Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-01-19
ArI0MES
w. oHNA.&6dAgr:
fCOpYriRht- ISgl by John AIaKandaP Steuart. I
Copyright. 1893, by John Alexander Steuart.l
CHAPTER XIV.

2 ON TRIAL FOR MY LIFE-A SINGULAR DIVER
SION.
Huddled in foul hole, which admitted
neither light nor air, Vried to imagine
what might be the outcome of this fresl
ENHANCEMENT. One thing seemed certain
| that was to be kept fast under bolts fol
! the night. In the morning, If a pestilen
/ tial air did not finish me in the meantime,
/ should probably be led forth to a mocl
| trial and convicted by overwhelming evi
| depce Of uncommitted crimes, for knew
! the = luity of the Asiatio mind in de
/ vising charges. What would follow-thI
| Judgment and form of execution-wert
matters that could be foretold with dis
| quieting accuracy.
The prospect gave me less concern thar
might be imagined. Assuredly fortune
was using her teeth and claws upon me
with implacable malevolence. But her per
| secutions were beginning to lose something
| of their poignancy. Like a vain woman
| fortune loves to show her power, and like
meddlesome one, she must have finger in
| every mans pie, making it sweet and soul
according to her within and humor. But
when one has, as the poet puts it, looked
on his own funeral procession, he may
| smile at her efforts to inflict pain. He Il
then getting beyond her range. To that
stage of apathy was fast approaching.
The ignominy of the thing troubled me
most. To die once is the fate Of all, and
death, as wise men have ever taught. may
be made glorious. But to be shut up in a
hole like q rat and then probed out to be
worried by bloodthirsty hounds is not to
close the fifth act of ones play with any
dignity or glory. If they would only put q
proper sword in my hand, then ! might
leave my memory green and furnish tale
worth telling to their grandchildren.
In spite of what has been said, must
not boast of confidence, for when at length
outwearied nature claimed her boon of
sleep was constantly starting up, with a
throbbing heart and a clammy brow. To
be rid of the plaguing dreams l decided at
last to keep awake. As the best means Of
doing that crept about the cell, entertain
ing myself first by guessing its dimensions
and then by feeling its walls inch by inch
with my hands. This diversion lasted but
little while. and then l fell back on my
own thoughts. They, refusing to be con-
fined, flew to other days-to old scenes and
familiar faces. Time reversed his move
ment, the past became the present, dead
things started into life, and the absent and
the distant were brought near.
Every brae and bush about kilgour,
every bend of the road, every burn, almost
every tuft of heather, every dear figure, my
father, my mother, old Duncan and the
rest rose before me with the yiyidness Of
reality. Sir Thomas Gordon with his
brown face was there, too, and so was Isa-
bel, looking as had so often seen her, with
her melting eyes and her abundance of
glossy hair. l trembled with feeling
half of joy, half of superstitious dread-as
l looked from one to another of the vision
airy company. 1t was pleasant to see them
- I'D i fhay,,
again? The meeting was gladstone, but
would it be the last?
In some agitation of spirit rose, and my
foot struck against the green bag. 1t was
an electric link connecting me in very real
ity with those of whom l was thinking. /
picked it up, drew forth the pipes, hurried
ly turned them and the next instant was
playing highland airs with might and main.
Very weird and strange and thrilling sound
ed the music of my native hills in that close
subterranean cell-thrilling as the grasp of
a friend in the day of adversely, strange as
the Gaelic speech amid Arabian sands.
played till ] knew no fear and forgot all
danger, till there rose within me spirit of
revolt and resistance that would have de-
fed the united power of all the caliphs
from Aboo-B ekr to Mustassims 1.-THE first
and last of the real caliphs. Under the
Mamelukes there were, properly speaking,
no caliphs, and the claim of the sultan to
rank as caliph is absurd.
My jailers beat upon the door with the
butts of their muskets to demand silence,
but they might as well have whistled to
the charging lion. Needless of their pound
ing, indeed scarcely hearing it, played on,
the wild slogan of the clans almost burst
ing the walls asunder. Faster and faster
danced the fingers OF the piper; ever more
and more furious rose the strains that
never yet failed to give the strength of &C.
stasy to highlander. 1t was the pipes that
won Waterloo, that saved Lucknow, that
broke the Russian swoop at Balaklava On
reeking fields of gore their scream has made
men forget death and Danish the thought
of yielding. What they had done in the
stress and havoc of battle they were now
doing in solitariness and darkness. With
their music in my ears, 1 could dare any
thing
All at once the door opened, and a ref1ec-
ton of far away sunshine dribbled feebly
in. a band of grisly warriors stood with
out, grasping their weapons and bearing
countenances of distrust and apprehension.
Come forth, said one, stepping little
in advance of his fellows. THE great Abou
Kuram waiteth to hear the charges against
thee"
L
certain whether or not to put up my pipes.
Then with fierce gathering of spirit
blew again, harder than ever, and swept
forth, my chanter cumming so bravely that
the Arabs fell back with their fingers hard
in their ears. Perhaps it was out of char
ity, or it may have been FROM fear to med
die with a thing so unearthly, but the
guards suffered me to have my own way,
and l, determined to make good appear
ance, put my whole soul into the playing
We passed along devious passages of
treacherous suggestion, then through an
open circular court, whence we had a
glimpse of enormous walls, stoutly bas-
toned and buttressed, ard of massive tow
ers fanking arched gateways; then into
another large court surrounded by balco-
MES. All the while blew with undated
defiance and independence, much to the
amazement Of the assembled people, and
70 the evident terror of not a few who
clearly regarded the skirling of the pipes
as the screeching OF evil spirits. Ny tune
on entering was the Highland Laddie,"
and a very singular figure must have cut
with my bandaged head, my pulled cheeks
and trailing garments. / had vague feel
ing of being n second Macpherson march
ing VIGOROUSLY to death to my own quick
step, and dare say the bit Of bravado sus-
Ial1eu me-
Though it was yet little past the dawn.
the court was densely thronged with citi-
zens and soldiers, for the Arabs are abroad
with the sun. On raised seat facing the
entrance sat the governor. Benches of
stone and beaten earth that ran round the
sides were occupied by courtiers, castle Of
ficials and the more prominent citizens,
while the common people and the soldiery.
some with bristling arms and some with
out, elbowed each other to find standing
room as best they could.
Marching with my proudest step into the
center. abruptly ceased playing and sa-
luted my judge. He did not return my sa-
lutte, but sitting motionless as a statue
watched me with sharpeyes and contracted
brows.
For an Arab he was uncommonly hand
some. In the prime OF life, he was tall,
broad chested, clean featured and bore him
self with the imperial mien Of the Caesars.
His hair WAS LET black: his ewes also black