Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/392

 the false summons he had received, within the men. Having halted some distance from where Vahan and his followers lay, he set out alone for the camp, where he supposed Mihran was. On hi« arrival he was ushered into the presence of Vahan by the disguised chiefs, and not being intimately acquainted with Mihran, he saluted Vahan, fancying him to be the Persian general. He was however quickly undeceived by the Armenian chief, who addressing him in a scornful way, said, " so you imagined to force the Ar- menians to embrace the Persian religion!" He then directed the people to seize and scourge him. Varshir, confounded by this language, and overpowered at the reflection of the danger he was in, fell lifeless on the ground. On the attendants of Vahan seizing him, and com- mencing the punishment which they were ordered to inflict, Varshir recovered a little and implored mercy. Vahan promised to spare his life if he did as he directed him, which was, to write im- mediately to the officer whom he had left in charge of his troops to send 1,000 of them to the foot of Mount Cuth, 1,000 to a valley which he named, and after leaving the remaining 1,600 where they then encamped, to come to him with ten men. This was immediately consented to by the terrified Varshir, and as

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