第293章

第293章theoldcountwenthome.natashaandpetyapromisedtofollowimmediately.thehuntingpartywentonfurtherasitwasstillearly.inthemiddleofthedaytheysetthehoundsintoaravinecoveredwiththicklygrowingyoungcopse.nikolay,standingonthestubblelandabove,couldseeallhisparty.

facingnikolayontheoppositesidewasafieldofgreencorn,andtherestoodhishuntsman,aloneinahollowbehindanutbush.assoonastheyloosedthehounds,nikolayheardahoundheknew—voltorn—givetongueatintervals;otherhoundsjoinedhim,pausingnowandthen,andtakingupthecryagain.amomentlaterheheardfromtheravinethecrythattheywereonthescentofafox,andallthepackjoiningtogethermadefortheopeningtowardsthegreencornawayfromnikolay.

hesawthewhippers-inintheirredcapsgallopingalongtheedgeoftheovergrownravine;hecouldseethedogseven,andwaseveryinstantexpectingthefoxtocomeintosightonthefurthersideamongthegreencorn.

thehuntsmanstandinginthehollowstartedoffandlethisdogsgo,andnikolaysawthered,uncouth-lookingfoxhurryingalongclosetotheground,withitsbushytail,throughthegreencorn.thedogsboredownonit.andnowtheyweregettingclose,andnowthefoxwasbeginningtowindincirclesbetweenthem,makingthecirclesmoreandmorerapidly,andsweepingitsbushybrusharoundit,whenallofasuddenastrangewhitedogflewdownuponit,andwasfollowedbyablackone,andeverythingwasconfusion,andthedogsformedastar-shapedfigureroundit,scarcelymoving,withtheirheadstogether,andtheirtailsout.twohuntsmengallopeddowntothedogs;oneinaredcap,theother,astranger,inagreencoat.

“what’sthemeaningofit？”wonderednikolay.“wheredidthathuntsmanspringfrom？that’snotuncle’sman.”

thehuntsmengotthefox,andremainedalongwhilestandingonfootthere,withouthangingthefoxonthesaddle.

hecouldseethehorseswiththeirsnafflesjuttingupstandingclosebythehuntsmen,andthedogslyingdown.thehuntsmenwerewavingtheirarmsanddoingsomethingwiththefox.ahornwassounded—thesignalagreeduponincaseofadispute.

“that’silagin’shuntsmangettinguparowofsomesortwithourivan,”saidnikolay’sgroom.

nikolaysentthegroomtocallhissisterandpetyatocometohim,androdeatawalkingpacetowardsthespotwherethewhippers-inweregettingthehoundstogether.severalofthepartygallopedtothesceneofthesquabble.

nikolaydismounted,and,withnatashaandpetya,whohadriddenup,hestoodbythehoundswaitingtohearhowthedifficultywassettled.thehuntsmanwhohadbeenquarrellingcameridingoutofthebusheswiththefoxonthecrupper,androdetowardshisyoungmaster.hetookoffhiscapalongwayoffandtriedashecameuptospeakrespectfully.buthewaspaleandgaspingforbreath,andhisfacewaswrathful.oneofhiseyeswasblackened,buthewasprobablynotawareofit.

“whatwasthematteroverthere？”askednikolay.

“why,hewasgoingtokillthefoxrightunderourhounds’noses！andmybitchitwas—themouse-colouredone—thathadgotholdofit.youcangoandhavemeupforit！snatchingholdofthefox！igavehimonewiththefox.hereitisonmysaddle.isitatasteofthisyouwant？”saidthehuntsman,pointingtohishunting-knifeandapparentlyimaginingthathewasstilltalkingtohisenemy.

nikolaydidnotwastewordsontheman,butaskinghissisterandpetyatowaitforhim,rodeovertowherethehoundsandthemenoftheenemy,ilagin,weregatheredtogether.

thevictorioushuntsmanrodeofftojoinhisfellows,andthere,thecentreofasympatheticandinquisitivecrowd,herecountedhisexploit.

thepointwasthatilagin,withwhomtherostovshadsomequarrelandwereengagedinalawsuit,washuntingoverplacesthatbyoldcustombelongedtotherostovs,andnow,asthoughofdesign,hadsenthismentotheravinewheretherostovswere,andhadallowedhismantosnatchafoxunderastranger’sdogs.

nikolayhadneverseenilagin,buthehadheardofthequarrelsomenessandobstinacyoftheirneighbour;andrushing,ashealwaysdid,toanextremeinhisjudgmentsandfeelings,hecordiallydetestedhim,andlookeduponhimashisbitterestfoe.excitedandangry,herodeuptohimnow,graspinghiswhipinhishand,fullypreparedtotakethemostenergeticanddesperatemeasuresindealingwiththeenemy.

hehadscarcelyriddenbeyondtheridgeofthecopsewhenhesawastoutgentlemaninabeavercapridingtowardshimonahandsomeravenhorse,accompaniedbytwogrooms.

insteadofanenemynikolayfoundinilaginacourteousgentlemanofimposingappearance,whowasparticularlyanxioustomaketheyoungcount’sacquaintance.ilagintookoffhisbeavercapasheapproachedrostov,andsaidthathegreatlyregrettedwhathadoccurred,thathewouldhavethemanpunished,thatheedthecounttoletthembebetteracquainted,andofferedhimtheuseofhispreservesforhunting.

natashahadriddenupnotfarbehindherbrother,insomeexcitement,fearinghemightdosomethingawful.seeingthattheopponentswereexchangingaffablegreetings,sherodeuptothem.ilaginliftedhisbeavercaphigherthanevertonatasha,and,smilingagreeably,saidthatthecountesswasindeedadianabothinherpassionforthechaseandherbeauty,ofwhichhehadheardsomuch.

ilagin,toeffacetheimpressionofhishuntsman’scrime,insistedonrostovcomingtohisuplandaverstaway,whichhepreservedforhisownshooting,anddescribedasteemingwithhares.nikolayagreed,andthewholeparty,itsnumbersnowdoubled,movedon.theyhadtoridethroughthefieldstogetthere.thehuntsmenmovedinaline,andthegentryrodetogether.theuncle,rostov,andilaginglancedstealthilyateachother’sdogs,tryingnottobeobservedbytheothers,andlookinguneasilyforrivalslikelytoexceltheirowndogs.