3. Little Maroussia

“You will not tell! Very well! Your business is settled.” And, turning to Vorochilo and Andry Krouk, “Rascals,” he said to them, “without doubt you know nothing of this Zaparogie either? May the pestilence choke him!”

“I ask many pardons, my lord,” answered Vorochilo, who seemed more dead than alive, “but I—”

“Speak then, you beast?”

“I saw him.”

“You saw him, and did not at once denounce him, you traitor?”

“I was too much afraid, my lord, I lost my wits, and then—”

“And then, rogue?”

“And then he was gone.”

“Where did you see him?”

“At the fair for oxen, my lord, at Frosny.” “With whom was he?”

“With a large dog, my lord, a large black dog, a superb dog, very fine breed, which barked like a hundred devils, and which—” “Imbecile! Dog, yourself! It doesn’t matter about the dog; but I want to know about the master and the villains like you. This Zaparogie, doubtless, was not alone, was there a band of rogues following him?”

“A band of rogues, my lord, what band?”

“Cursed fool! was there a crowd of men and women running after him?”

“Yes, my lord, a whole crowd. They jostled each other, they cried—”

“Their names?” .

“What names, my lord?”

“The names of those who ran after him.”

“But it was the crowd, my lord, only the crowd.”

“Ah! Animal! Beast!”

Don’t you see,” said the other officer, “that this peasant is an idiot? You are losing time with him.”