Ali Beg is dead since our visit. Dead, by what (for a _Mira_ of the Yezidis) may be fairly described as "natural death;" for he was just "murdered by his successor" like any old Irish king. That the succession should be allowed to go out of the family would be a thing blasphemous to hint at; but that the rightful heir should seek to accelerate his accession is only a part of the game. It is a sporting game too; for if the adventurer fails, he dies himself by torture for sacrilege the most monstrous. But if he succeeds he is _Mira_, with all the _Mira's_ immunities. His predecessor is promoted to paradise, and he reigns absolute in his room.
Wherefore, as might well be expected, the _Mira_ is wont to take precautions; and keeps his potential successors rather studiously at arm's length. But the heir (in this case his nephew)[60] had this time taken precautions also; and had escaped across the Russian frontier, there to watch and bide his time. In the summer which followed our visit he stole back again from his exile; and fortune favoured his enterprise, for the _Mira_ fell by his hand. So now there is another _Mira_, the legitimate ruler of all the Yezidis; and no one will question his authority--until the end of his reign.
All unsuspicious of the coming tragedy we bade farewell to Ali Beg at the door of his _diwan khana_; having duly tasted of his hospitality, and assured each other of our mutual good will. One of his _Leichtach_ escorted us to a point about a mile from the castle, and thence we soon gained the pathway by which we were to return to Mosul.
We finished this nefarious excursion by lodging in a Yezidi village; for the whole stage was rather too far to be accomplished in a single day. And the normal state of relations between "True Believers" and "Devil Worshippers" was disclosed to us rather instructively when we began inquiring for bread. Our host denied categorically that there was so much as a crumb in the village--until (with a good deal of trouble) we convinced him that we proposed to pay! Apparently it is quite unusual for anyone to pay anything to a Yezidi. It is a "work of supererogation" and consequently of the nature of sin. The sight of our money produced lots of things; but our sulky host was quite spoiled by it. He proceeded to take offence with us because we did not invite him to dine![61] Thus Yezidis would seem by nature to be as wicked as workhouse orphans, and no doubt a little barbarity is essential to keep them in hand.