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Meanwhile Lukashka, holding a big piece of pheasant to his mouth with both hands and glancing now at Nazarka, now at Ergushov, seemed quite indifferent to what passed and only laughed at them both. Before the Cossacks were ready to go into ambush. Uncle Eroshka, who had been vainly waiting under the plane tree till night fell, entered the dark outer room.
On the top of the oven a falcon was screeching and trying to break the cord by which it was tied, and a moulting hawk sat quietly on the edge of the oven, looking askance at the hen and occasionally bowing its head to right and left. Daddy Eroshka himself, in his shirt, lay on his back on a short bed rigged up between the wall and the oven, with his strong legs raised and his feet on the oven.
'Yes, Daddy, but you see I have to buy a horse; and they say you can't get one the other side of the river under fifty rubles, and mother has not yet sold our wine. 'Eh, we didn't bother, said the old man; 'when Daddy Eroshka was your age he already stole herds of horses from the Nogay folk and drove them across the Terek. Sometimes we'd give a fine horse for a quart of vodka or a cloak.
Eroshka came in, and trembling, gave Rogatchov a wretched old sword in a torn leather scabbard. In those days all noblemen wore swords with powder, but in the steppes they only put on powder twice a year. Eroshka moved away to the door and burst out crying. Pavel Afanasievitch pushed him out of the room.
He told how one morning he had killed two deer, and about his 'little soul' who used to run to him at the cordon at night. He told all this so eloquently and picturesquely that Olenin did not notice how time passed. 'Ah yes, my dear fellow, you did not know me in my golden days; then I'd have shown you things. Today it's "Eroshka licks the jug", but then Eroshka was famous in the whole regiment.
In this way I caught Vanyusha, Daddy Eroshka, Lukashka, and Maryanka. As Olenin was finishing this sentence Daddy Eroshka entered the room. Eroshka was in the happiest frame of mind. A few evenings before this, Olenin had gone to see him and had found him with a proud and happy face deftly skinning the carcass of a boar with a small knife in the yard.
Tell us! shouted Uncle Eroshka, wiping the sweat from his broad red face with the sleeve of his coat. 'Ah, there's a vulture living in the plane tree here, Uncle. As soon as night comes he begins hovering round, said Nazarka, winking and jerking his shoulder and leg. 'Come, come! said the old man incredulously. 'Really, Uncle! You must keep watch, replied Nazarka with a laugh.
As Olenin was passing it he heard Beletski's voice calling to him, 'Come in, and in he went. After a short talk they both sat down by the window and were soon joined by Eroshka, who entered dressed in a new beshmet and sat down on the floor beside them. 'There, that's the aristocratic party, said Beletski, pointing with his cigarette to a brightly coloured group at the corner.
Eroshka winked at Olenin, pointing to Beletski. 'Eh, he's a proud one that kunak of yours, he said. Beletski raised his glass. ALLAH BIRDY' he said, emptying it. 'Speaking of holidays! he said, turning to Olenin as he rose and looked out of the window, 'What sort of holiday is that! You should have seen them make merry in the old days! The women used to come out in their gold trimmed sarafans.
He loved Maryanka more than ever, and knew that he could never be loved by her. 'Well, good-bye, my lad! said Daddy Eroshka. 'When you go on an expedition, be wise and listen to my words the words of an old man. When you fellows get frightened you always try to get close together with a lot of others. You think it is merrier to be with others, but that's where it is worst of all!
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