TheyheardTartarvoices。TheTartarsstoppedattheveryspotwheretheyhadturnedoffthepath。TheTartarstalkedabit，andthenseemedtobesettingadogonthescent。Therewasasoundofcracklingtwigs，andastrangedogappearedfrombehindthebushes。Itstopped，andbegantobark。
ThentheTartars，alsostrangers，cameclimbingdown，seizedZhí；linandKostí；lin，boundthem，putthemonhorses，androdeawaywiththem。
Whentheyhadriddenabouttwomiles，theymetAbdul，theirowner，withtwootherTartarsfollowinghim。Aftertalkingwiththestrangers，heputZhí；linandKostí；linontwoofhisownhorsesandtookthembacktotheAoul。
Abduldidnotlaughnow，anddidnotsayawordtothem。
TheywerebackattheAoulbydaybreak，andweresetdowninthestreet。
Thechildrencamecrowdinground，throwingstones，shrieking，andbeatingthemwithwhips。
TheTartarsgatheredtogetherinacircle，andtheoldmanfromthefootofthehillwasalsothere。Theybegandiscussing，andZhí；linheardthemconsideringwhatshouldbedonewithhimandKostí；lin。Somesaidtheyoughttobesentfartherintothemountains；buttheoldmansaid:’Theymustbekilled！’
Abduldisputedwithhim，saying:’Igavemoneyforthem，andImustgetransomforthem。’Buttheoldmansaid:’Theywillpayyounothing，butwillonlybringmisfortune。ItisasintofeedRussians。
Killthem，andhavedonewithit！’
Theydispersed。Whentheyhadgone，themastercameuptoZhí；linandsaid:’Ifthemoneyforyourransomisnotsentwithinafortnight，Iwillflogyou；andifyoutrytorunawayagain，I’llkillyoulikeadog！Writealetter，andwriteproperly！’
Paperwasbroughttothem，andtheywrotetheletters。Shackleswereputontheirfeet，andtheyweretakenbehindtheMosquetoadeeppitabouttwelvefeetsquare，intowhichtheywereletdown。
Lifewasnowveryhardforthem。Theirshackleswerenevertakenoff，andtheywerenotletoutintothefreshair。Unbakeddoughwasthrowntothemasiftheyweredogs，andwaterwasletdowninacan。
Itwaswetandcloseinthepit，andtherewasahorriblestench。Kostí；lingrewquiteill，hisbodybecameswollenandheachedallover，andmoanedorsleptallthetime。Zhí；lin，too，grewdowncast；hesawitwasabadlook-out，andcouldthinkofnowayofescape。
Hetriedtomakeatunnel，buttherewasnowheretoputtheearth。Hismasternoticedit，andthreatenedtokillhim。
Hewassittingonthefloorofthepitoneday，thinkingoffreedomandfeelingverydownhearted，whensuddenlyacakefellintohislap，thenanother，andthenashowerofcherries。Helookedup，andtherewasDina。Shelookedathim，laughed，andranaway。AndZhí；linthought:’MightnotDinahelpme？’
Heclearedoutalittleplaceinthepit，scrapedupsomeclay，andbeganmodellingtoys。Hemademen，horses，anddogs，thinking，’WhenDinacomesI’llthrowthemuptoher。’
ButDinadidnotcomenextday。Zhí；linheardthetrampofhorses；
somemenrodepast，andtheTartarsgatheredincouncilneartheMosque。Theyshoutedandargued；theword’Russians’wasrepeatedseveraltimes。Hecouldhearthevoiceoftheoldman。Thoughhecouldnotdistinguishwhatwassaid，heguessedthatRussiantroopsweresomewherenear，andthattheTartars，afraidtheymightcomeintotheAoul，didnotknowwhattodowiththeirprisoners。
Aftertalkingawhile，theywentaway。Suddenlyheheardarustlingoverhead，andsawDinacrouchingattheedgeofthepit，herkneeshigherthanherhead，andbendingoversothatthecoinsofherplaitdangledabovethepit。Hereyesgleamedlikestars。
Shedrewtwocheesesoutofhersleeveandthrewthemtohim。Zhí；lintookthemandsaid，’Whydidyounotcomebefore？I
havemadesometoysforyou。Here，catch！’Andhebeganthrowingthetoysup，onebyone。
Butsheshookherheadandwouldnotlookatthem。
’Idon’twantany，’shesaid。Shesatsilentforawhile，andthenwenton，’Ivá；n，theywanttokillyou！’Andshepointedtoherownthroat。
’Whowantstokillme？’
’Father；theoldmensayhemust。ButIamsorryforyou！’
Zhí；linanswered:’Well，ifyouaresorryforme，bringmealongpole。’
Sheshookherhead，asmuchastosay，’Ican’t！’
Heclaspedhishandsandprayedher:’Dina，pleasedo！DearDina，I
begofyou！’
’Ican’t！’shesaid，’theywouldseemebringingit。They’reallathome。’Andshewentaway。
SowheneveningcameZhí；linstillsatlookingupnowandthen，andwonderingwhatwouldhappen。Thestarswerethere，butthemoonhadnotyetrisen。TheMullah’svoicewasheard；thenallwassilent。Zhí；linwasbeginningtodoze，thinking:’Thegirlwillbeafraidtodoit！’
Suddenlyhefeltclayfallingonhishead。Helookedup，andsawalongpolepokingintotheoppositewallofthepit。Itkeptpokingaboutforatime，andthenitcamedown，slidingintothepit。
Zhí；linwasgladindeed。Hetookholdofitandloweredit。Itwasastrongpole，onethathehadseenbeforeontheroofofhismaster’shut。
Helookedup。Thestarswereshininghighinthesky，andjustabovethepitDina’seyesgleamedinthedarklikeacat’s。Shestoopedwithherfaceclosetotheedgeofthepit，andwhispered，’Ivá；n！Ivá；n！’wavingherhandinfrontofherfacetoshowthatheshouldspeaklow。
’What？’saidZhí；lin。
’Allbuttwohavegoneaway。’
ThenZhí；linsaid，’Well，Kostí；lin，come；letushaveonelasttry；I’llhelpyouup。’
ButKostí；linwouldnothearofit。
’No，’saidhe，’It’sclearIcan’tgetawayfromhere。HowcanIgo，whenIhavehardlystrengthtoturnround？’
’Well，good-bye，then！Don’tthinkillofme！’andtheykissedeachother。Zhí；linseizedthepole，toldDinatoholdon，andbegantoclimb。Heslippedonceortwice；theshackleshinderedhim。Kostí；linhelpedhim，andhemanagedtogettothetop。Dinawithherlittlehands，pulledwithallhermightathisshirt，laughing。
Zhí；lindrewoutthepoleandsaid，’Putitbackinitsplace，Dina，orthey’llnotice，andyouwillbebeaten。’
Shedraggedthepoleaway，andZhí；linwentdownthehill。Whenhehadgonedownthesteepincline，hetookasharpstoneandtriedtowrenchthelockofftheshackles。Butitwasastronglockandhecouldnotmanagetobreakit，andbesides，itwasdifficulttogetat。Thenheheardsomeonerunningdownthehill，springinglightly。Hethought:’Surely，that’sDinaagain。’
Dinacame，tookastoneandsaid，’Letmetry。’
Shekneltdownandtriedtowrenchthelockoff，butherlittlehandswereasslenderaslittletwigs，andshehadnotthestrength。
Shethrewthestoneawayandbegantocry。ThenZhí；linsettoworkagainatthelock，andDinasquattedbesidehimwithherhandonhisshoulder。
Zhí；linlookedroundandsawaredlighttotheleftbehindthehill。Themoonwasjustrising。’Ah！’hethought，’beforethemoonhasrisenImusthavepassedthevalleyandbeintheforest。’Soheroseandthrewawaythestone。Shacklesorno，hemustgoon。
’Good-bye，Dinadear！’hesaid。’Ishallneverforgetyou！’
Dinaseizedholdofhimandfeltaboutwithherhandsforaplacetoputsomecheesesshehadbrought。Hetookthemfromher。
’Thankyou，mylittleone。WhowillmakedollsforyouwhenIamgone？’
Andhestrokedherhead。
Dinaburstintotearshidingherfaceinherhands。Thensheranupthehilllikeayounggoat，thecoinsinherplaitclinkingagainstherback。
Zhí；lincrossedhimselftookthelockofhisshacklesinhishandtopreventitsclattering，andwentalongtheroad，dragginghisshackledleg，andlookingtowardstheplacewherethemoonwasabouttorise。Henowknewtheway。Ifhewentstraighthewouldhavetowalknearlysixmiles。Ifonlyhecouldreachthewoodbeforethemoonhadquiterisen！Hecrossedtheriver；thelightbehindthehillwasgrowingwhiter。Stilllookingatit，hewentalongthevalley。Themoonwasnotyetvisible。Thelightbecamebrighter，andonesideofthevalleywasgrowinglighterandlighter，andshadowsweredrawingintowardsthefootofthehill，creepingnearerandnearertohim。
Zhí；linwenton，keepingintheshade。Hewashurrying，butthemoonwasmovingstillfaster；thetopsofthehillsontherightwerealreadylitup。Ashegotnearthewoodthewhitemoonappearedfrombehindthehills，anditbecamelightasday。Onecouldseealltheleavesonthetrees。Itwaslightonthehill，butsilent，asifnothingwerealive；nosoundcouldbeheardbutthegurglingoftheriverbelow。
Zhí；linreachedthewoodwithoutmeetinganyone，choseadarkspot，andsatdowntorest。
Herestedandateoneofthecheeses。Thenhefoundastoneandsettoworkagaintoknockofftheshackles。Heknockedhishandssore，butcouldnotbreakthelock。Heroseandwentalongtheroad。Afterwalkingthegreaterpartofamilehewasquitedoneup，andhisfeetwereaching。Hehadtostopeverytensteps。