DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12664#0232
a trial of the nerves,
22!
nerving myself for what was to come, but when I
heard the scourge whizzing through the air, and,
when the first blow fell upon the naked feet, saw
the convulsive movements of the body, and heard
the first loud, piercing shriek, I could stand it no
longer ; I broke through the crowd, forgetting the
governor and every thing else, except the agoni-
zing sounds from which I was escaping; but the
janizary followed close at my heels, and, laying his
hand upon my arm, hauled me back to the gover-
nor. If I had consulted merely the impulse of
feeling, I should have consigned him, and the gov-
ernor, and the whole nation of Turks, to the lower
regions ; but it was all important not to offend this
summary dispenser of justice, and I never made a
greater sacrifice of feeling to expediency, than
when I re-entered his presence. The shrieks of the
unhappy criminal were ringing through the cham-
ber, but the governor received me with as calm
a smile as if he had been sitting on his own divan?.
listening only to the strains of some pleasant music,
while I stood with my teeth clinched, and felt the
hot breath of the victim, and heard the whizzing
of the accursed whip, as it fell again and again
upon his bleeding feet. I have heard men cry out
in agony when the sea was raging, and the drown-
ing man,, rising for the last time upon the moun-
tain waves, turned his imploring arms towards us,
and with his dying breath called in vain for help ;
but I never heard such heart-rending sounds as
those from the poor bastinadoed wretch before me.
I thought the governor would never make an end
t2
22!
nerving myself for what was to come, but when I
heard the scourge whizzing through the air, and,
when the first blow fell upon the naked feet, saw
the convulsive movements of the body, and heard
the first loud, piercing shriek, I could stand it no
longer ; I broke through the crowd, forgetting the
governor and every thing else, except the agoni-
zing sounds from which I was escaping; but the
janizary followed close at my heels, and, laying his
hand upon my arm, hauled me back to the gover-
nor. If I had consulted merely the impulse of
feeling, I should have consigned him, and the gov-
ernor, and the whole nation of Turks, to the lower
regions ; but it was all important not to offend this
summary dispenser of justice, and I never made a
greater sacrifice of feeling to expediency, than
when I re-entered his presence. The shrieks of the
unhappy criminal were ringing through the cham-
ber, but the governor received me with as calm
a smile as if he had been sitting on his own divan?.
listening only to the strains of some pleasant music,
while I stood with my teeth clinched, and felt the
hot breath of the victim, and heard the whizzing
of the accursed whip, as it fell again and again
upon his bleeding feet. I have heard men cry out
in agony when the sea was raging, and the drown-
ing man,, rising for the last time upon the moun-
tain waves, turned his imploring arms towards us,
and with his dying breath called in vain for help ;
but I never heard such heart-rending sounds as
those from the poor bastinadoed wretch before me.
I thought the governor would never make an end
t2