4. A Story of Brigands

She would have been glad to shorten the story, but then perhaps he would not understand it so well; and, besides, they had time enough for her to tell and for him to hear it all. The cabin in the steppe, the stable of the big oxen were still far away, so she continued:

“The young woman went down again into the flower-garden. She examined the hedge of trees, the green wall which surrounded her like a barricade. The trees were so close together and so tall, that she could only see their tops by bending backward.

“‘Nevertheless,’ she said to herself, ‘when they all go away, they know very well where to find a means of exit. Let me search this way first,’ and she went to the right. But she had only taken a few steps, when she heard a sound like the tramping of horses.

“She stopped, hardly daring to breath, and, protected by the trunk of a large tree, began to listen. She was not mistaken; it was indeed the sound which a troop of horsemen make when riding carefully over a difficult road.

“‘Had I better wait here or go forward?’ For the twentieth time she repeated this question to herself, when she saw the pale face of her husband appearing out of the thicket, pushing back the branches with his hands. His companions followed him as usual. They seemed to come out as if by magic from this green enclosure. There was not a sign of a road where they emerged from the forest.

“There was just time enough for her to hide herself better in the thicket, where she could examine her husband. He alighted from his horse and came forward with a slow step. How sad and tired he looked? Under the weight of what dark thoughts did he lower his eyes?

“‘If he were someone else, and looked thus,’ she said to herself, ‘he would be worthy of pity. As to his companions: ah, how savage they looked! What frightful faces!’

“Her husband, without knowing it, passed very near her; the others followed him. She saw with horror that many of them had red stains on their clothing.

“Very soon she heard his voice. He was calling her.

“No, the time had not come when she could escape forever. She came boldly out of the thicket and walked up to him.

“‘You are very pale,’ he said to her, ‘you tremble; you must have taken cold under these trees; don’t go there any more,’ and taking a small object from his pocket:

“‘Here,’ he said, ‘I have been thinking of you.’

“He gave her a ring which sparkled like the sun. ‘There, do you like it?’