328 TP.AVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



head, and endeavour to lay hold of the hem of the 

 young man's crimson caftan, in order to carry it to 

 his lips. 



" Enough ! enough ! " said Ibrahim, whose good 

 temper had returned. You spoke in haste and igno- 

 rance. I am well pleased when I break no command- 

 ment of the Koran ; and trouble my head little about 

 the sayings of those babbling greybeards, the twelve 

 holy Imaums." 



" But the nooses," expostulated Hassan, not a little 

 scandalised by his companion's words. 



"You have nothing to do but to sleep all night 

 without awaking," replied the young Turk, laughing. 

 "Then you will have no need either to wash or 

 pray." 



The superstitious old man turned his face to the 

 wall in consternation and anguish of spirit 



" This night have I seen with my own eyes what 

 we have hitherto refused to believe,'"' resumed Ibrahim 

 after a pause, and in a tone of indignation that echoed 

 through the cavern. " I am now convinced that the 

 shameless scoundrels do not rob on their own account, 

 since they are obliged to pilfer and conceal a part of 

 their plunder in order to get a profit from their mis- 

 deeds. Marked you not, Hassan, how they trembled 

 when the sun lit up the ravine, lest their tricks should 

 be espied by some sentry on the battlements ; and 

 how their panic fear made them carry everything up 

 to the castle ? " 



