第286章

第286章wintryweatherwasalreadysettingin,themorningfrostshardenedtheearthdrenchedbytheautumnrains.alreadythegrasswasfulloftufts,andstoodoutbrightgreenagainstthepatchesofbrownwintercornlandtroddenbythecattle,andthepaleyellowstubbleofthesummercornfields,andthereddishstripsofbuckwheat.theuplandsandcopses,whichattheendofaugusthadstillbeengreenislandsamongtheblackfieldsploughedreadyforwintercorn,andthestubblehadbecomegoldenandluridredislandsinaseaofbrightgreenautumncrops.thegreyharehadalreadyhalf-changeditscoat,thefoxes’cubswerebeginningtoleavetheirparents,andtheyoungwolveswereerthandogs.itwasthebesttimeoftheyearforthechase.thedogsofanardentyoungsportsmanlikerostovwereonlyjustcomingintofitstateforhunting,sothatatacommoncouncilofthehuntsmenitwasdecidedtogivethedogsthreedays’rest,andonthe16thofseptembertogooffonahuntingexpedition,beginningwithdubravy,wheretherewasalitterofwolvesthathadneverbeenhunted.

suchwasthepositionofaffairsonthe14thofseptember.

allthatdaythedogswerekeptathome.itwaskeenandfrostyweather,buttowardseveningtheskycloudedoveranditbegantothaw.onthemorningofthe15thofseptemberwhenyoungrostovinhisdressing-gownlookedoutofwindowhesawamorningwhichwasalltheheartcoulddesireforhunting.itlookedasthoughtheskyweremelting,andwithouttheslightestwind,sinkingdownupontheearth.theonlymovementintheairwasthesoftdownwardmotionofmicroscopicdropsofmoistureormist.thebaretwigsinthegardenwerehungwithtransparentdropswhichdrippedontothefreshlyfallenleaves.theearthinthekitchen-gardenhadagleaming,wet,blacklooklikethecentreofapoppy,andatashortdistanceawayitmeltedoffintothedamp,dimveiloffog.

nikolaywentoutontothewetandmuddysteps.therewasasmellofdecayingleavesanddogs.thebroad-backed,blackandtanbitchmilka,withherbig,prominent,blackeyes,caughtsightofhermaster,gotup,stretchedoutherhindlegs,laydownlikeahare,thensuddenlyjumpedupandlickedhimrightonhisnoseandmoustache.anotherharrier,catchingsightofhismasterfromthebrightcolouredpath,archeditsback,dartedheadlongtothesteps,and,liftingitstail,rubbeditselfagainstnikolay’slegs.

“o,hoy！”heheardatthatmomenttheinimitablehuntinghalloowhichunitesthedeepestbassandtheshrillesttenornotes.androundthecornercamethehuntsmanandwhipper-in,danilo,agrey,wrinkledman,withhishaircroppedroundintheukrainianfashion.heheldabentwhipinhishand,andhisfacehadthatexpressionofindependenceandscornforeverythingintheworld,whichisonlytobeseeninhuntsmen.hetookoffhiscircassiancaptohismasterandlookedscornfullyathim.thatscornwasnotoffensivetohismaster.nikolayknewthatthisdanilo,disdainfulofall,andsuperiortoeverything,wasstillhismanandhishuntsman.