THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 169 



me, therefore, to have some one to spoil. She often 

 sang to us, or danced Lesgish dances and what a 

 dancer ! I have seen our ladies of the provinces I 

 was once at a ball of the nobles at Moscow, twenty 

 years ago but what was all I saw there compared 

 with her ! Petchorin dressed her out like a doll, with 

 every thing that was costly and pretty. She grew more 

 beautiful, too, with us, every day ; it was wonderful. 

 Her face and hands lost their sunburnt hue, a soft tinge 

 of red appeared on her cheeks and how merry she 

 could be, and what tricks she would often play upon 

 me, the darling wanton ! God be gracious to her ! 



For, four months every thing went on as well as 

 heart could wish. Petchorin, as I believe I told you 

 before, was uncommonly fond of the chase. For- 

 merly all his delight was in the woods, after the wild 

 boars and the deer, but now he hardly ever went out- 

 side the gates of the fort. All at once, however, I 

 observed he was grown pensive, and would walk up and 

 down the room with his hands behind his back. Then 

 he went out one morning to shoot, without saying a 

 word to any one, and stayed out the whole day. 

 Presently this happened a second time, and then 

 again and again. There's something wrong, thought 

 I ; I'll lay my life on it, a black cat has jumped be- 

 tween the pair. 



o 



