shall recognize Selim. I cannot tell you how long we remained in
this state; at that period I did not even know what time meant.
Sometimes, but very rarely, my father summoned me and my mother to
the terrace of the palace; these were hours of recreation for me,
as I never saw anything in the dismal cavern but the gloomy
countenances of the slaves and Selim's fiery lance. My father was
endeavoring to pierce with his eager looks the remotest verge of
the horizon, examining attentively every black speck which appeared
on the lake, while my mother, reclining by his side, rested her
head on his shoulder, and I played at his feet, admiring everything
I saw with that unsophisticated innocence of childhood which throws
a charm round objects insignificant in themselves, but which in its
eyes are invested with the greatest importance. The heights of
Pindus towered above us; the castle of Yanina rose white and
angular from the blue waters of the lake, and the immense masses of
black vegetation which, viewed in the distance, gave the idea of
lichens clinging to the rocks, were in reality gigantic fir-trees
and myrtles.
"One morning my father sent for us; my mother had been crying
all the night, and was very wretched; we found the pasha calm, but
paler than usual. `Take courage, Vasiliki,' said he; `to-day
arrives the firman of the master, and my fate will be decided. If
my pardon be complete, we shall return triumphant to Yanina; if the
news be inauspicious, we must fly this night.' — `But supposing our
enemy should not allow us to do so?' said my mother. `Oh, make
yourself easy on that head,' said Ali, smiling; `Selim and his
flaming lance will settle that matter. They would be glad to see me
dead, but they would not like themselves to die with me.'
"My mother only answered by sighs to consolations which she knew
did not come from my father's heart. She prepared the iced water
which he was in the habit of constantly drinking, — for since his
sojourn at the kiosk he had been parched by the most violent fever,sojourn at the kiosk he had been parched by the most violent fever,
— after which she anointed his white beard with perfumed oil, and
lighted his chibouque, which he sometimes smoked for hours
together, quietly watching the wreaths of vapor that ascended in
spiral clouds and gradually melted away in the surrounding
atmosphere. Presently he made such a sudden movement that I was
paralyzed with fear. Then, without taking his eyes from the object
which had first attracted his attention, he asked for his
telescope. My mother gave it him. and as she did so, looked whiter
than the marble against which she leaned. I saw my father's hand
tremble. `A boat! — two! — three!' murmured my, father; — `four!'
He then arose, seizing his arms and priming his pistols.
`Vasiliki,' said he to my mother, trembling perceptibly, `the
instant approaches which will decide everything. In the space of
half an hour we shall know the emperor's answer. Go into the cavern
with Haidee.' — `I will not quit you,' said Vasiliki; `if you die,
my lord, I will die with you.' — `Go to Selim!' cried my father.
`Adieu, my lord,' murmured my mother, determining quietly to await
the approach of death. `Take away Vasiliki!' said my father to his
Palikares.
"As for me, I had been forgotten in the general confusion; I ran
toward Ali Tepelini; he saw me hold out my arms to him, and he
stooped down and pressed my forehead with his lips. Oh, how
distinctly I remember that kiss! — it was the last he ever gave me,
and I feel as if it were still warm on my forehead. On descending,
we saw through the lattice-work several boats which were gradually
becoming more distinct to our view. At first they appeared like
black specks, and now they looked like birds skimming the surface
of the waves. During this time, in the kiosk at my father's feet,
were seated twenty Palikares, concealed from view by an angle of
the wall and watching with eager eyes the arrival of the boats.
They were armed with their long guns inlaid with mother-of-pearlThey were armed with their long guns inlaid with mother-of-pearl
and silver, and cartridges in great numbers were lying scattered on
the floor. My father looked at his watch, and paced up and down
with a countenance expressive of the greatest anguish. This was the
scene which presented itself to my view as I quitted my father
after that last kiss. My mother and I traversed the gloomy passage
leading to the cavern. Selim was still at his post, and smiled
sadly on us as we entered. We fetched our cushions from the other
end of the cavern, and sat down by Selim. In great dangers the
devoted ones cling to each other; and, young as I was, I quite
understood that some imminent danger was hanging over our
heads."
Albert had often heard — not from his father, for he never spoke
on the subject, but from strangers — the description of the last
moments of the vizier of Yanina; he had read different accounts of
his death, but the story seemed to acquire fresh meaning from the
voice and expression of the young girl, and her sympathetic accent
and the melancholy expression of her countenance at once charmed
and horrified him. As to Haidee, these terrible reminiscences
seemed to have overpowered her for a moment, for she ceased
speaking, her head leaning on her hand like a beautiful flower
bowing beneath the violence of the storm; and her eyes gazing on
vacancy indicated that she was mentally contemplating the green
summit of the Pindus and the blue waters of the lake of Yanina,
which, like a magic mirror, seemed to reflect the sombre picture
which she sketched. Monte Cristo looked at her with an
indescribable expression of interest and pity.
"Go on," said the count in the Romaic language.
Haidee looked up abruptly, as if the sonorous tones of Monte
Cristo's voice had awakened her from a dream; and she resumed her
narrative. "It was about four o'clock in the afternoon, and
although the day was brilliant out-of-doors, we were enveloped in
the gloomy darkness of the cavern. One single, solitary light was