Harold Lamb

“ If, Michael thought, the pasha of Aleppo could not see beyond the Caucasus, he must have ears in every bazaar in Asia Minor. And this was close to the truth, for the man in the doorway was well served by spies.
“The chief of the kazaks," went on he of the turban, “is like a falcon, striking far from home. But where are his men?”
Michael, wondering if Demid’s disguise had been pierced, only shook his head. Demid had been careful to say nothing of his plans to any one.
The man in the door snapped his teeth angrily and motioned to the guards to string Michael up. ”

“ Soon the green standard will be carried from Bagdad to Moscow, and I shall ride before the standard bearer. Eyes serve me in hidden places and lips whisper in the Wolf’s Ear; but my eyes have shown me the weakness of your peoples, who flee from the sea before the corsairs. ”

“ One thing I ask, that you make clear where the bull Cossack and his dozen are hidden, for until now they have escaped my search.”
“I shared bread and salt with them.”
“Bah—what is faith? A word that dies on the lips. Lali, the young witch, sold you—I know not why. What faith do you owe her lover?”
“The word of Michael of Rohan!”
With that the cavalier stiffened his muscles and leaped at the man who mocked him. His body shot into the open door, but his cramped limbs were sluggish and Balaban, stepping back, brought down the flat of his blade upon Michael’s skull. ”