TheTartarstookthesaddleandtrappings。Thered-beardedTartarmountedhishorse，andtheothersliftedZhí；linintothesaddlebehindhim。Topreventhisfallingoff，theystrappedhimtotheTartar’sgirdle；andthentheyallrodeawaytothehills。
　　SotheresatZhí；lin，swayingfromsidetoside，hisheadstrikingagainsttheTartar’sstinkingback。Hecouldseenothingbutthatmuscularbackandsinewyneck，withitscloselyshaven，bluishnape。
　　Zhí；lin’sheadwaswounded:thebloodhaddriedoverhiseyes，andhecouldneithershifthispositiononthesaddlenorwipethebloodoff。Hisarmswereboundsotightlythathiscollar-bonesached。
　　Theyrodeupanddownhillsforalongway。Thentheyreachedariverwhichtheyforded，andcametoahardroadleadingacrossavalley。
　　Zhí；lintriedtoseewheretheyweregoing，buthiseyelidswerestucktogetherwithblood，andhecouldnotturn。
　　Twilightbegantofall；theycrossedanotherriverandrodeupastonyhillside。Therewasasmellofsmokehere，anddogswerebarking。TheyhadreachedanAoulaTartarvillage。TheTartarsgotofftheirhorses；TartarchildrencameandstoodroundZhí；lin，shriekingwithpleasureandthrowingstonesathim。
　　TheTartardrovethechildrenaway，tookZhí；linoffthehorse，andcalledhisman。ANogá；y[5]withhighcheek-bones，andnothingonbutashirtandthatsotornthathisbreastwasallbare，answeredthecall。TheTartargavehimanorder。Hewentandfetchedshackles:twoblocksofoakwithironringsattached，andaclaspandlockfixedtooneoftherings。
　　TheyuntiedZhí；lin’sarms，fastenedtheshacklesonhisleg，anddraggedhimtoabarn，wheretheypushedhiminandlockedthedoor。
　　Zhí；linfellonaheapofmanure。Helaystillawhilethengropedabouttofindasoftplace，andsettleddown。
　　ThatnightZhí；linhardlysleptatall。Itwasthetimeofyearwhenthenightsareshort，anddaylightsoonshoweditselfthroughachinkinthewall。Herose，scratchedtomakethechinkbigger，andpeepedout。
　　Throughtheholehesawaroadleadingdown-hill；totherightwasaTartarhutwithtwotreesnearit，ablackdoglayonthethreshold，andagoatandkidsweremovingaboutwaggingtheirtails。
　　ThenhesawayoungTartarwomaninalong，loose，bright-colouredgown，withtrousersandhighbootsshowingfromunderit。Shehadacoatthrownoverherhead，onwhichshecarriedalargemetaljugfilledwithwater。Shewasleadingbythehandasmall，closely-shavenTartarboy，whoworenothingbutashirt；andasshewentalongbalancingherself，themusclesofherbackquivered。Thiswomancarriedthewaterintothehut，and，soonafter，thered-beardedTartarofyesterdaycameoutdressedinasilktunic，withasilver-hilteddaggerhangingbyhisside，shoesonhisbarefeet，andatallblacksheepskincapsetfarbackonhishead。Hecameout，stretchedhimself，andstrokedhisredbeard。Hestoodawhile，gaveanordertohisservant，andwentaway。
　　Thentwoladsrodepastfromwateringtheirhorses。Thehorses’noseswerewet。Someotherclosely-shavenboysranout，withoutanytrousers，andwearingnothingbuttheirshirts。Theycrowdedtogether，cametothebarn，pickedupatwig，andbeganpushingitinatthechink。Zhí；lingaveashout，andtheboysshriekedandscamperedoff，theirlittlebarekneesgleamingastheyran。
　　Zhí；linwasverythirsty:histhroatwasparched，andhethought:
　　’Ifonlytheywouldcomeandsomuchaslookatme！’
　　Thenheheardsomeoneunlockingthebarn。Thered-beardedTartarentered，andwithhimwasanotherasmallerman，dark，withbrightblackeyes，redcheeksandashortbeard。Hehadamerryface，andwasalwayslaughing。Thismanwasevenmorerichlydressedthantheother。Heworeabluesilktunictrimmedwithgold，alargesilverdaggerinhisbelt，redmoroccoslippersworkedwithsilver，andovertheseapairofthickshoes，andhehadawhitesheepskincaponhishead。
　　Thered-beardedTartarentered，mutteredsomethingasifhewereannoyed，andstoodleaningagainstthedoorpost，playingwithhisdagger，andglaringaskanceatZhí；lin，likeawolf。
　　Thedarkone，quickandlivelyandmovingasifonsprings，camestraightuptoZhí；lin，squatteddowninfrontofhim，slappedhimontheshoulder，andbegantotalkveryfastinhisownlanguage。Histeethshowed，andhekeptwinking，clickinghistongue，andrepeating，’GoodRuss，goodRuss。’
　　Zhí；lincouldnotunderstandaword，butsaid，’Drink！givemewatertodrink！’
　　Thedarkmanonlylaughed。’GoodRuss，’hesaid，andwentontalkinginhisowntongue。
　　Zhí；linmadesignswithlipsandhandsthathewantedsomethingtodrink。
　　Thedarkmanunderstood，andlaughed。Thenhelookedoutofthedoor，andcalledtosomeone:’Dina！’
　　Alittlegirlcamerunningin:shewasaboutthirteen，slight，thin，andlikethedarkTartarinface。Evidentlyshewashisdaughter。
　　She，too，hadclearblackeyes，andherfacewasgood-looking。Shehadonalongbluegownwithwidesleeves，andnogirdle。
　　Thehemofhergown，thefront，andthesleeves，weretrimmedwithred。Sheworetrousersandslippers，andovertheslippersstoutershoeswithhighheels。RoundherneckshehadanecklacemadeofRussiansilvercoins。Shewasbareheaded，andherblackhairwasplaitedwitharibbonandornamentedwithgiltbraidandsilvercoins。
　　Herfathergaveanorder，andsheranawayandreturnedwithametaljug。ShehandedthewatertoZhí；linandsatdown，crouchingsothatherkneeswereashighasherhead，andthereshesatwithwideopeneyeswatchingZhí；lindrink，asthoughhewereawildanimal。
　　WhenZhí；linhandedtheemptyjugbacktoher，shegavesuchasuddenjumpback，likeawildgoat，thatitmadeherfatherlaugh。Hesentherawayforsomethingelse。Shetookthejug，ranout，andbroughtbacksomeunleavenedbreadonaroundboard，andoncemoresatdown，crouching，andlookingonwithstaringeves。
　　ThentheTartarswentawayandagainlockedthedoor。
　　AfterawhiletheNogá；ycameandsaid:’Ayda，themaster，Ayda！’
　　He，too，knewnoRussian。AllZhí；lincouldmakeoutwasthathewastoldtogosomewhere。
　　Zhí；linfollowedtheNó；gay，butlimped，fortheshacklesdraggedhisfeetsothathecouldhardlystepatall。OngettingoutofthebarnhesawaTartarvillageofabouttenhouses，andaTartarchurchwithasmalltower。Threehorsesstoodsaddledbeforeoneofthehouses；littleboyswereholdingthembythereins。ThedarkTartarcameoutofthishouse，beckoningwithhishandforZhí；lintofollowhim。Thenhelaughed，saidsomethinginhisownlanguage，andreturnedintothehouse。
　　Zhí；linentered。Theroomwasagoodone:thewallssmoothlyplasteredwithclay。Nearthefrontwalllayapileofbright-colouredfeatherbeds；thesidewallswerecoveredwithrichcarpetsusedashangings，andonthesewerefastenedguns，pistolsandswords，allinlaidwithsilver。Closetooneofthewallswasasmallstoveonalevelwiththeearthenfloor。Theflooritselfwasascleanasathrashing-ground。Alargespaceinonecornerwasspreadoverwithfelt，onwhichwererugs，andontheserugswerecushionsstuffedwithdown。AndonthesecushionssatfiveTartars，thedarkone，thered-hairedone，andthreeguests。Theywerewearingtheirindoorslippers，andeachhadacushionbehindhisback。Beforethemwerestandingmilletcakesonaroundboard，meltedbutterinabowlandajugofbuza，orTartarbeer。Theyatebothcakesandbutterwiththeirhands。
　　ThedarkmanjumpedupandorderedZhí；lintobeplacedononeside，notonthecarpetbutonthebareground，thenhesatdownonthecarpetagain，andofferedmilletcakesandbuzatohisguests。TheservantmadeZhí；linsitdown，afterwhichhetookoffhisownovershoes，putthembythedoorwheretheothershoeswerestanding，andsatdownnearertohismastersonthefelt，watchingthemastheyate，andlickinghislips。
　　TheTartarsateasmuchastheywanted，andawomandressedinthesamewayasthegirl——inalonggownandtrousers，withakerchiefonherhead——cameandtookawaywhatwasleft，andbroughtahandsomebasin，andanewerwithanarrowspout。
　　TheTartarswashedtheirhands，foldedthem，wentdownontheirknees，blewtothefourquarters，andsaidtheirprayers。Aftertheyhadtalkedforawhile，oneofthegueststurnedtoZhí；linandbegantospeakinRussian。
　　’YouwerecapturedbyKazi-Mohammed，’hesaid，andpointedatthered-beardedTartar。’AndKazi-MohammedhasgivenyoutoAbdulMurat，’pointingatthedarkone。’AbdulMuratisnowyourmaster。’
　　Zhí；linwassilent。ThenAbdulMuratbegantotalk，laughing，pointingtoZhí；lin，andrepeating，’SoldierRuss，goodRuss。’
　　Theinterpretersaid，’Heordersyoutowritehomeandtellthemtosendaransom，andassoonasthemoneycomeshewillsetyoufree。’
　　Zhí；linthoughtforamoment，andsaid，’Howmuchransomdoeshewant？’
　　TheTartarstalkedawhile，andthentheinterpretersaid，’Threethousandroubles。’
　　’No，’saidZhí；lin，’Ican’tpaysomuch。’
　　Abduljumpedupand，wavinghisarms，talkedtoZhí；lin’thinking，asbefore，thathewouldunderstand。Theinterpretertranslated:’Howmuchwillyougive？’
　　Zhí；linconsidered，andsaid，’Fivehundredroubles。’AtthistheTartarsbeganspeakingveryquickly，alltogether。Abdulbegantoshoutatthered-beardedone，andjabberedsofastthatthespittlespurtedoutofhismouth。Thered-beardedoneonlyscreweduphiseyesandclickedhistongue。
　　Theyquieteneddownafterawhile，andtheinterpretersaid，’Fivehundredroublesisnotenoughforthemaster。Hepaidtwohundredforyouhimself。Kazi-Mohammedwasindebttohim，andhetookyouinpayment。Threethousandroubles！Lessthanthatwon’tdo。Ifyourefusetowrite，youwillbeputintoapitandfloggedwithawhip！’
　　’Eh！’thoughtZhí；lin，’themoreonefearsthemtheworseitwillbe。’
　　Sohesprangtohisfeet，andsaid，’YoutellthatdogthatifhetriestofrightenmeIwillnotwriteatall，andhewillgetnothing。I