Year: 1859

aside. am not going to be such q foo! as *
let you live, to tell what sort of mustaches
eyes, nose, clothes, g., have got-what !
did here, and which way 1 went. Now
say Avdotya Yeremeyevna, answer quickly. :
| Every word of her cold-blooded torturel
was dagger stroke to her her whole blood
all the warm current of her life, curdled back
upon her heart her limbs grew icy cold, and
floods of tears poured over her inanimate face
She tottered and fell on the floor. In hel
fall she caught the robbers foot and kissed
it. "Have mercy on me - she shrieked.-
''Oh, spare my life, implore youl L swear
| to you before Holy Virgin will never say a
| syllable to any one. May never see heaven il
| do For the sake of the blessed st. Nicho'
las-have compassion upon me ! will pray
all my life for you, as for my own father, my
| brothep-"L ,ai -e -3,iI b.I ea5 i-eu13 s1.
The inexorabie miscreant shook her off from
his foot, kicking her in the breast. In vain
she raised her imploring looks and arms TO-
wards him in vain she sought to touch bus
stony heart with all that intense despair, and
the clinging love for youthful, joyous exis-
tsnos,f could breathe into the words, ths.voics
and the tears Of q helpless being! The villain,
harder than granite, grew every moment
more cruel and savage. Raging with i'm:
patiencs, he caught her by the hair, and
forced back her head, drew his knife from
his boot, and was about to plunge 1t In her
throat. '-. ~ a. -a.-.. ~


"Oh, oh for the love of heaven!' sobbed
the unfortunate girl, beside herself at the
sight of the terrible knife " hang me =
hang me No, bloody death Mercy! mercy!
Hang me rather !" 0,-., ....-.,I' II.
Ay, ay," he said, with hideous grin
$50 you can speak at last. Why did you
not say so at once have lost deal OF
time already still can't refuse you the ia
vor for you are such nice girl Don't be
afraid, Duna You shall die in the pleasantest
manner. 1t is an ugly death; would rather
be hanged than knouted, when my time comes.
Well, look about for a cord"


The wretched girl powerless in mind and
body through terror, cold as ice, trembling al
most ifeless, submitted to all his commands.
The rope was soon found, and the murderer
returned with his victim to the same room
where the remains of the breakfast still stood
upon the table. He threatened to kill her
instantly if she stirred from the spot where
she stood-placed chair on the table-and
sprang nimbly upon it. Having fastened the
rope round the beam, he drew the knife from
his boot, cut off the projecting Of the rope,
stuck the knife into the beam, and set about
making double running knot on the rope
Duna stood motionless in the middle Of the
room heat and cold rushed alternately
through her whole frame; sparks of the
fire danced before her eyes she saw nothing,
she did nothing but pray, confess her sins,
commend herself to all the saints, and men,
tally bid farewell to all that was dear to her life


Presently, presently, my precious p said
the murderer, going on with his work; "yOu
shall see how nicely will hang you. am
not new hand at the job. Do you see now
all is ready ; only we must see whether the
rope is strong enough. would not for the
world you should fall to the ground and
break your ribs. Draw the chair from under
my feet"


Duna unconsciously went to the table, and
drew away the chair whilst the robber held
the rope fast in both hands, having slipped it
over one arm to the elbow, to convince
himself of its strength by swinging on it with
the whole weight of his body.


Push the table aside" Duna did so.


All right it is capital rope; it will
bear more than you-you and me togethe."r


He now let 90 the rope, intending to jump
to the ground. Apparently it was his pur-
pose to startle the poor girl by the bold and
sudden leap; but the moose intended for her
gliding down his arm, caught him fast by the
wrist Dumas executioner, and, in fact, hang
ed himself by the hand.


Though experiencing the most acute pain !;
he wished to conceal his critical position from
the girl, that she might not avail herself Of it
to escape. He tried to reach the imprisoned
hand with his left but the weight Of his
body prevented his bringing his shoulders par
alel. Suddenly he began to whirl and fling
himself wildly through the air, hoping the
rope would snap but in vain if he had
but the knife in his boot, he might have Sc
vered it or, at the worst, have cut off his
hand, and save himself by fight. But un-
luckily for him, the knife was sticking in the
beam. How was he to get at it?


He thought Of one means-a desperate one
the last He collected all his strength to
shake the knife out with powerful spring
The effort failed.


The weight of his heavy form dangling in
the air by one hand only, his violent efforts,
the pressure of the tight-drawn-knOt, occa-
stoned the villain intense torture; the joints
of his arm cracked and began to part; the
blood Oozed out under the rope from the
lacerated skin, and trickled into the sleeve of
his cloak while that of the rest of his frame
rushed from the extremities to his head
Every moment it seemed as if the hand would
be torn off. He even wished that it might.
His anxiety lest the people ofthe house should
return, his dread of being taken in this pre-.
dicament impatience, rage the thought of
his misdeeds, of his punishment; all his
guilty life, all this possessed his tumultuous
Imagination, and brought his dark soul to dis
pair. Cold sweat broke from his forehead.-
In spite Iof his tiger-lke endurance, a cry
of agony burst at last from his before iron
bosom.


Duna, petri6ed, and thinking of death, had
hitherto looked on in idiotic Indifference For
long time she did not understand what he
was doing, and made no attempt to under
stand it. True, she was still standing up
right like living thing, but living she was
not. The Involuntary cry of the murderer
walked her, however, from her trance. She
saw him bleeding, as if it were half a dream
she saw the blood on the floor, hideous gap
ing mouth, with great mis-shaped teeth, red
fiery eyes starting from the socket she read
his anguish in his CHASTITY distorted features,
and guessed at what had happened. Hope
animated her; she began to think of deliver
ance. va


Avdotya push the table nearer" said
the robber, in altered, but still harsh and COM
manding accents, that terrified her again, and
compelled her to blind obedience. Once more
she lost her presence of mind, and pushed the
corner Of the table towards him.


The villain reached it with the toes of one
foot, he raised himself up few lines. 1t
was for him moment of heavenly enjoyment.
Never in his whole life had he known one like
it-not even after the most successful muir
der. His agony was less intolerable he
drew breath again but his left hand, which
he tried to use to free his right, was benumb-
ed and powerless. The knot, too, had grown
too tight the reprobate felt that he could do
more without aid.


b :" Avdotya Yeremeyevna kind friend -