Ah!" said Taras, and waved his hand, and wiped his grey head, and twitched his moustache, and then went on: "No, no one else can love in that way! I know that baseness has now made its way into our land.

Men care only to have their ricks of grain and hay, and their droves of horses, and that their mead may be safe in their cellars; they adopt, the devil only knows what Mussulman customs.

They speak scornfully with their tongues.

They care not to speak their real thoughts with their own countrymen.

They sell their own things to their own comrades, like soulless creatures in the market-place.