So I thought,
‘Well, maybe they will remember what I’ve done.’
So I went to our proprietor . . . he was a good master and he said,
‘You’re a fine fellow, go!’
So I went instead of my brother.”
“Well, that was right,” said Panov.
“And yet, will you believe me, Panov, it’s chiefly because of that that I feel so dull now?
‘Why did you go instead of your brother?’
I say to myself. ‘He’s living like a king now over there, while you have to suffer here;’ and the more I think of it the worse I feel. . . .
It seems just a piece of ill-luck!”
Avdeev was silent.
“Perhaps we’d better have another smoke,” said he after a pause.
“Well then, fix it up!”
But the soldiers were not to have their smoke.
Hardly had Avdeev risen to fix the pipe stem in its place when above the rustling of the trees they heard footsteps along the road.
Panov took his gun and pushed Nikitin with his foot.
Nikitin rose and picked up his cloak.
The third soldier, Bondarenko, rose also, and said:
“And I have dreamt such a dream, mates. . . . ”
“Sh!” said Avdeev, and the soldiers held their breath, listening.
The footsteps of men in soft-soled boots were heard approaching.
The fallen leaves and dry twigs could be heard rustling clearer and clearer through the darkness.
Then came the peculiar guttural tones of Chechen voices.
The soldiers could now not only hear men approaching, but could see two shadows passing through a clear space between the trees; one shadow taller than the other.
When these shadows had come in line with the soldiers, Panov, gun in hand, stepped out on to the road, followed by his comrades.
“Who goes there?” cried he.
“Me, friendly Chechen,” said the shorter one.
This was Bata.
“Gun, yok! . . . sword, yok!” said he, pointing to himself.
“Prince, want!”
The taller one stood silent beside his comrade.
He too was unarmed.
“He means he’s a scout, and wants the Colonel,” explained Panov to his comrades.
“Prince Vorontsov . . . much want! Big business!” said Bata.
“All right, all right! We’ll take you to him,” said Panov.
“I say, you’d better take them,” said he to Avdeev, “you and Bondarenko; and when you’ve given them up to the officer on duty come back again.
Mind,” he added, “be careful to make them keep in front of you!”
“and what of this?” said Avdeev, moving his gun and bayonet as though stabbing someone.
“I’s just give a dig, and let the steam out of him!”
“What’ll he be worth when you’ve stuck him?” remarked Bondarenko.
“Now, march!”
When the steps of the two soldiers conducting the scouts could no longer be heard, Panov and Nikitin returned to their post.
“What the devil brings them here at night?” said Nikitin.
“Seems it’s necessary,” said panov.
“But it’s getting chilly,” he added, and unrolling his cloak he put it on and sat down by the tree.
About two hours later Avdeev and Bondarenko returned.
“Well, have you handed them over?”
“Yes.
They weren’t yet asleep at the Colonel’s — they were taken straight in to him.
And do you know, mates, those shaven- headed lads are fine!” continued Avdeev.