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 and then it will be an easy matter to tear down the barricades and march out of the valley.”

The boyar stood stupefied before Maxim, not believing his own ears. “How can this be?” a lightning thought flashed through his brain, disappeared, and a twinge of pain pierced his heart. Regardless of how antagonistic he had been towards Maxim until recently, nonetheless he had been pleased by his noble staunchness and determination; therefore when he heard such a speech from Maxim’s lips, it seemed to him as if within his heart something deep and sacred was being rent to shreds, the last vestiges of his belief in the inherent honesty and integrity of man.

“Young man!” he exclaimed. “What are you saying? Did you actually mean to do something like that?”

“Of course, Boyarin.” Maxim said half-gravely and half-teasingly. “You said yourself that under stress even straw will break.”

“But, you, who not long ago vowed, ‘I’d rather die than turn traitor!’ ”

“But what else is there to do?” asked Maxim solemnly again. “If a vow can’t be kept, it just can’t!”

“And you, with such a susceptible, compliant nature dare to think that my daughter will go on loving you?” cried the boyar angrily.

“Boyarin,” said Maxim bitterly. “Do not remind me of her!”

“You see, how it pains you. Evidently you realize yourself what I say is true.”

“Who knows, Boyarin, who knows! We are at war and war teaches all sorts of strategems. But what if I?”

“What if you what? Why don’t you finish?” cried Tuhar Wolf.

“Nothing, nothing! I only wanted to ask you again if you accept my proposition?”