Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 11, 2025
An hour later the Turk's infantry was reported moving, and shortly before ten o'clock we heard the opening rattle of Rustum Khan's stinging defense. There was intended to be no deception about that part of our arrangements; nor was there.
He is praying that we may be forgiven for polluting the Sabbath stillness with immoral tunes!" My words had a strange effect. Monty, and Fred, and Will laughed. Rustum Khan laughed savagely. But all the Armenians, including Kagig, knelt promptly on the floor and prayed, the gipsies looking on in mild amusement tempered by discretion.
The likeliest thing at that moment was a blow by one or the other that would have banished any chance of a returning reign of reason. Rustum Khan turned his back to the Turk and thrust out his chest toward Fred as if daring him to strike. Even the kites seemed to expect bloodshed and circled nearer. It was Gloria who cut the Gordian knot.
Nothing is more certain than that none of us would have permitted the girl to be thrashed. I doubt if even Rustum Khan, no admirer of gipsies or unveiled women, would have tolerated one blow. But Will was nearest, and he is most amazing quick when his nervous New England temper is aroused.
He had a numerous armed guard of Turks. "A precaution against robbers?" Monty asked, and I did not hear what the German answered. Rustum Khan laughed and drew me aside. "Every German in these parts has a guard to protect him from his own men, sahib! For a while on my journey westward I had charge of a camp of recruited laborers. Therefore I know."
"Kagig needs no leave from any one to order prisoners searched!" he said, shaping each word distinctly. Rustum Khan spluttered, and kicked at a heap of coin. "Perhaps you have bargained for your share of all loot? I have heard that in America men " 'Rajput!" said Kagig, looking down on him from slightly higher ground, "I will hang you if you make more trouble!" At that I interfered.
In modern epic verse, like Tennyson's "Morte d'Arthur," Arnold's "Sohrab and Rustum," Morris's "Sigurd the Volsung," and certainly in the "Aeneid" and the "Song of Roland," the poet sinks his own personality, as far as possible, in the objective narration of events.
And then Fred's men joined Monty's contingent, helping them fortify the new line deepening and reversing the trench the Turks had dug below the ramp, and continuing that line along through the remaining edge of trees that still stood between the enemy and the castle road. But by cutting down the fringe at the end of the road to let Rustum Khan through we had forfeited the last degree of secrecy.
"What I imagine Rustum Khan means is this, Kagig: My friends and I have engaged you as guide for a hunting trip. We propose to hold you strictly to the contract." Kagig looked keenly at each of us and nodded. "In my day I have seen the hunters hunted!" he said darkly. "In my day I have seen an upstart punished!" growled the Rajput, and sat down, back to the wall.
Then Monty and Fred got their men together and swung them down into the pass to cover Rustum Khan's retreat when the charge should have spent itself. The Rajput had managed to demoralize the Turkish infantry, but Mahmoud's guns were in the rear, far out of reach.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking