156 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 



but he merely replied that the barbarian Circassian 

 girl was very well off to get so good a husband as 

 himself, for according to the way of thinking of her 

 own people, he was in every respect her husband ; 

 and that Kasbitch was a robber who deserved to be 

 punished. Judge for yourself, what answer I could 

 make to that ? But, at that time, I knew nothing of 

 the preconcerted bargain. Well, behold you ! Kas- 

 bitch came at last, and asked, did we want sheep or 

 honey ? I desired him to bring them on the following 

 day. " Asamat," said Petchorin, " to-morrow Kara- 

 gos will be in my possession ; if Bela is not here this 

 night, you shall never see the horse." 



" Good," said Asamat, and off he ran to the hamlet. 

 In the evening, Petchorin armed himself and rode out 

 of the fort. How they managed the thing I cannot 

 tell ; all I know is that the sentinel saw a girl laid 

 crossways on Asamat's saddle, her hands and feet 

 bound, and her head muffled up in a thick veil. 



Next day Kasbitch came with ten sheep for sale. 

 After pulling up his horse he came on to me. I en- 

 tertained him with tea, because, though he was a rob- 

 ber, we were on terms of hospitality. We were 

 chatting about one thing and another, when, all on a 

 sudden, I saw Kasbitch start and change color. 

 " What is the matter ?" said I. 



" My horse ! my horse !" he cried, trembling all 

 over. 



