tent, where we found
our valorous Samdadchiemba actively employed in sharpening, upon the top
of his leather boots, a great Russian cutlass, which he had purchased at
_Tolon-Noor_. "Well," exclaimed he, fiercely, trying with his thumb the
edge of his sword, "where are the robbers?" "There are no robbers;
unroll the goat-skins, that we may go to sleep." "'Tis a pity there are
no robbers; for here is something that would have cut into them
famously!" "Ay, ay, Samdadchiemba, you are wonderfully brave now,
because you know there are no robbers." "Oh, my spiritual fathers, it is
not so; one should always speak the words of candour. I admit that my
memory is very bad, and that I have never been able to learn many
prayers; but as to courage, I may boast of having as much of it as
another." We laughed at this singularly expressed sally. "You laugh, my
spiritual fathers," said Samdadchiemba. "Oh, you do not know the
Dchiahours. In the west, the land of _San-Tchouan_ (Three Valleys)
enjoys much renown. My countrymen hold life in little value; they have
always a sabre by their side, and a long matchlock on their shoulder.
For a word, for a look, they fight and kill one another. A Dchiahour,
who has never killed any one, is considered to have no right to hold his
head up among his countrymen. He cannot pretend to the character of a
brave man." "Very fine! Well, you are a brave man, you say: tell us how
many men did you kill when you were in the Three Valleys?" Samdadchiemba
seemed somewhat disconcerted by this question; he looked away, and broke
out into a forced laugh. At last, by way of diverting the subject, he
plunged his cup into the kettle, and drew it out full of tea. "Come,"
said we, "drink your tea, and then tell us about your exploits."

Samdadchiemba wiped his cup with the skirt of his jacket, and having
replaced it in his bosom, addressed us gravely, thus: "My spiritual
fathers, since you desire I should speak to you about myself, I will do
so; it was a great sin I committed, but I think Jehovah pardoned me when
I entered the holy Church.

"I was quite a child, not more at the utmost, than seven years old. I
was in the fields about my father's house, tending an old she-donkey, the
only animal we possessed. One of my companions, a boy about my own age,
came to play with me. We began quarrelling, and from words fell to
blows. I struck him on the head with a great root of a tree that I had
in my hand