,*APT] #ac 
,A ,WALK ,?R\< ! ,WOODS 

#ahfbahfb 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,LEO ,TOL/OY 

,TRANSLATOR 3 ,NA?AN ,HASKELL ,DOLE 

,TEXT 3 

,NOT LONG AGO ! FIR/ CLASS W]E READ+ ,GOGOL'S  
0,VII02 .<#h.> ! LA/ SC5E HAD A P[]FUL EFFECT ON !M1  
& EXCIT$ !IR IMAG9ATIONS2 SOME ( !M ACT$ !  
WIT*1 & KEPT REM9D+ ONE ANO!R ( ! LA/  
NI<T4 

,\T-(-DOORS IT WAS NOT COLD2 A MOONLESS W9T]'S  
NI<T1 ) CL\DS FLOAT+ ACROSS ! SKY4 ,WE /OPP$  
AT ! CROSS-ROADS2 ! OLD] S*OL>S1 :O HAD BE5  
) ME ?REE YE>S1 /OOD NE> ME1 BEGG+ ME TO  
ACCOMPANY !M A LITTLE F>!R2 ! Y\NG] ONES CA/  
%EEP'S-EYES AT ME1 & !N />T$ D[N ! HILL4 

,! Y\NG] ONES HAD BEGUN !IR /UDIES ) A NEW  
TEA*]1 & BETWE5 ME & !M !RE WAS NOT AS YET ?AT CONFID5CE :I* EXI/$ BETWE5 ! OLD]  
ONES & ME4 

0,WELL10 SAID ONE ( !M1 0!N WE WILL GO 9TO !  
ZAKAS0 

,! ZAKAS1 OR 0PROHIBITION10 WAS A SMALL GROVE AB\T  
TWO HUNDR$ PACES FROM ! H\SE4 

,MORE EAG] 9 HIS PLEAD+S ?AN ALL ! RE/ WAS  
,F$KA1.<#i.> A LAD ( T5 YE>S OLD1 AN AFFECTIONATE1 IMPRESSIBLE1 POETIC1 & SPIRIT$ NATURE4 ,DANG] CON/ITUT$ =  
HIM APP>5TLY ! *IEF CONDITION ( PLEASURE4 ,9 SUMM] IT WAS ALWAYS T]RIBLE TO SEE H[ HE & TWO O!R  
BOYS W\LD SWIM \T 9TO ! V]Y MIDDLE ( ! POND1  
:I* WAS ?REE HUNDR$ & FIFTY FEET.<#a.> WIDE1 & OCCASIONALLY DISAPPE> 9 ! HOT REFLECTION ( ! SUMM]  
SUN1 & !N DOVE 9TO ! DEP?S1 & FLOAT ON !IR  
BACKS1 & SQUIRT UP /REAMS ( WAT]1 & %\T 9  
CLE>1 %RILL VOICES TO !IR COMRADES ON ! %ORE TO SEE  
H[ C\RAGE\S !Y W]E4 

,N[ HE KNEW ?AT !RE W]E WOLVES 9 ! =E/1 &  
SO HE WANT$ TO GO 9TO ! ZAKAS4 ,ALL TOOK UP )  
! IDEA1 & WE W5T1 F\R ( US1 9TO ! WOODS4 

,ANO!R LAD1 ,I WILL CALL HIM ,SEMKA1 HEAL?Y BO?  
9 BODY & S\L1 & ANO!R SMALL LAD ( TWELVE1 NAM$  
,VAVILO1 W5T ON AHEAD1 & KEPT %\T+ & H[L+  
9 !IR ABUNDANT VOICES4 

,PRONKA1 A SICKLY1 SWEET-TEMP]$1 & V]Y GIFT$ LAD1  
! SON ( A POOR FAMILY1 SICKLY HE WAS APP>5TLY  
MORE = WANT ( FOOD ?AN ANY O!R CAUSE1  
WALK$ BY MY SIDE4 ,F$KA WAS BETWE5 ME & ,SEMKA1  
& KEPT TALK+ ALL ! TIME 9 HIS PECULI>LY S(T  
VOICE1 N[ TELL+ H[ :5 SUMM] CAME HE %\LD  
BR+ ! HORSES H]E TO WAT* !M1 !N DECL>+  
?AT HE WAS NOT AFRAID ( ANY?+1 !N ASK+1 0,SUPPOSE SOME ONE %\LD SPR+ \T AT US10 & ALL !  
TIME URG+ ME TO TELL !M SOME /ORY4 

,WE DID NOT GO QUITE TO ! MIDDLE ( ! =E/1 =  
?AT W\LD HAVE BE5 TOO T]RIFY+1 BUT EV5 AT !  
$GE ( ! WOODS IT KEPT GR[+ D>K] & D>K] ! PA? WAS SC>CELY VISIBLE2 ! LI<TS 9 ! VILLAGE  
W]E HIDD5 FROM VIEW4 

,SEMKA /OPP$1 & BEGAN TO LI/54 

0,HOLD ON1 BOYS6 :AT IS ?AT80 HE CRI$ SUDD5LY4 

,WE HELD \R BREA?1 BUT !RE WAS NO?+ TO BE  
HE>D2 NEV]!LESS A SORT ( T]ROR SEIZ$ US4 

0,N[ :AT %ALL WE DO10 ASK$ ,F$KA1 0SUPPOS+  
HE LEAPS \T AT US80 

,WE HAD BE5 TALK+ AB\T BRIG&S 9 ! ,CAUCASUS4 ,!Y REMEMB]$ A /ORY ( ! ,CAUCASUS  
:I* ,I HAD TOLD !M SOME TIME BE=E1 & ,I BEGAN  
TO RELATE AGA9 AB\T ! ,ABREKS1 AB\T ! ,COSSACKS1  
AB\T ! ,HAJJI-,MURAT4 

,SEMKA /ILL W5T 9 ADVANCE ( US1 TAK+ LONG /RIDES  
9 HIS BIG BOOTS1 & RHY?MICALLY SW++ HIS /RONG  
BACK4 ,PRONKA WAS TRY+ TO KEEP UP ) ME1 BUT  
,F$KA PU%$ HIM FROM ! PA?1 & ,PRONKA1 :O1  
PROBABLY [+ TO HIS WEAKNESS1 WAS ALWAYS GIV+ 9  
TO EV]Y ONE ELSE1 MANAG$ ONLY 9 ! MO/ 9T]E/+  
PLACES TO KEEP ALONGSIDE ( US1 AL?\< HE WAS WAD+  
?R\< SN[ :I* REA*$ TO HIS KNEES4 

,EV]Y ONE :O KN[S PEASANT *ILDR5 AT ALL MU/  
HAVE OBS]V$ ?AT !Y >E NOT ACCU/OM$ TO ANY SORT  
( C>ESSES1 & CANNOT 5DURE !M AFFECTIONATE  
WORDS1 KISSES1 T\*+ ( H&S1 & O!R SU* ?+S4  
,I HAPP5$ ONCE TO SEE H[ A LADY 9 A PEASANT S*OOL  
WANT$ TO C>ESS A LAD1 & SAY+1  ,N[ ,I AM GO+ TO  
KISS Y\1 D>L+10 ,I KISS$ HIM2 & H[ ! LAD :O  
RECEIV$ ! KISS WAS COV]$ ) %AME1 FELT 9SULT$1  
& WAS P]FECTLY AT A LOSS TO KN[ :Y HE WAS SO  
TREAT$4 ,A LAD ( FIVE YE>S FEELS HIMSELF ABOVE SU*  
?+S AS C>ESSES2 HE IS ALREADY GR[N UP6 

,!RE=E ,I WAS A/ONI%$ BEYOND MEASURE :5  
,F$KA1 :O WAS WALK+ AT MY SIDE1 SUDD5LY1 9 !  
MO/ MOV+ P>T ( MY /ORY1 T\*$ ME G5TLY BY  
! SLEEVE1 & !N GRASP$ ) HIS :OLE H& TWO (  
MY F+]S1 & DID NOT LET GO ( !M4 

,AS SOON AS ,I /OPP$ TALK+1 ,F$KA BEGAN TO URGE  
ME TO TELL SOME MORE1 & 9 SU* A BESEE*+ &  
EXCIT$ VOICE ?AT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO YIELD TO HIS  
REQUE/4 

0,N[ KEEP \T FROM UND] MY FEET1 Y\10 SAID HE1  
/]NLY1 TO ,PRONKA1 :O WAS TRY+ TO RUN AHEAD4 ,HE  
WAS C>RI$ EV5 TO CRUELTY IT WAS SO UNUSUAL & SO  
PLEASANT TO HOLD MY F+]1 & NO ONE %\LD PRESUME  
TO D>E TO DI/URB HIS CONT5T6 

0,N[1 MORE1 MORE60 HE SAID2 0H]E IS A GOOD PLACE60 

,WE HAD PASS$ ?R\< ! WOODS1 & HAD 5T]$  
! VILLAGE AT ! O!R 5D4 

0,LET US GO BACK10 SAID !Y ALL AS SOON AS ! LI<TS  
BEGAN TO APPE>4 0,LET US GO BACK ONCE MORE60 

,WE WALK$ )\T SPEAK+1 OCCASIONALLY SLUMP+  
?R\< ! S(T1 ILL-TRODD5 PA?2 ! :ITE D>KNESS  
WAS SO D5SE AS TO SEEM TO %AKE BE=E ! EYES2 !  
CL\DS HUNG L[ AS IF SOME?+ DRAGG$ !M D[N  
UPON US2 !RE WAS NO 5D TO ?AT PECULI> :IT5ESS 9  
:I* WE ALONE CRUN*$ OV] ! SN[2 ! W9D  
S\<$ 9 ! B>E TOPS ( ! POPL>S1 & SIL5CE  
REIGN$ 9 ! WOODS4 ,I F9I%$ TELL+ H[ ! ,ABREK1  
:5 HE HAD BE5 SURR\ND$1 SANG HIS SONGS1 & !N  
?REW HIMSELF ON HIS DAGG]4 

,ALL W]E SIL5T4 

0,:Y DID HE S+ HIS SONG :5 HE WAS SURR\ND$80  
ASK$ ,SEMKA4 

0,HAV5'T Y\ JU/ BE5 TOLD80 EXCLAIM$ ,F$KA1  
SCORNFULLY40 ,SO AS TO GET C\RAGE TO DIE60 

0,I %\LD ?9K ?AT HE W\LD S+ A PRAY]1 !N10  
ADD$ ,PRONKA4 

,! RE/ AGRE$ ) HIM4 

,F$KA SUDD5LY /OPP$4 

0,BUT H[ DID Y\ SAY ?AT Y\R AUNT WAS KILL$80  
HE ASK$1 HE /ILL FELT A LITTLE AFRAID4 0,TELL US6 TELL  
US60 

,& ,I TOLD !M AGA9 ?AT T]RIBLE /ORY ( !  
MURD] ( ! ,C\NTESS ,TOL/OY'2 & !Y SIL5TLY /OOD  
>\ND ME LOOK+ 9TO MY FACE4 

0,& SO ! GALLI>D WAS CAPTUR$10 EXCLAIM$ ,F$KA4 

0,IT MU/ HAVE BE5 T]RIBLE TO GO BY NI<T :5 %E  
LAY !RE MURD]$6 ,I %\LD HAVE RUN AWAY60 

,& HE TOOK A FIRM] GRIP ( MY TWO F+]S4 ,WE  
HAD HALT$ 9 ! ?ICKET1 BACK ( ! ?RE%+-FLOORS1  
AT ! V]Y 5D ( ! VILLAGE4 ,SEMKA PICK$ UP A DRY  
BRAN* FROM \T ( ! SN[1 & BEGAN TO /RIKE !  
FRO/-COV]$ BOLE ( A L9D54 ,! HO>-FRO/ FELL FROM  
! BRAN*ES1 ON HIS CAP1 & ! E*O RANG ?R\< !  
=E/4 

0,LY( ,NIKOLAYEVIT*10 SAID ,F$KA 7,I SUPPOS$ ?AT  
HE WAS GO+ TO SPEAK ( ! C\NTESS AGA971 0:AT IS  
! GOOD ( LE>N+ TO S+8 ,I (T5 WOND]1 ,I REALLY  
DO1 :Y WE S+40 

,FROM 3 ,WIKIS\RCE4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,SEPTEMB] #c1 #ahfb 3 ,*APT] #ac -- ,PUBLICATION4 

 FILE G5]AT$ FROM 3  
HTTP3_/_/REVOLTLIB4COM_/