第7章

Zhí；lincreptintothehole，wideneditsothatKostí；linmightalsogetthrough，andthentheybothsatwaitingtillallshouldbequietintheAoul。

Assoonasallwasquiet，Zhí；lincreptunderthewall，gotout，andwhisperedtoKostí；lin，’Come！’Kostí；lincreptout，butinsodoinghecaughtastonewithhisfootandmadeanoise。Themasterhadaveryviciouswatch-dog，aspottedonecalledOulyashin。Zhí；linhadbeencarefultofeedhimforsometimebefore。Oulyashinheardthenoiseandbegantobarkandjump，andtheotherdogsdidthesame。Zhí；lingaveaslightwhistle，andthrewhimabitofcheese。OulyashinknewZhí；lin，waggedhistail，andstoppedbarking。

Butthemasterhadheardthedog，andshoutedtohimfromhishut，’Hayt，hayt，Oulyashin！’

Zhí；lin，however，scratchedOulyashinbehindtheears，andthedogwasquiet，andrubbedagainsthislegs，wagginghistailTheysathiddenbehindacornerforawhile。Allbecamesilentagain，onlyasheepcoughedinsideashed，andthewaterrippledoverthestonesinthehollow。Itwasdark，thestarswerehighoverhead，andthenewmoonshowedredasitset，hornsupward，behindthehill。Inthevalleysthefogwaswhiteasmilk。

Zhí；linroseandsaidtohiscompanion，’Well，friend，comealong！’

Theystarted；buttheyhadonlygoneafewstepswhentheyheardtheMullahcryingfromtheroof，’Allah，Beshmillah！

Ilrahman！’ThatmeantthatthepeoplewouldbegoingtotheMosque。

Sotheysatdownagain，hidingbehindawall，andwaitedalongtimetillthepeoplehadpassed。Atlastallwasquietagain。

’Nowthen！MayGodbewithus！’Theycrossedthemselves，andstartedoncemore。Theypassedthroughayardandwentdownthehillsidetotheriver，crossedtheriver，andwentalongthevalley。

Themistwasthick，butonlyneartheground；overheadthestarsshonequitebrightly。Zhí；lindirectedtheircoursebythestars。Itwascoolinthemist，andeasywalking，onlytheirbootswereuncomfortable，beingwornoutandtroddendown。Zhí；lintookhisoff，threwthemaway，andwentbarefoot，jumpingfromstonetostone，andguidinghiscoursebythestars。Kostí；linbegantolagbehind。

’Walkslower，’hesaid，’theseconfoundedbootshavequiteblisteredmyfeet。’

’Takethemoff！’saidZhí；lin。’Itwillbeeasierwalkingwithoutthem。’

Kostí；linwentbarefoot，butgotonstillworse。Thestonescuthisfeetandhekeptlaggingbehind。Zhí；linsaid:’Ifyourfeetgetcut，they’llhealagain；butiftheTartarscatchusandkillus，itwillbeworse！’

Kostí；lindidnotreply，butwenton，groaningallthetime。

Theirwaylaythroughthevalleyforalongtime。Then，totheright，theyhearddogsbarking。Zhí；linstopped，lookedabout，andbeganclimbingthehillfeelingwithhishands。

’Ah！’saidhe，’wehavegonewrong，andhavecometoofartotheright。

HereisanotherAoul，oneIsawfromthehill。Wemustturnbackandgoupthathilltotheleft。Theremustbeawoodthere。’

ButKostí；linsaid:’Waitaminute！Letmegetbreath。Myfeetareallcutandbleeding。’

’Nevermind，friend！They’llhealagain。Youshouldspringmorelightly。

Likethis！’

AndZhí；linranbackandturnedtotheleftupthehilltowardsthewood。

Kostí；linstilllaggedbehind，andgroaned。Zhí；linonlysaid’Hush！’andwentonandon。

TheywentupthehillandfoundawoodasZhí；linhadsaid。Theyenteredthewoodandforcedtheirwaythroughthebrambles，whichtoretheirclothes。Atlasttheycametoapathandfollowedit。

’Stop！’Theyheardthetrampofhoofsonthepath，andwaited，listening。

Itsoundedlikethetrampingofahorse’sfeet，butthenceased。Theymovedon，andagaintheyheardthetramping。Whentheypaused，italsostopped。Zhí；lincreptnearertoit，andsawsomethingstandingonthepathwhereitwasnotquitesodark。

Itlookedlikeahorse，andyetnotquitelikeone，andonitwassomethingqueer，notlikeaman。Hehearditsnorting。’Whatcanitbe？’Zhí；lingavealowwhistle，andoffitdashedfromthepathintothethicket，andthewoodswerefilledwiththenoiseofcrackling，asifahurricaneweresweepingthrough，breakingthebranches。

Kostí；linwassofrightenedthathesanktotheground。ButZhí；linlaughedandsaid:’It’sastag。Don’tyouhearhimbreakingthebrancheswithhisantlers？Wewereafraidofhim，andheisafraidofus。’

Theywenton。TheGreatBearwasalreadysetting。Itwasnearmorning，andtheydidnotknowwhethertheyweregoingtherightwayornot。Zhí；linthoughtitwasthewayhehadbeenbroughtbytheTartars，andthattheywerestillsomesevenmilesfromtheRussianfort；buthehadnothingcertaintogoby，andatnightoneeasilymistakestheway。Afteratimetheycametoaclearing。Kostí；linsatdownandsaid:’Doasyoulike，Icangonofarther！Myfeetwon’tcarryme。’

Zhí；lintriedtopersuadehim。

’NoIshallnevergetthere，Ican’t！’

Zhí；lingrewangry，andspokeroughlytohim。

’Well，then，Ishallgoonalone。Good-bye！’

Kostí；linjumpedupandfollowed。Theywentanotherthreemiles。

Themistinthewoodhadsettleddownstillmoredensely；

theycouldnotseeayardbeforethem，andthestarshadgrowndim。

Suddenlytheyheardthesoundofahorse’shoofsinfrontofthem。Theyhearditsshoesstrikethestones。Zhí；linlaydownflat，andlistenedwithhiseartotheground。

’Yes，soitis！Ahorsemaniscomingtowardsus。’

Theyranoffthepath，crouchedamongthebushesandwaited。Zhí；lincrepttotheroad，looked，andsawaTartaronhorsebackdrivingacowandhummingtohimself。TheTartarrodepast。Zhí；linreturnedtoKostí；lin。

’Godhasledhimpastus；getupandlet’sgoon！’

Kostí；lintriedtorise，butfellbackagain。

’Ican’t；onmywordIcan’t！Ihavenostrengthleft。’

Hewasheavyandstout，andhadbeenperspiringfreely。Chilledbythemist，andwithhisfeetallbleeding，hehadgrownquitelimp。

Zhí；lintriedtolifthim，whensuddenlyKostí；linscreamedout:’Oh，howithurts！’

Zhí；lin’sheartsank。

’Whatareyoushoutingfor？TheTartarisstillnear；he’llhaveheardyou！’Andhethoughttohimself，’Heisreallyquitedoneup。

WhatamItodowithhim？Itwon’tdotodesertacomrade。’

’Well，then，getup，andclimbuponmyback。I’llcarryyouifyoureallycan’twalk。’

HehelpedKostí；linup，andputhisarmsunderhisthighs。Thenhewentoutontothepath，carryinghim。

’Only，fortheloveofheaven，’saidZhí；lin，’don’tthrottlemewithyourhands！Holdontomyshoulders。’

Zhí；linfoundhisloadheavy；hisfeet，too，werebleeding，andhewastiredout。NowandthenhestoopedtobalanceKostí；linbetter，jerkinghimupsothatheshouldsithigher，andthenwentonagain。

TheTartarmust，however，reallyhaveheardKostí；linscream。

Zhí；linsuddenlyheardsomeonegallopingbehindandshoutingintheTartartongue。Hedartedinamongthebushes。TheTartarseizedhisgunandfired，butdidnothitthem，shoutedinhisownlanguage，andgallopedoffalongtheroad。

’Well，nowwearelost，friend！’saidZhí；lin。’ThatdogwillgathertheTartarstogethertohuntusdown。Unlesswecangetacoupleofmilesawayfromherewearelost！’Andhethoughttohimself，’WhythedevildidIsaddlemyselfwiththisblock？I

shouldhavegotawaylongagohadIbeenalone。’

’Goonalone，’saidKostí；lin。’Whyshouldyouperishbecauseofme？’

’NoIwon’tgo。Itwon’tdotodesertacomrade。’

AgainhetookKostí；linonhisshouldersandstaggeredon。Theywentoninthatwayforanotherhalf-mileormore。Theywerestillintheforest，andcouldnotseetheendofit。Butthemistwasalreadydispersing，andcloudsseemedtobegathering，thestarswerenolongertobeseen。Zhí；linwasquitedoneup。Theycametoaspringwalledinwithstonesbythesideofthepath。

Zhí；linstoppedandsetKostí；lindown。

’Letmehavearestandadrink，’saidhe，’andletuseatsomeofthecheese。Itcan’tbemuchfarthernow。’

Buthardlyhadhelaindowntogetadrink，whenheheardthesoundofhorses’feetbehindhim。Againtheydartedtotherightamongthebushes，andlaydownunderasteepslope。