"We are coming to a very dangerous place," said she. "Your Excellencies must be prepared. There are robbers here who are a menace to all strangers. We ourselves pay them tribute--a large sum, much more than we can afford. But that concerns ourselves, and they will rob you if they can. Please, therefore, be very careful, and do not speak as you go."
I looked at Léon, and it was evident that the same thought was in both our minds. These brigands would very likely be the kinsmen of this engaging couple, and possibly we had been led to their lair for no other purpose than that of robbery. So I took my pistol from my holster again, and, showing it to the young Jew, I warned him.
"Robbers or no robbers," said I, "you will be a dead man the moment you let go of my bridle rein."
He shook his head, and professed not to understand me. It was clear, however, that he had made a pretty shrewd guess at my meaning, and he pressed on so quickly that I began to doubt my previous view of his honesty.
Was it possible that he was really afraid of this ghostly place? Well, I could understand as much. The fables of Hades never painted a gloomier abyss or a nether pit so awe-inspiring.
Sheer cliffs of sandy rock rose up to a great height on every hand. There was but a hand's breadth of sky to be seen above us; while below, far down in a crevice, there glistened the ice of a frozen rivulet. The path itself would have served for a nimble goat, but was treacherous enough for a horse. We all dismounted, and for a full hour went as mountaineers upon a precipice. Then we came to a sudden halt at the young man's bidding, and listening, we heard a piercing scream echoing and re-echoing in that frightful abyss.
"Good God!" cried Léon; "they are butchering a Frenchman. A man has died by the knife. I know that sound; I have heard it too often."
The young Jew began to tremble like an aspen at this, and his wife vainly tried to comfort him. Turning to us, she whispered a reminder of her prophecy concerning the dangers of the journey.
"It is the brigand Orlof," she said. "You see what has befallen us. We must return immediately."
"Oh, come," said I; "such is not the habit of our countrymen. Who is this precious Orlof, and how many friends has he?"