. We had
learned to like these simple-hearted, fierce people; and they seemed to
reciprocate the feeling.
Piotr broke a coin in two, and presented me with one-half.
"If you are in Rudarlia, and need me, send me that piece; if I am alive
I will come to you."
I put it carefully away, thanking him for the promise. As a parting
gift, I made him accept my revolver. His eyes glistened at the sight of
it; but he swore that it should only be used in self-defence, and I knew
that he would keep his word.
Our eyes were left unbandaged as we made our way out of the place: we
had given our word not to divulge the secret.
The second in command acted as our guide, and before long we were out of
the mountains, and proceeding along the small, winding paths by which we
made our way to the main road from Melanov to Karena. Once we were upon
that we made better progress; and soon came to a small village called
Viritz, where we halted, for it was at this place that our guide was to
turn back.
We made many purchases there, however, and fairly loaded up the horse;
the things we bought were to be divided among the men and women we had
just left. With many assurances of goodwill on both sides we parted,
our guide setting his face towards the mountains while we turned into
the inn for a meal.
It was only after a good deal of trouble that we secured a cart to take
us and our small belongings towards Karena; but once the difficulty was
overcome we started gaily forward again. As usual, we entered into a
discussion of military affairs, and it struck us all that, from Melanov,
there would be no great obstacle in forcing a way through to the
capital, unless the fortifications of that city were very strong. That,
of course, we did not know; nor did the driver of our cart, a surly
brute, who had neither civility nor good looks to recommend him.
We dismissed the cart at Yuhban, a somewhat larger village, where we had
determined to spend the night, under the vain illusion that we should
sleep.
Alas, from the moment that we entered that wretched building we
suffered! And so it was until we left in the early morning, after
paying a bill which would not have disgraced the _Ritz_ in London.
I made a mental note to the effect that when I returned to Rudarlia as a
saviour, in which role I had cast myself, the first, or one of the first
improvements I should inaugurate, would be the burning down of all such
inns, from one end of the country to the other. I believe that my
companions would have wanted to burn the innkeepers as well.
From this village of fleas and worse, we escaped by a small motor-bus
which connected it with Karena, and allowed the driver to recommend the
_Carlton_ as the best, and most up-to-date of the Karenian hotels. We
were agreeably surprised to find that he had not misled us; it was quite
a credit to Rudarlia, with every convenience and comfort that could be
desired, as well as excellent cooking. I will confess that I do enjoy a
good dinner.
We engaged a suite on the first floor; and from that time were looked
upon with favour by the staff, in spite of our scanty baggage.
We spent two or three days in going round, sightseeing; but we soon
settled down to study the conditions under which the people lived.
Daily we took long walks or drives into the country, and nightly we sat
in cafes, entering into conversation with anyone and every one, always,
however, finding the same fierce resentment against the King and his
Court. There was a current of unrest among them all, dull mutterings
which betokened an approaching storm; and it seemed to me that only a
leader was needed to raise the whole country, but always that cursed
_cul-de-sac_: who to put in Ivan's place? We had a glimpse of him one
day, as we were returning to our hotel: a fat, bibulous-looking man,
with great coarse lips, and crafty eyes.
Not a voice was raised as he drove through the great gates of his
palace, although there were many people present. His escort, who were
the only smart soldiers we had seen, looked as though disgusted with
their work of guarding him. Soon afterwards came another carriage in
which a woman was sitting, both young and beautiful.