"Where they have passed—"
"Not even grass will grow."
Padway replied:
"Most excellent Karojan—"
"What you say may be true."
"But in spite of their thundering and sun-darkening—"
"The last time the Kutrigurs—"
"Assailed our land, a few years ago—"
"They got the pants beat off them."
As this was translated, the Bulgar looked puzzled for a moment. Then he turned red. Padway thought he was angry, but it soon appeared that he was trying to keep from laughing. He said between sputters: