United States or Liberia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
At that moment the Koschevoi came up and congratulated him, saying, "Here is the new hetman leading the army like an old one!" Old Bulba glanced round to see the new hetman, and beheld Ostap sitting on his horse at the head of the Oumantzi, his cap on one side and the hetman's staff in his hand.
He sat there long with drooping head, repeating continually, "My Ostap, my Ostap!" Before him spread the gleaming Black Sea; in the distant reeds the sea-gull screamed. His grey moustache turned to silver, and the tears fell one by one upon it. At last Taras could endure it no longer. "Whatever happens, I must go and find out what he is doing. Is he alive, or in the grave?
Like all who entered the academy, they were wild, having been brought up in unrestrained freedom; and whilst there they had acquired some polish, and pursued some common branches of knowledge which gave them a certain resemblance to each other. The elder, Ostap, began his scholastic career by running away in the course of the first year.
Meanwhile there began to appear among the throng men who were respected for their prowess throughout all the Setch old greyheads who had been leaders more than once. Taras soon found a number of familiar faces. Ostap and Andrii heard nothing but greetings. "Ah, it is you, Petcheritza! Good day, Kozolup!" "Whence has God brought you, Taras?" "How did you come here, Doloto? Health to you, Kirdyaga!
They did it in an unpropitious hour: the head of one flew off, another turned to flee, a spear pierced the ribs of a third; a fourth, more bold, bent his head to escape the bullet, and the bullet striking his horse's breast, the maddened animal reared, fell back upon the earth, and crushed his rider under him. "Well done, son! Well done, Ostap!" cried Taras: "I am following you."
It seemed as though Ostap were designed by nature for the game of war and the difficult science of command.
Take me to Warsaw." "To Warsaw? Why to Warsaw?" said the Jew, and his brows and shoulders rose in amazement. "Ask me nothing. Take me to Warsaw. I must see him once more at any cost, and say one word to him." "Say a word to whom?" "To him to Ostap to my son." "Has not my lord heard that already " "I know, I know all. They offer two thousand ducats for my head. They know its value, fools!
But Ostap did not continue his speech, sank down again, and gave such a snore that the grass on which he lay waved with his breath. Andrii glanced timidly on all sides to see if Ostap's talking in his sleep had waked any of the Cossacks. Only one long-locked head was raised in the adjoining kuren, and after glancing about, was dropped back on the ground.
"Hey, Ostap, Ostap!" shouted Taras, forcing his way towards him, and cutting men down like cabbages to right and left. "Hey, Ostap, Ostap!" But something at that moment struck him like a heavy stone. All grew dim and confused before his eyes.
He was more inventive-minded than his brother, and frequently appeared as the leader of dangerous expeditions; sometimes, thanks to the quickness of his mind, contriving to escape punishment when his brother Ostap, abandoning all efforts, stripped off his gaberdine and lay down upon the floor without a thought of begging for mercy.
Word Of The Day