Page:Tolstoy - Tales from Tolstoi.djvu/146

Tales from Tolstoi come up from the Volga and told him of the new settlement. And he looked, again, and saw that it was not the muzhik after all, but the devil in person, with horns and hoofs, who sat laughing, and looking at something. And Pakhom thought, "What is he looking at, and why is he laughing so?" And he dreamed that he crept up sideways, and peeped, and saw a man lying there in nothing but a shirt and trousers. His feet were bare, and he lay face upwards, as pale as a towel. And as Pakhom gazed more attentively to see who the man might be, he saw that it was himself. Pakhom shrieked aloud and woke. He woke, and his first thought was, what nonsense people do dream! He looked around him, and saw that the sky was growing grey—it was beginning to dawn. "I must wake up the people," thought he, "the time has come."

Pakhom arose, awoke his labourer in the tarantass, bade him put the horses to, and went to arouse the Bashkirs.

"It is time," said he, "to go to the steppe and take our measurements."

The Bashkirs arose, assembled, and presently the chief joined them. The Bashkirs again began drinking koumiss, and wanted to make Pakhom drink tea, but he would not wait.

"If we are going, let us go," said he.

So the Bashkirs set out, some on horseback and 96