“This is the first word worthy of you,” said the Khan, concealing the joy of success; “long enough have you crept like a serpent, laying your head under the feet of the Russians!  ’Tis time to soar like an eagle to the clouds; to look down from on high upon the enemy who cannot reach you with their arrows.  Repay treachery with treachery, death with death!”

“Then death and ruin be to the Shamkhal, the robber of my liberty; and ruin be to Abdoul Mousselin, who dared to stretch forth his hand to my treasure!”

“The Shamkhal?  His son—­his family?  Are they worthy of your first exploits?  They are all but little loved by the Tarkovetzes; and if we attack the Shamkhal, they will give up his whole family with their own hands.  No, Ammalat, you must aim your first blow next to you; you must destroy your chief enemy; you must kill Verkhoffsky.”

“Verkhoffsky!” exclaimed Ammalat, stepping back....  “Yes!.... he is my enemy; but he was my friend.  He saved me from a shameful death.

“And has now sold you to a shameful life!....  A noble friend!  And then you have yourself saved him from the tusks of the wild-boar—­a death worthy of a swine-eater!  The first debt is paid, the second remains due:  for the destiny which he is so deceitfully preparing for you"....

“I feel ... this ought to be ... but what will good men say?  What will my conscience say?”

“It is for a man to tremble before old women’s tales, and before a whimpering child—­conscience—­when honour and revenge are at stake?  I see Ammalat, that without me you will decide nothing; you will not even decide to marry Seltanetta.  Listen to me.  Would you be a son-in-law worthy of me, the first condition is Verkhoffsky’s death.  His head shall be a marriage-gift for your bride, whom you love, and who loves you.  Not revenge only, but the plainest reasoning requires the death of the Colonel.  Without him, all Daghestan will remain several days without a chief, and stupefied with horror.  In this interval, we come flying upon the Russians who are dispersed in their quarters.  I mount with twenty thousand Avaretzes and Akoushetzes:  and we fall from the mountains like a cloud of snow upon Tarki.  Then Ammalat, Shamkhal of Daghestan, will embrace me as his friend, as his father-in-law.  These are my plans, this is your destiny.  Choose which you please; either an eternal banishment, or a daring blow, which promises you power and happiness; but know, that next time we shall meet either as kinsmen, or as irreconcilable foes!”

The Khan disappeared.  Long stood Ammalat, agitated, devoured by new and terrible feelings.  At length Samit reminded him that it was time to return to the camp.  Ignorant himself how and where he had found his way to the shore, he followed his mysterious guide, found his horse, and without answering a word to the thousand questions of Saphir Ali, rode up to his tent.  There, all the tortures of the soul’s hell awaited him.  Heavy is the first night of sorrow, but still more terrible the first bloody thoughts of crime.