Page:A child of the Orient (IA childoforient00vakarich).pdf/165

 be placed in front of the icon of St George, and the other in front of an icon of the Virgin Mary, which stood in the depth of the cave; for no pious Greek will leave the icon of a saint in darkness, and many poor persons will go without food in order to buy the necessary "oil of kandilla" for their icons.

All of the remaining brigands, before lying down on their sheep-skins, stood for a minute in front of the icon of the Virgin silently saying their prayers; and then I heard them saying aloud, after kissing the feet of Mary:

"Guard us and keep us healthy and strong, our dear little mother; and now good night, little mistress of heaven."

They crossed themselves with a piety befitting monks, and I had to stuff my handkerchief into my mouth to keep from betraying myself.

Then slumber descended upon the cave. The fire had died down, and only the dim rays of the two little oil lamps illumined the great room.

It was harder for us to go to sleep than it was for the brigands. In the first place, the sheep-skins they had given us were alive with fleas. Mano lay close to me, keeping his arm around me.

The events of the day had excited me tremendously, and my brain would not rest. When we alone seemed to be awake, I whispered:

"What was that blood which frightened our