Page:More Tales from Tolstoi.djvu/132

More Tales from Tolstoi At last they heard something like the trampling of a horse in front of them. They could hear the hoofs clattering against the stones. Zhilin lay down on his stomach and began to listen with his ear to the ground.

"Yes," said he, "it is as I thought. A horseman is coming towards us."

They quitted the road in haste, sat among the bushes, and waited. Zhilin presently crept forward towards the road and saw a mounted Tatar coming along, driving a cow before him, and muttering to himself. After he had gone Zhilin turned to Kostuilin and said:

"He's gone by, thank God! Get up, and we'll go on!"

Kostuilin tried to get up and fell down again. He was a heavy, puffy fellow, and began to sweat profusely. The cold mist of the forest, too, had given him a chill, his feet were lacerated, and he went all to pieces. When Zhilin raised him to his feet with an effort he cried out:

"Oh! it hurts!"

Zhilin almost had a fit.

"What are you screeching for! The Tatars are quite close to us—don't you hear?" But he thought to himself: "He really is almost done for; what am I to do with him? One can't chuck a comrade, it wouldn't be right"

"Well," said he, "get up on my back. I'll carry you if you really can't walk yourself."

So he put Kostuilin on his shoulders, gripped him under the knees, took the road again, and staggered along.