The Indian's helmet and chain hood covered
likewise a great part of my face and I hoped thus, with luck, impudence,
and a complete command of all the Eastern dialects and languages, from
Burmah to Afghanistan, to pass scot-free through this somewhat dangerous
ordeal.
I had not the word of the night, it is true--but I trusted to good
fortune for that, and passed boldly out of the fortress, bearing the
flag of truce as before; I had scarcely passed on a couple of hundred
yards, when lo! a party of Indian horsemen, armed like him I had just
overcome, trotted towards me. One was leading a noble white charger, and
no sooner did he see me than, dismounting from his own horse, and giving
the rein to a companion, he advanced to meet me with the charger; a
second fellow likewise dismounted and followed the first; one held
the bridle of the horse, while the other (with a multitude of salaams,
aleikums, and other genuflexions), held the jewelled stirrup, and
kneeling, waited until I should mount.
I took the hint at once: the Indian who had come up to the fort was a
great man--that was evident; I walked on with a majestic air, gathered
up the velvet reins, and sprung into the magnificent high-peaked saddle.
"Buk, buk," said I. "It is good. In the name of the forty-nine Imaums,
let us ride on.
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