The three friends parted with tears in their eyes, not knowing if they would ever meet again. If all went well, Rupen would be able to reach Tabriz in three weeks, and he promised to write at once.
After his departure, the days seemed long to Aram and Archag, and they were glad when the end of the vacation drew near. No letter came from Rupen, so they had to leave for Aintab without news of their friend.
[1] Dolma: minced meat wrapped in a vine-leaf. [↑]
CHAPTER XV
THE DEATH OF SAMOUĪL
The courtyard of the college was all astir with life: the students were arriving in small groups, and there was a constant succession of salutations and embraces, for Orientals are more demonstrative than northern people. Among the new Juniors, we find our friends of last year: the two cousins, Nejib and Dikran, Boghos and his inseparable companion Soghomon, fatter than ever; Aram, Archag and Garabed, who had traveled together from Moosh; and lastly Sumpad and Samouīl. The latter was not at all well; he had taken cold during the holidays, and since then had been growing very weak; his cheeks were sometimes burning with fever, again ashen pale. His uncle had been alarmed by his cough, and unwilling to let him go away, but Samouīl had begged so hard to be allowed to return to his beloved college, that he had been allowed to come.
“Oh! What is the matter with you?” asked Archag, as he came upon him in the midst of a fit of coughing.
Samouīl could not reply for a moment; then he said: