'A man kills another and is happy and satisfied with
himself as if he had done something excellent. Can it be that nothing
tells him that it is not a reason for any rejoicing, and that happiness
lies not in killing, but in sacrificing oneself?'

'Well, you had better not meet him again now, mate!' said one of the
Cossacks who had seen the skiff off, addressing Lukashka. 'Did you hear
him asking about you?'

Lukashka raised his head.

'My godson?' said Lukashka, meaning by that word the dead Chechen.

'Your godson won't rise, but the red one is the godson's brother!'

'Let him thank God that he got off whole himself,' replied Lukashka.

'What are you glad about?' asked Olenin. 'Supposing your brother had
been killed; would you be glad?'

The Cossack looked at Olenin with laughing eyes. He seemed to have
understood all that Olenin wished to say to him, but to be above such
considerations.

'Well, that happens too! Don't our fellows get killed sometimes?'

Chapter XXII

The Captain and the head of the village rode away, and Olenin, to
please Lukashka as well as to avoid going back alone through the dark
forest, asked the corporal to give Lukashka leave, and the corporal did
so. Olenin thought that Lukashka wanted to see Maryanka and he was also
glad of the companionship of such a pleasant-looking and sociable
Cossack. Lukashka and Maryanka he involuntarily united in his mind, and
he found pleasure in thinking about them. 'He loves Maryanka,' thought
Olenin, 'and I could love her,' and a new and powerful emotion of
tenderness overcame him as they walked homewards together through the
dark forest. Lukashka too felt happy; something akin to love made
itself felt between these two very different young men. Every time they
glanced at one another they wanted to laugh.

'By which gate do you enter?' asked Olenin.

'By the middle one. But I'll see you as far as the marsh. After that
you have nothing to fear.'

Olenin laughed.

'Do you think I am afraid? Go back, and thank you. I can get on alone.'

'It's all right! What have I to do? And how can you help being afraid?
Even we are afraid,' said Lukashka to set Olenin's self-esteem at rest,
and he laughed too.

'Then come in with me. We'll have a talk and a drink and in the morning
you can go back.'

'Couldn't I find a place to spend the night?' laughed Lukashka. 'But
the corporal asked me to go back.'

'I heard you singing last night, and also saw yo