seat himself sadly on the shores
of the sea. He sat there long with drooping head, repeating continually,
"My Ostap, my Ostap!" Before him spread the gleaming Black Sea; in
the distant reeds the sea-gull screamed. His grey moustache turned to
silver, and the tears fell one by one upon it.

At last Taras could endure it no longer. "Whatever happens, I must go
and find out what he is doing. Is he alive, or in the grave? I will
know, cost what it may!" Within a week he found himself in the city
of Ouman, fully armed, and mounted, with lance, sword, canteen, pot of
oatmeal, powder horn, cord to hobble his horse, and other equipments.
He went straight to a dirty, ill-kept little house, the small windows
of which were almost invisible, blackened as they were with some unknown
dirt. The chimney was wrapped in rags; and the roof, which was full
of holes, was covered with sparrows. A heap of all sorts of refuse lay
before the very door. From the window peered the head of a Jewess, in a
head-dress with discoloured pearls.

"Is your husband at home?" said Bulba, dismounting, and fastening his
horse's bridle to an iron hook beside the door.

"He is at home," said the Jewess, and hastened out at once with a
measure of corn for the horse, and a stoup of beer for the rider.

"Where is your Jew?"

"He is in the other room at prayer," replied the Jewess, bowing and
wishing Bulba good health as he raised the cup to his lips.

"Remain here, feed and water my horse, whilst I go speak with him alone.
I have business with him."

This Jew was the well-known Yankel. He was there as revenue-farmer and
tavern-keeper. He had gradually got nearly all the neighbouring noblemen
and gentlemen into his hands, had slowly sucked away most of their
money, and had strongly impressed his presence on that locality. For a
distance of three miles in all directions, not a single farm remained in
a proper state. All were falling in ruins; all had been drunk away,
and poverty and rags alone remained. The whole neighbourhood was
depopulated, as if after a fire or an epidemic; and if Yankel had lived
there ten years, he would probably have depopulated the Waiwode's whole
domains.

Taras entered the room. The Jew was praying, enveloped in his dirty
shroud, and was turning to spit for the last time, according to the
forms of his creed, when his eye suddenly lighted on Taras standing
behind him. The first thing that crossed Yankel's mind was the two
thousan