--let
us swear in the mosque, and go to the fight together! Allah will
judge whether we are to bring back his skin for a housing, or
whether he is to devour us."

It is not in accordance with Asiatic manners, much less with Asiatic
customs, to bid farewell to the women when departing for a long or
even an unlimited period. This privilege belongs only to relations,
and it is but rarely that it is granted to a guest. Ammalat,
therefore, glanced with a sigh at the window of Seltanetta, and went
with lingering steps to the mosque. There, already awaited him the
elders of the village, and a crowd of curious idlers. By an ancient
custom of Avar, the hunters were obliged to swear upon the Koran,
that they would not desert one another, either in the combat with
the beast or in the chase; that they would not quit each other when
wounded; if fate willed that the animal should attack them, that
they would defend each other to the last, and die side by side,
careless of life; and that in any case they would not return without
the animal's skin; that he who betrayed this oath, should be hurled
from the rocks, as a coward and traitor. The moollah armed them, the
companions embraced, and they set out on their journey amid the
acclamations of the whole crowd. "Both, or neither!" they cried
after them. "We will slay him, or die!" answered the hunters.

A day had passed. A second had sunk below the snowy summits. The old
men had wearied their eyes in gazing from their roofs along the road.
The boys had gone far on the hills that crested the village, to meet
the hunters--but no tidings of them. Throughout all Khounzakh, at
every fireside, either from interest or idleness, they were talking
of this; but above all, Seltanetta was sad. At every voice in the
courtyard, at every sound on the staircase, all her blood flew to
her face, and her heart beat with anxiety. She would start up, and
run to the window or the door; and then, disappointed for the
twentieth time, with downcast eyes would return slowly to her
needlework, which, for the first time, appeared tiresome and endless.
At last, succeeding doubt, fear laid its icy hand upon the maiden's
heart. She demanded of her father, her brothers, the guests, whether
the wounds given by a tiger were dangerous?--was this animal far
from the villages? And ever and anon, having counted the moments,
she would wring her hands, and cry, "They have perished!" and
silently bowed her head on her agitat