Page:Taras Bulba. A Tale of the Cossacks. 1916.djvu/263

Rh thirty. A healthy colour played in his cheeks, and even his scars imparted to him an air of authority. The gold-embroidered costume was extremely well suited to him.

The streets were still asleep. Not a single mercantile person had yet shown himself in the city, basket on arm. Yankel and Bulba went to a building which had the appearance of a crouching stork. It was low, wide, huge and black; and on one side a tall, slender tower projected, like a stork's neck, above which stuck out a bit of roof. This building served for a variety of purposes: it was a barrack, a jail, and even the criminal court. Our travellers entered the gate, and found themselves in a vast room, or covered courtyard. About a thousand men were sleeping there. Straight before them was a small door in front of which sat two sentries playing at some game which consisted in one striking the palm of the other's hand with two fingers. They paid scant heed to the newcomers, and merely turned their heads when Yankel said, "'Tis we, noble sirs; do you hear? 'Tis we…"

"Go in!" said one of them, opening the door with one hand, and holding out the other to his comrade, to receive his blows.

They entered a low, dark corridor, which led them to a room of the same description, with