Harold Lamb

“ A man who could have been the greatest of emperors, if he had faith and honor in him. In all things he succeeds himself, yet brings death and torment to others.”
A moment of silence followed, while Nada studied Kirdy from the shadow of her arm.
“And yet—alone among men he can play with crowns for stakes. A beggar, he sat on the Eagle Throne of the Kremyl! An exile, he wrote a letter bidding the boyare fear! If I—”
She paused and Kirdy remained grimly silent.
“If I were to meet Gregory Otrèpiev wandering in the steppe with his crown and his sword, I would share bread and salt with him.” ”

“ And the Cossack maiden must sit in her sleigh and pray for the young swordsman who has less sense than his charger that can not get at the grass under the snow! You would never overtake Otrèpiev!”
“He may be a fiend, as it is said; but if he is a man I will find him.”
“Did ever a bogatyr of the Siech,” Nada asked of the stars, “swear so many vows or pledge so much in one short hour!” ”

“ But Toghrul—who had plastered his cuts with mud and thought no more of them—observed the brown charger shrewdly when they halted that evening, off the trail, and remarked to Kirdy that they could not take the Podolian after the forage had given out. In the open steppe, only native-breds, trained to dig under the snow for grass and moss, could survive.
“Why do you say the open steppe?” Kirdy asked, looking up from grooming down the charger. “God grant that we overtake Otrèpiev before leaving the river!” ”

“ Even while she spoke to him she seemed to be listening to the sounds of the forest—to the snapping of wood under the growing cold, to the tinkle of ice falling on the snow crust, and the tiny scraping of an animal's claws somewhere in the darkness. ”

“ When there is a black smoke ahead, the fool rides on the trail rejoicing; the coward turns back, but the wise man leaves the road and watches all things attentively.
MONGOL PROVERB
THE first day out of Kolumna, Kirdy and Nada covered seventy miles, for the horses were fresh and shod against frost with cleats. The light sleigh slipped over the hard snow like a feather, and Tatikof's big stallion kept up gamely. He was a Podolian breed, up to the Turkish racers in speed, and indifferent to cold. ”

“ Toghrul pointed out that they must wait over a day at the next farm until the charger was rested and the kabardas had slept their fill.
“Why did you think that Otrèpiev would strike for the Volga?” he asked Nada.
“How? Does a stag not start up from the thicket when the wolf pack gives tongue? He would take the boldest course.”
“That would be to cross the river. Why?”
“On the far side the Nogai tents are assembled here and there. The Tatars come in at winter to trade their furs and plunder across the river when the ice is good. He can hide himself among them.” ”

“ There be too many tracks that come and go. Out on the steppe it is different.”
Kirdy was silent while the two men cooked the supper, and not until the fire had been replenished and Nada had settled herself by it in a white bearskin did he speak. ”