The Circassian Chief: A Romance of RussiaKingston, William Henry Giles
History
The Circassian Chief: A Romance of Russia
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Caucasus -- History -- Juvenile fiction
"He eyed me with a glance which pierced me through my soul, as I stood
with my head bowed before him, nor could words find utterance through my
parched lips. He spoke, but I was deaf to the sound. Strange people
were around me; an uncouth language was spoken, whose meaning I could
not understand: entreaty, resistance, complaint, were alike unavailing.
I had none to appeal to from whom I could hope for assistance. I knew
myself to be utterly helpless; none around me could understand my words.
I was led back, unresistingly, to my solitary cabin. I yielded to my
fate, for all thoughts of escape were hopeless. I thought of death as a
refuge for my wretchedness; but one idea, one hope still sustained me,
and bade me cling to life. I might, should you have escaped
destruction, still have a chance, though a remote one, of meeting with
you. The very thought restored me. I determined to live to devote my
energies to find you; for I knew not of the difficulties in my way. The
ship in which I was borne captive from Circassia, reached the shores of
Russia; and I was transported to this mansion in some strange
conveyance, which I had never before seen. I was here treated with
every care and attention, having female attendants to wait on me, and to
supply all my wants. From them I learned gradually the strange language
they spoke, being inspired with the hope that it might be of service to
me in my search after you; and sustained by this deep feeling, I became
partially reconciled to my fate. I had not seen or heard of my captor
since I left the ship, except that, as far as I could understand, he was
still absent from his domain.
"My sole delight and employment was in wandering through the woods,
while thinking of you, and in forming many different projects to
discover to what part of the country you had been conveyed. On one of
these excursions I had gone further than usual from home, and had for an
instant lost sight of my attendant, when a child's cry caught my ear. I
rushed forward eagerly at the sound, for the notes vibrated through my
heart like some beloved and well-known voice. I was not to be deceived.
Oh! joy of joys! blessing unspeakable! it was you, my own loved boy--
far off, I knew you. I sprang forward--I pressed you to my bosom--I
covered you with kisses--I placed you on the ground: again and again I
snatched you in my arms. I wept--I felt mad with joy; all my sorrows,
all my miseries were, for the moment, forgotten; all the happiness I had
lost, in an instant, appeared restored tenfold. I know not if you
recognised me; but I thought you did; for you returned my embrace,
looking up smilingly in my face.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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