Through the Storm; Pictures of Life in Armenia (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1899 edition. Excerpt: ...man to fight his way up to a high position. But with that his face grew suddenly dark. By some strange association of ideas he suddenly bethought him of the _ meek, dejected face of old Mathos, and the humble air of the crowd that made way for him but cursed him all the while for causing the ruin of hundreds of his fellows. He was quite aware of the sentiment of the crowd, and Mathos was a living reminder of his crime. And at that thought he grew angry, and broke out: "Yes, we owe it to the nation and the state," he cried, bringing his fist down on his knee. " We must bind these agitators hand and foot, and give them up to the Government to pay the just penalty of their crimes. It is these wretches that are the plague of commerce. It is the duty of all of us to spy out these madmen, these fools; we ought to report to Govemment all that we hear or see or know conceming them. Even if it were one's ovn child one ought to hand him over to the authorities," he added rather thickly, recalling an only son of his own, a lad of two-and-twenty. " We have the closest financial ties with the Government," he added after a pause; "indeed it owes us large sums, and it is by no means to our interest that its position should be an uncertain one, and all the country in a state of disturbance, owing to these damned fools " He broke off, and a silence fell upon the room. There was a general feeling of uneasiness, and no one raised their eyes or wished to be the first speaker. There was an unusual weight upon the breasts of these men. The shadow of something shameful and impure was upon their dark and melancholy faces. " Why don't you speak?" cried Arakel agha in the silence. There was general...