exit. This noise is generally followed by the blast of the simoon,
which no doubt penetrates into the cavern through a gap on the other
side, and thus gives rise to the mysterious voices of the valley.

But not on these occasions only; at other seasons also the cavern is
wont to speak. It happens now and then that a shepherd, more foolhardy
than his fellows, ventures into the hollow of the cavern to light a
fire, and, full of bravado, provokes the _dzhin_ of the cavern to
appear, till the cavern suddenly re-echoes his voice; but it does not
re-echo the words he utters, but replies in a soft, low accent to the
insolent youth, bidding him withdraw and cease to mock God's
creatures.

On another occasion an adulterous woman and her paramour strolled
towards the spot with the intent of using the deep darkness as the
cloak for their sinful joys; but what terror filled the guilty lovers
when their sweet whispering was interrupted by a voice which was
neither near nor far, and belonged neither to man nor spirit, but
whose cold sigh turned their hot blood into ice as it whispered,
"Allah is everywhere present!"

Once, too, some robbers were lying in wait for their comrades, whom
they intended to murder in that place, when a roaring began in the
cave which seemed to make the very welkin ring, and the murderers
clearly distinguished the terrible words: "The eye of Allah is upon
you, and the flames of Morhut are burning for your souls!" whereupon,
insane with fright, they rushed from the cave.

Every one who lived near the place knew of, and believed in, the
_dzhin_ of the cavern, who, they said, harmed not the good, but
persecuted evil-doers.

But it was not only terror-stricken hearts who knew of the voice of
the invisible _dzhin_--crushed and bleeding hearts likewise repaired
thither. And the invisible _dzhin_ read their secrets; they had no
need to acquaint him with their griefs, and he gave them good counsel,
and, for the most part, sent them away comforted. Doubtless anybody
else might have given them similar counsels; but if the advice had
come from ordinary men, the suppliants would not perhaps have welcomed
it with such enthusiasm, or have turned it to such good account.

And people often came thither to inquire into the future; and the
invisible being, it was found, could distinguish between those who
came to him in real anguish of mind and those whom only curiosity had
attracted thither, or who merely wished to