176 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 



and placed her carefully before him on the saddle ; he 

 put his arm round her, and we rode back to the fort. 

 We sent for the surgeon ; he was rather drunk, but 

 he came ; and having examined the wound, he told us 

 she could not live two days. He was wrong however 



L, Did she recover ? 



M. No. The surgeon was only thus far mis- 

 taken, that she did survive for two days. 



L. But tell me, how had Kasbitch contrived to 

 carry her off? 



M. In this way. Contrary to Petchorin's express 

 desire, she had gone out of the fort to the stream. 

 The weather you see, was very hot, so she sat down 

 on a stone, and bathed her feet in the water. Just 

 then Kasbitch stole along, pounced upon her, clapped 

 his hand upon her mouth, dragged her into the thicket, 

 where he sprang on his horse with her, and was off. 

 Meanwhile she had been able to cry out ; the sen- 

 tinels were alarmed ; they fired, but missed ; and at 

 that moment we came up. 



L. But what was Kasbitch's motive for carrying 

 her off? 



M. Motive? Why, they are all notorious 

 robbers, these Circassians. If any thing is badly 

 watched, you may be sure they will not leave it alone. 

 Many a thing may be of no use to them, but they 



