ent. At the same moment Natasha, without drawing breath, screamed
joyously, ecstatically, and so piercingly that it set everyone's ear
tingling. By that shriek she expressed what the others expressed by all
talking at once, and it was so strange that she must herself have been
ashamed of so wild a cry and everyone else would have been amazed at it
at any other time. "Uncle" himself twisted up the hare, threw it neatly
and smartly across his horse's back as if by that gesture he meant to
rebuke everybody, and, with an air of not wishing to speak to anyone,
mounted his bay and rode off. The others all followed, dispirited and
shamefaced, and only much later were they able to regain their former
affectation of indifference. For a long time they continued to look at
red Rugay who, his arched back spattered with mud and clanking the ring
of his leash, walked along just behind "Uncle's" horse with the serene
air of a conqueror.

"Well, I am like any other dog as long as it's not a question of
coursing. But when it is, then look out!" his appearance seemed to
Nicholas to be saying.

When, much later, "Uncle" rode up to Nicholas and began talking to him,
he felt flattered that, after what had happened, "Uncle" deigned to
speak to him.

CHAPTER VII

Toward evening Ilagin took leave of Nicholas, who found that they were
so far from home that he accepted "Uncle's" offer that the hunting party
should spend the night in his little village of Mikhaylovna.

"And if you put up at my house that will be better still. That's it,
come on!" said "Uncle." "You see it's damp weather, and you could rest,
and the little countess could be driven home in a trap."

"Uncle's" offer was accepted. A huntsman was sent to Otradnoe for a
trap, while Nicholas rode with Natasha and Petya to "Uncle's" house.

Some five male domestic serfs, big and little, rushed out to the front
porch to meet their master. A score of women serfs, old and young, as
well as children, popped out from the back entrance to have a look at
the hunters who were arriving. The presence of Natasha--a woman, a lady,
and on horseback--raised the curiosity of the serfs to such a degree
that many of them came up to her, stared her in the face, and unabashed
by her presence made remarks about her as though she were some prodigy
on show and not a human being able to hear or understand what was said
about her.

"Arinka! Look, she sits sideways! There she sits and her skir