Chapters 19-21 Summary

Women carry precious satchels of earth and manure to produce gardens amidst the rocks. Wandering by one of these plots, Ali jokes with a farmer about greasing his squeaky wheels and learns that the Abreks are the only locals who practice stealth. They are outcasts, victims of injustice, who swear in the mosque to murder and kill without pity. Ali considers becoming one. Back at the cottage, Ali finds Arslan Aga, a rich younger boy from school, who claims to be on his way to Kislovodsk. Seeing through the lie, Ali still orders a celebration and plies the boy with wine. People in Baku are betting whether Ali will marry Nino. Only when Ali asks when Arslan last tells the truth does he spill all of the gossip. Nino has been ill in Tiflis, where the family has bought an estate...