The Abduction of Avedick [pp. 414-433]

THE ABDUCTION OF AVEDICK.
rested. His aversion suffered neither truce nor rest. Not feeling himself powerful enough alone, he raised up among the Armenians themselves adversaries to his enemy. He encouraged
the ambitious Patriarch of Sissem, who aspired to replace
Avedick in the Grand Patriarchate. He received him into the
palace of the embassy, sustained him by his influence, and
aided him by his counsels. At last, after a year of constant
effort, of corruption practised upon the officers of the Divan,
of threats, of intrigues, of plots of every kind, Ferriol had the
satisfaction of being able to announce to Louis XIV. that for
the second time Avedick had been deposed, and for the third
time sent into exile.
It was then that, in order to render definitive this fall, and to
relieve himself forever from his enemy, Ferriol conceived,
eighteenth century as it was, the strangest and most violent act
that a representaive of a civilized nation ever dared to commit.
He it was who had the infamous distinction of conceiving it.
But a despatch, overwhelming for the Catholic missionaries,
proves to the point of demonstration that their instigations led
Ferriol to believe this act indispensable, and that, incessantly
exhibiting to the ambassador the pretended dangers still threatened by the exiled and powerless Patriarch, they decided the
purpose of an abduction.
Avedick had been deposed February 25, 1706. Two months
later he was carried into exile. The 20th of April he left Constantinople, which he was never again to see, and his dear Armenians, from whom he was separating this time forever. Ferriol had bought the officer charged with conducting thbe Patriarch, and had transmitted instructions to Bonnal, vice-consul at
Chio, where Avedick was to pass and make a stop of some hours.
It was there that the boldest crime against the laws of nations
was committed. Bonnal, aided by Father Tarillon, a Jesuit, had,
according to Ferriol's directions, chartered a small trading-vessel commanded by a Frenchman, who received orders to repair
to Marseilles. As soon as he arrived at Chio the corrupted officer delivered the great personage entrusted to his care, and the
representative of Louis XIV., accompanied by the Jesuit Tarillon, took possession of the Sultan's subject and imprisoned him
on the French ship. In the abduction there was no obstacle,
and the protestations of the old man against this violent step
1874.]
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