THE HORSE AND HIS RIDEB. 175 



the right moment. The shot went off whilst I was 

 speaking, and the ball struck the horse in the hind 

 leg ; it still kept on for a few paces, stumbled, and 

 fell on its knees. Kasbitch was instantly on his feet, 

 and now we saw that he had a female closely muffled 

 up in his grasp. It was Bela poor Bela! He 

 shouted something to us in his own language, and 

 raised his dagger to strike. There was no time to be 

 lost, I fired almost at random, and thought for certain 

 I had hit him in the shoulder, for his arm instantly 

 fell. When the smoke had cleared away, there lay 

 the wounded horse on the ground, and Bela beside it ; 

 but Kasbitch, throwing away his rifle among the 

 bushes, clambered up the rocks like a cat. What would 

 I not have given to bring him down thence with a ball ! 

 but both our pieces were discharged. We sprang from 

 our horses and rushed to Bela. Poor creature, she 

 lay motionless, with the blood gushing from her 

 wound. What a miscreant! Had he even stabbed 

 her to the heart at least it would have been all over 

 at once but in the back ! it was a genuine robber's 

 stroke. She was insensible : we tore up her veil, and 

 stanched the wound as well as we could : in vain 

 Petchorin kissed her cold lips nothing could bring 

 her back to consciousness. 



Petchorin mounted ; I lifted her from the ground, 



