t in supper, which I
ate heartily, for I was very hungry. Then one of the young men begged
me to repeat my story, which had struck them all with astonishment, and
when I had ended, the old man was bidden to "do his duty," as it was
late, and they wished to go to bed. At these words he rose, and went
to a closet, from which he brought out ten basins, all covered with
blue stuff. He set one before each of the young men, together with a
lighted taper.

When the covers were taken off the basins, I saw they were filled with
ashes, coal-dust, and lamp-black. The young men mixed these all
together, and smeared the whole over their heads and faces. They then
wept and beat their breasts, crying, "This is the fruit of idleness,
and of our wicked lives."

This ceremony lasted nearly the whole night, and when it stopped they
washed themselves carefully, and put on fresh clothes, and lay down to
sleep.

All this while I had refrained from questions, though my curiosity
almost seemed to burn a hole in me, but the following day, when we went
out to walk, I said to them, "Gentlemen, I must disobey your wishes,
for I can keep silence no more. You do not appear to lack wit, yet you
do such actions as none but madmen could be capable of. Whatever
befalls me I cannot forbear asking, `Why you daub your faces with
black, and how it is you are all blind of one eye?'" But they only
answered that such questions were none of my business, and that I
should do well to hold my peace.

During that day we spoke of other things, but when night came, and the
same ceremony was repeated, I implored them most earnestly to let me
know the meaning of it all.

"It is for your own sake," replied one of the young men, "that we have
not granted your request, and to preserve you from our unfortunate
fate. If, however, you wish to share our destiny we will delay no
longer."

I answered that whatever might be the consequence I wished to have my
curiosity satisfied, and that I would take the result on my own head.
He then assured me that, even when I had lost my eye, I should be
unable to remain with them, as their number was complete, and could not
be added to. But to this I replied that, though I should be grieved to
part company with such honest gentlemen, I would not be turned from my
resolution on that account.

On hearing my determination my ten hosts then took a sheep and killed
it, and handed me a knife, which they said I should by-and-by