The repast consisted of mutton, dressed in a variety of ways; fat poultry, pastry, preserves, and fruit, commencing with a bowl of rich and savoury soup, with spoons placed for every person to help themselves; after which, each man drew a small knife from his girdle, to commence the attack. Before the attendants had cleared away the tables, the aged Prince arose, and filling his cup with mead, drank to the health of all present in turns. "By what name shall I address my young stranger guest?" he asked, turning to Ivan. "Though he speaks with the tongue of our people, and his eagle glance, and lofty stature, betoken him to be a noble, yet know I not his name. Say, under what appellation shall he dwell in the memory of Mahmood Indar?" "Noble Prince," replied Ivan, rising from his seat, "you speak truly, though I am, I trust, of the pure race of the Atteghei. Name have I none. I love not the one I have borne for many years, therefore, I give it not, and the noble name I long to bear, I give not, until I have done some deeds, to shew myself worthy of the race from which I deem myself sprung; that my kindred should not say, when I claim their love, that I am no true scion of their stock. This I have sworn by the bright heaven above us. My noble friend, the Hadji Guz Beg, has offered to shew the way among the ranks of our foes, and I have sworn to follow him, even to the cannon's mouth." All applauded this speech, the Hadji springing forward to embrace him. "I see, my second son, that you will prove a true Circassian," he cried, "and by the blessing of Allah, by to-morrow's dawn, we will proceed in search of our foes: to-night, we will rest under the roof of our noble host." "Happy am I to receive so gallant a warrior as you have proved yourself, oh! Hadji; and honoured am I in such guests as you and your friends," answered the Prince. The repast being concluded, the party strolled out among rich and fertile meadows, sloping from the house down to a pure and glassy rivulet. An orchard of various fruit trees surrounded the dwelling, while, before it, grew some magnificent chestnut trees, under whose grateful shade the old noble loved to sit, surrounded by his youthful descendants, enjoying their gambols on the grass. In the neighbourhood of the house were the farm yards and granaries, stored with all kinds of corn, the produce of the surrounding highly-cultivated fields. On the mountain's brow grazed his numerous flocks, and in the rich meadows below his herds of fat cattle. Our hero had parted from his companions, when the page sought his side; and as Ivan's eye fell on the boy, he exclaimed-- "Conrin, do you find yourself sad and solitary among so many strange people?" "Ah, no!" answered the page, "I cannot be sad or solitary when in your presence." "Do you then come to congratulate me on having, at length, arrived in the land of my hopes?" asked Ivan.