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Abdulka looked at me again.-'And dost thou know how to drink wine?'-'I do, said I; 'as much as thou wilt give, so much will I drink. Again Abdulka was astonished, and mentioned Allah. And then he ordered his daughter, or some pretty maiden, whoever she was, anyhow, she had the gaze of a jackal, to fetch a leathern bottle of wine. And I set to work.
"What Abdulka? The one who lives in the mountains? The one who is not at peace with us? Abdul-Khan?" "The very man." "But he will take thee for a scout, he will place thee in the bug-house, or he will cut off thy head with that same sabre. And how wilt thou make thy way to him? They will seize thee immediately." "But I will go to him, nevertheless." "We bet that thou wilt not go!"
Only, I explained why I had come, and showed him the sabre. "And you'd better not keep me," said I; "don't expect a ransom for me; I've not a farthing to bless myself with and I've no relations." Abdulka was surprised; he looked at me with his solitary eye. "Well," said he, "you are a bold one, you Russian; am I to believe you?" "You may believe me," said I; "I never tell a lie."
"And do you know how to drink wine?" "I do," said I; "give me as much as you will, I'll drink it." Abdulka was surprised again; he called on Allah. And he told his daughter, I suppose such a pretty creature, only with an eye like a jackal's to bring a wine-skin. And I began to get to work on it. "But your sabre," said he, "isn't genuine; here, take the real thing. And now we are pledged friends."
One day, in the company of the officers, Mísha began to brag of a Circassian sabre which he had obtained in barter. "A genuine Persian blade!" The officers expressed doubt as to whether it were really genuine. Mísha began to dispute. "See here," he exclaimed at last, "they say that the finest judge of Circassian sabres is one-eyed Abdulka. I will go to him and ask." The officers were dumbfounded.
"I take your bet!" And Mísha instantly saddled his horse and rode off to Abdulka. He was gone for three days. All were convinced that he had come to some dreadful end. And behold! he came back, somewhat tipsy, and with a sabre, only not the one which he had carried away with him, but another. They began to question him. "It's all right," said he. "Abdulka is a kind man.
The rebel never subdued? Abdul-khan? 'Yes, that's him. 'Why, but he'll take you for a spy, will put you in a hole full of bugs, or else cut your head off with your own sabre. And, besides, how are you going to get to him? They'll catch you directly. 'I'll go to him, though, all the same. 'Bet you won't! 'Taken! And Misha promptly saddled his horse and rode off to Abdulka.
At first he really did order fetters to be riveted on my legs, and was even preparing to impale me on a stake. But I explained to him why I had come. 'Do not expect any ransom from me, said I. 'I haven't a farthing to my name and I have no relatives. Abdulka was amazed; he stared at me with his solitary eye.-'Well, says he, 'thou art the chief of heroes, Russian!
One day, in a party of officers, Misha began boasting of a sabre he had got by exchange 'a genuine Persian blade! The officers expressed doubts as to its genuineness. Misha began disputing. 'Here then, he cried at last; 'they say the man that knows most about sabres is Abdulka the one-eyed. I'll go to him, and ask. The officers wondered. 'What Abdulka? Do you mean that lives in the mountains?
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