第8章

TheyheardTartarvoices。TheTartarsstoppedattheveryspotwheretheyhadturnedoffthepath。TheTartarstalkedabit，andthenseemedtobesettingadogonthescent。Therewasasoundofcracklingtwigs，andastrangedogappearedfrombehindthebushes。Itstopped，andbegantobark。

ThentheTartars，alsostrangers，cameclimbingdown，seizedZhí；linandKostí；lin，boundthem，putthemonhorses，androdeawaywiththem。

Whentheyhadriddenabouttwomiles，theymetAbdul，theirowner，withtwootherTartarsfollowinghim。Aftertalkingwiththestrangers，heputZhí；linandKostí；linontwoofhisownhorsesandtookthembacktotheAoul。

Abduldidnotlaughnow，anddidnotsayawordtothem。

TheywerebackattheAoulbydaybreak，andweresetdowninthestreet。

Thechildrencamecrowdinground，throwingstones，shrieking，andbeatingthemwithwhips。

TheTartarsgatheredtogetherinacircle，andtheoldmanfromthefootofthehillwasalsothere。Theybegandiscussing，andZhí；linheardthemconsideringwhatshouldbedonewithhimandKostí；lin。Somesaidtheyoughttobesentfartherintothemountains；buttheoldmansaid:’Theymustbekilled！’

Abduldisputedwithhim，saying:’Igavemoneyforthem，andImustgetransomforthem。’Buttheoldmansaid:’Theywillpayyounothing，butwillonlybringmisfortune。ItisasintofeedRussians。

Killthem，andhavedonewithit！’

Theydispersed。Whentheyhadgone，themastercameuptoZhí；linandsaid:’Ifthemoneyforyourransomisnotsentwithinafortnight，Iwillflogyou；andifyoutrytorunawayagain，I’llkillyoulikeadog！Writealetter，andwriteproperly！’

Paperwasbroughttothem，andtheywrotetheletters。Shackleswereputontheirfeet，andtheyweretakenbehindtheMosquetoadeeppitabouttwelvefeetsquare，intowhichtheywereletdown。

Lifewasnowveryhardforthem。Theirshackleswerenevertakenoff，andtheywerenotletoutintothefreshair。Unbakeddoughwasthrowntothemasiftheyweredogs，andwaterwasletdowninacan。

Itwaswetandcloseinthepit，andtherewasahorriblestench。Kostí；lingrewquiteill，hisbodybecameswollenandheachedallover，andmoanedorsleptallthetime。Zhí；lin，too，grewdowncast；hesawitwasabadlook-out，andcouldthinkofnowayofescape。

Hetriedtomakeatunnel，buttherewasnowheretoputtheearth。Hismasternoticedit，andthreatenedtokillhim。

Hewassittingonthefloorofthepitoneday，thinkingoffreedomandfeelingverydownhearted，whensuddenlyacakefellintohislap，thenanother，andthenashowerofcherries。Helookedup，andtherewasDina。Shelookedathim，laughed，andranaway。AndZhí；linthought:’MightnotDinahelpme？’

Heclearedoutalittleplaceinthepit，scrapedupsomeclay，andbeganmodellingtoys。Hemademen，horses，anddogs，thinking，’WhenDinacomesI’llthrowthemuptoher。’

ButDinadidnotcomenextday。Zhí；linheardthetrampofhorses；

somemenrodepast，andtheTartarsgatheredincouncilneartheMosque。Theyshoutedandargued；theword’Russians’wasrepeatedseveraltimes。Hecouldhearthevoiceoftheoldman。Thoughhecouldnotdistinguishwhatwassaid，heguessedthatRussiantroopsweresomewherenear，andthattheTartars，afraidtheymightcomeintotheAoul，didnotknowwhattodowiththeirprisoners。

Aftertalkingawhile，theywentaway。Suddenlyheheardarustlingoverhead，andsawDinacrouchingattheedgeofthepit，herkneeshigherthanherhead，andbendingoversothatthecoinsofherplaitdangledabovethepit。Hereyesgleamedlikestars。

Shedrewtwocheesesoutofhersleeveandthrewthemtohim。Zhí；lintookthemandsaid，’Whydidyounotcomebefore？I

havemadesometoysforyou。Here，catch！’Andhebeganthrowingthetoysup，onebyone。

Butsheshookherheadandwouldnotlookatthem。

’Idon’twantany，’shesaid。Shesatsilentforawhile，andthenwenton，’Ivá；n，theywanttokillyou！’Andshepointedtoherownthroat。

’Whowantstokillme？’

’Father；theoldmensayhemust。ButIamsorryforyou！’

Zhí；linanswered:’Well，ifyouaresorryforme，bringmealongpole。’

Sheshookherhead，asmuchastosay，’Ican’t！’

Heclaspedhishandsandprayedher:’Dina，pleasedo！DearDina，I

begofyou！’

’Ican’t！’shesaid，’theywouldseemebringingit。They’reallathome。’Andshewentaway。

SowheneveningcameZhí；linstillsatlookingupnowandthen，andwonderingwhatwouldhappen。Thestarswerethere，butthemoonhadnotyetrisen。TheMullah’svoicewasheard；thenallwassilent。Zhí；linwasbeginningtodoze，thinking:’Thegirlwillbeafraidtodoit！’

Suddenlyhefeltclayfallingonhishead。Helookedup，andsawalongpolepokingintotheoppositewallofthepit。Itkeptpokingaboutforatime，andthenitcamedown，slidingintothepit。

Zhí；linwasgladindeed。Hetookholdofitandloweredit。Itwasastrongpole，onethathehadseenbeforeontheroofofhismaster’shut。

Helookedup。Thestarswereshininghighinthesky，andjustabovethepitDina’seyesgleamedinthedarklikeacat’s。Shestoopedwithherfaceclosetotheedgeofthepit，andwhispered，’Ivá；n！Ivá；n！’wavingherhandinfrontofherfacetoshowthatheshouldspeaklow。

’What？’saidZhí；lin。

’Allbuttwohavegoneaway。’

ThenZhí；linsaid，’Well，Kostí；lin，come；letushaveonelasttry；I’llhelpyouup。’

ButKostí；linwouldnothearofit。

’No，’saidhe，’It’sclearIcan’tgetawayfromhere。HowcanIgo，whenIhavehardlystrengthtoturnround？’

’Well，good-bye，then！Don’tthinkillofme！’andtheykissedeachother。Zhí；linseizedthepole，toldDinatoholdon，andbegantoclimb。Heslippedonceortwice；theshackleshinderedhim。Kostí；linhelpedhim，andhemanagedtogettothetop。Dinawithherlittlehands，pulledwithallhermightathisshirt，laughing。

Zhí；lindrewoutthepoleandsaid，’Putitbackinitsplace，Dina，orthey’llnotice，andyouwillbebeaten。’

Shedraggedthepoleaway，andZhí；linwentdownthehill。Whenhehadgonedownthesteepincline，hetookasharpstoneandtriedtowrenchthelockofftheshackles。Butitwasastronglockandhecouldnotmanagetobreakit，andbesides，itwasdifficulttogetat。Thenheheardsomeonerunningdownthehill，springinglightly。Hethought:’Surely，that’sDinaagain。’

Dinacame，tookastoneandsaid，’Letmetry。’

Shekneltdownandtriedtowrenchthelockoff，butherlittlehandswereasslenderaslittletwigs，andshehadnotthestrength。

Shethrewthestoneawayandbegantocry。ThenZhí；linsettoworkagainatthelock，andDinasquattedbesidehimwithherhandonhisshoulder。

Zhí；linlookedroundandsawaredlighttotheleftbehindthehill。Themoonwasjustrising。’Ah！’hethought，’beforethemoonhasrisenImusthavepassedthevalleyandbeintheforest。’Soheroseandthrewawaythestone。Shacklesorno，hemustgoon。

’Good-bye，Dinadear！’hesaid。’Ishallneverforgetyou！’

Dinaseizedholdofhimandfeltaboutwithherhandsforaplacetoputsomecheesesshehadbrought。Hetookthemfromher。

’Thankyou，mylittleone。WhowillmakedollsforyouwhenIamgone？’

Andhestrokedherhead。

Dinaburstintotearshidingherfaceinherhands。Thensheranupthehilllikeayounggoat，thecoinsinherplaitclinkingagainstherback。

Zhí；lincrossedhimselftookthelockofhisshacklesinhishandtopreventitsclattering，andwentalongtheroad，dragginghisshackledleg，andlookingtowardstheplacewherethemoonwasabouttorise。Henowknewtheway。Ifhewentstraighthewouldhavetowalknearlysixmiles。Ifonlyhecouldreachthewoodbeforethemoonhadquiterisen！Hecrossedtheriver；thelightbehindthehillwasgrowingwhiter。Stilllookingatit，hewentalongthevalley。Themoonwasnotyetvisible。Thelightbecamebrighter，andonesideofthevalleywasgrowinglighterandlighter，andshadowsweredrawingintowardsthefootofthehill，creepingnearerandnearertohim。

Zhí；linwenton，keepingintheshade。Hewashurrying，butthemoonwasmovingstillfaster；thetopsofthehillsontherightwerealreadylitup。Ashegotnearthewoodthewhitemoonappearedfrombehindthehills，anditbecamelightasday。Onecouldseealltheleavesonthetrees。Itwaslightonthehill，butsilent，asifnothingwerealive；nosoundcouldbeheardbutthegurglingoftheriverbelow。

Zhí；linreachedthewoodwithoutmeetinganyone，choseadarkspot，andsatdowntorest。

Herestedandateoneofthecheeses。Thenhefoundastoneandsettoworkagaintoknockofftheshackles。Heknockedhishandssore，butcouldnotbreakthelock。Heroseandwentalongtheroad。Afterwalkingthegreaterpartofamilehewasquitedoneup，andhisfeetwereaching。Hehadtostopeverytensteps。