Morris tribune., 1902-03-08
CHAPTER XIII.
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WS1-41A1AAllAAH Ills l1OLuSlS aOFGLSO1C
----- 90 at last by SO many phys.
ical and moral tortures, had sunk down,
not daring to look or listen any longer,
'sLook with all your eyes! Lbok!'
Feofar-Khan had said, stretching out
his threatening hand toward Michael
STogoff. }.s-...
Without doubt Ivan Ogareff, knowing
well the Tartar customs, had under
stood the bearing of that word, for his
lips parted for an instant in cruel
smile. Then he went to take his place
near Feofar-Khan. ,&.
A call of trumpets was heard imme-
diately. It was the signal for the
amusements. III
''Now we have the ballet" said Al
eide Jolivet to Harry Blount; ''but, con-
trary to all custom, these barbarians
give it before the drama"
Michael Strogoff had been ordered to
look. He did look. A swarm Of female
dancers came upon the space reserved
for them. Various Tartar instruments,
united with the cultural voices Of the
singers, formed strange harmony.
There were a mandolin with long neck
made of the wood of the mulberry tree,
with two strings Of twisted silk, kind
of violoncello, open at the back, fur
nished with horsehair and made to
vibrate with bow, a long flute made
Of reed, trumpets, tambourines and
tomtoms. At once the dances began.
These dancers performed very grace
fully various dances, sometimes singly
and sometimes in groups. They had
their faces uncovered, but from time to
time they drew light veil over their
figures, and one would have said that
a cloud of gauZe was passing over their
sparkling eyes like vapor over the
starry heaven.
When this first entertainment was
over, grave voice was heard, which
said.' Look with all your eyes! Look!'
The man who repeated these words
of the emir, a Tartar of high stature,
was the chief executioner of Feofar-
Khan He had taken his position be-
hind Michael Strogoff, and he held in
his hand a sword with broad and
curved blade, one Of those Damascus
blades which had been tempered by
the famous armorers of Karschi or Of
Hissar.
Near him some guards had brought a
tripod on which was placed an iron
dish, where some redhot Goals were
burning without emitting any smoke.
The light crust which crowned them
was due only to- the incineration Of a
resinous and aromatic substance, a
mixture of frankincense and benzoin,
which had been thrown on their sur
face.
Meanwhile another group of dancers
had succeeded the first, but Of a race
very different which Michael Strogoff |
at once recognized.
And we must believe that the two |
journalists also recognized them, for |
Harry Blount said to his confrere:
'"These are the Zingari of Mini Nov
gorod."
'"The very onesv' cried Alcide Jolivet.
81 imagine their eyes bring more mon
ey to these spies than their legsw
And in making them out to be agents
in the service Of the emir Alcide Jolf-
vet it is we'll known, did not deceive
himself.
Ill lLG uISL kduh VI luS SJ pSISS AS-
ured Sangarre, in her superb costume,
strange and picturesque as it was,
which set off still more her beauty.
Sangarre did not dance, but stood in
the middle Of her dancing girls, whose
fantastic steps partook of all the coun-
tries which their race had traversed in
Europe, of Bohemia, of Egypt, of Italy
and of Spain. They became animated
at the noise of the cymbals which
changed on their arms and at the swell
ing Of the "daires," kind Of drum
sounded by the fingers.
SangaTe, holding one Of these daires,
which trembled between her hands, ex-
cited this troop Of 'veritable corybantes.
Then came forward a youthful gyp.
sy, some fifteen years old at most. He
s,ald in his hand doutare, the two
cords or which he made to vibrate by
simple gliding or the Geii.!a Gei. He sang.
During The c6ur;:.ess c6auif;:s 81 81 Ei Song Qf fan
tastic rhythm a danseuse came and
placed herself near him and remained
immovable, listening to him, but each
time the burden came to the lips OF the
young singer she again IooK up ner III
terrupted dance, shaking her daire near
him and deafening him with the sound
of her drum.
Then, after the last verse, the dancers
enlaced the gypsy in thousand turn
ings of their dances. s.
At this moment 9 shower of gold fell
from the hands OK Ine s2Ei- and his al
lies. from Tie hands OF the officers of
all grades, and to the noise of the
pieces which struck the cymbals Of the
dancers were blended the last murmurs
of the doutares and tambourines.
"Prodigal as freebooters" said Al
eide Jolivet in the ear Of his compan-
ion
And, indeed, it was stolen money :
which fell in showers, for with the
Tartar tomans and sequins rained also
Muscovite ducats and rubles.
Then silence was made for an in
o15 ~ x,aioo ,of tho oynpIlfiQnnr.