“No, Suleiman, that is not like us.  Could a mountaineer’s heart refrain from coming to see his countrymen—­to boast of his exploits against the Russians, and to show his booty?  These are neither avengers of blood nor Abreks—­their faces are not covered by the bashlik; besides, dress is deceptive.  Who can tell that those are not Russian deserters!  The other day a Kazak, who had murdered his master, fled from Goumbet-Aoul with his horse and arms....  The devil is strong!”

“He is strong in them in whom the faith is weak, Nephtali;—­yet, if I mistake not, the hinder horseman has hair flowing from under his cap.”

“May I be pounded to dust, but it is so!  It is either a Russian, or, what is worse, a Tartar Shageed.[37] Stop a moment, my friend; I will comb your zilflars for you!  In half-an-hour I will return, Suleiman, either with them,—­or one of us three shall feed the mountain berkoots (eagles.)”

     [37] The mountaineers are bad Mussulmans, the Sooni sect is
     predominant; but the Daghestanetzes are in general Shageeds, as
     the Persians.  The sects hate each other with all their heart.

Nephtali rushed down the stairs, threw the gun on his shoulders, leapt into his saddle and dashed down the hill, caring neither for furrow nor stone.  Only the dust arose, and the pebbles streamed down after the bold horseman.”

“Alla akber!” gravely exclaimed Suleiman, and lit his pipe.

Nephtali soon came up with the strangers.  Their horses were covered with foam, and the sweat-drops rained from them on the narrow path by which they were climbing the mountain.  The first was clothed in a shirt of mail, the other in the Circassian dress:  except that he wore a Persian sabre instead of a shashka,[38] suspended by a laced girdle.  His left arm was covered with blood, bound up with a handkerchief, and supported by the sword-knot.  The faces of both were concealed.  For some time he rode behind them along the slippery path, which overhung a precipice; but at the first open space he galloped by them, and turned his horse round.  “Salam aleikom!” said he, opposing their passage along the rugged and half-built road among the rocks, as he made ready his arms.  The foremost horseman suddenly wrapped his bourka[39] round his face, so as to leave visible only his knit brows:  “Aleikom Salam!” answered he, cocking his gun, and fixing himself in the saddle.

     [38] The Circassian sabre.

     [39] A rough cloak, used as a protection in bad weather.

“God give you a good journey!” said Nephtali. repeating the usual salutation, and preparing, at the first hostile movement, to shoot the stranger.

“God give you enough of sense not to interrupt the traveller,” replied his antagonist, impatiently:  “What would you with us, Kounak?"[40]

     [40] Friend, comrade.

“I offer you rest, and a brother’s repast, barley and stalls for your horses.  My threshold flourishes by hospitality:  the blessing of the stranger increaseth the flock, and giveth sharpness to the sword of the master.  Fix not the seal of reproach on our whole village.  Let them not say, ’They have seen travellers in the heat of noon, and have not refreshed them nor sheltered them.’”