hunter notes

Chapter 29 The Lone Wolf (2)
He added, with a glance to answer my question. "Can you hear it from here?" "Can you hear it from the yard." We walked out together, the rain had stopped, and there were still clusters of heavy dark clouds gathering in the distance, and sometimes there were long lightning flashes.But somewhere above our heads the deep blue sky was revealed, and the stars shone through the thin, galloping clouds.The silhouettes of rain-drenched and wind-shaken trees began to loom in the darkness.We listen.The forester took off his hat and bowed his head. "Here...here," he said suddenly, pointing, "look, such a night has been chosen." But I could hear nothing but the rustling of leaves.The lone wolf led the horse out from under the eaves. "I'll go this way," he said aloud again, "and maybe let him slip away." "I'll come with you... will you?" "Yes," he answered, and turning Marat back, "Let's catch him first, and then I'll send you back, let's go."

We walked, the lone wolf walked in front, and I followed him.God knows how he knew his way, but he stopped only now and then, and only to listen to the felling of trees. "Here," he murmured, "do you hear that? Do you hear that?" "Where is it?" The Lone Wolf shrugged.We went down the valley, the wind stilled for a moment, and the even sound of the ax was clearly heard in my ears.The lone wolf glanced at me and shook his head.We moved on among the soggy ferns and nettles.There was a low and continuous sound... "Cut down..." the lone wolf murmured.At this time, the sky was getting clearer and clearer, and the woods were a little brighter.

We finally came out of the ravine. "Wait here, please," the forester said softly to me, bent down, raised his gun, and disappeared into the jungle.I began to listen nervously.Amidst the noisy wind, I heard slight sounds not far away: the sound of an ax carefully chopping branches, the crunching of wheels, and the snorting of horses... "Where are you going? Stop!" Suddenly the sound of the lone wolf steely cry.Another voice whined like a rabbit... and the struggle began. "Bad guy, bad guy," the lone wolf gasped and called repeatedly, "You can't run away..." I ran towards the direction of the noise, and ran to the fighting place step by step.On the ground beside the felled tree the forester moved about, holding the thief down and binding his hands behind his back with his belt.I go forward.Lone Wolf stood up and pulled him up.I saw a wet peasant with a shaggy beard and ragged clothes.A scrawny horse half-covered in uneven matting was parked there with a wagon.The forester didn't make a sound; the farmer didn't make a sound, but shook his head from time to time.

"Let him go," I whispered in the lone wolf's ear, "I'll pay for the tree."

The lone wolf kept silent, grabbed the horse's mane with his left hand, and pulled the thief's belt with his right. "Hey, turn around, you fool!" he snapped. "Pick up that axe," murmured the farmer. "Pick it up, of course!" said the Forester, picking up the axe.We will go back.I walked behind...it started to rain spasmodically again, and soon it turned into a downpour.We managed to get back to the hut.The Lone Wolf drove the captured horse into the middle of the yard, led the farmer into the house, loosened his belt a little, and made him sit in a corner.The little girl, who had fallen asleep by the stove, jumped up suddenly, and looked at us silently with a frightened expression.I'm sitting on the bench.

"Ah, it's raining so hard," said the forester, "we'll have to wait. Would you like to lie down?"

"Thank you." "Because you are here, I was going to lock him in the storeroom," he continued, pointing to the farmer, "but the latch..." "Let him be here, don't Toss him." I interrupted the lone wolf.

The farmer frowned and looked at me.I swore in my heart that no matter what, I had to find a way to let this poor man go.He sat still on the bench.In the light, I could clearly see his haggard and wrinkled face, his upside-down yellow eyebrows, restless eyes, and thin limbs.The little girl lay on the floor at his feet and fell asleep again.The Lone Wolf sat at the table with his head in his hands.Grasshoppers are screaming in the corner... The rain is beating on the roof and streaming down the windows.Neither of us said a word.

"Foma Kuzimitch," said the farmer suddenly in a low and feeble voice, "ah, Foma Kuzimitch."

"What are you going to do?" "Let me go." The lone wolf didn't answer.

"Let me go... I'm just too hungry... let me go."

"I know about you," replied the forester grimly. "Your village is full of thieves."

"Let me go," the farmer begged repeatedly, "the housekeeper... destroyed our home, really... let me go!"

"Destroy! . . . Stealing is never right." "Let me go, Foma Kucimitch . . . Don't ruin me. You know, your master will kill me, really." The lone wolf turned away.The farmer was shaking all over, as if he was shaking from a fever.His head shook and his breathing was uneven.

"Let me go," he pleaded again and again in despair, "let me go, for God's sake, let me go! I'll lose my money, really, for God's sake. I'm so hungry There's no way... the kids are crying, you know. There's no way out."

"But you still shouldn't steal."

"That horse," the farmer went on, "that horse, let it... I only have this beast... let me go!"

"No, do you hear me? I can't make the decision either, I will be punished. Besides, I shouldn't indulge you."

"Let me go! I'm so poor, Foma Kuczymitch, I'm so poor. . . . Let me go!"

"I know yours!" "Let me go!"

"Hey, what can I tell you; just hang around, or I'm going to... you know? Can't you see the master's here?"

The poor man hung his head... The Lone Wolf yawned and leaned his head on the table.It was still raining non-stop.I wait and see how it ends.

The peasant straightened up suddenly.His eyes were burning and his face was flushed. "Well, well, you can eat me, well, see if you can eat me, well," he said, narrowing his eyes and hanging the corners of his lips, "well, you bloody murderer, you drink Christian Let's drink your blood..."

The forester turned away. "You savage, vampire, did you hear me talking to you!"

"Are you drunk, why are you scolding people?" The forest guard said in surprise, "Are you crazy?"

"Drunk! . . . That's not at your expense, you bloody murderer, beast, beast, beast!"

"Hey, you... I'll take you..." "What do I have to be afraid of? I'm dead anyway. Where can I go without a horse? If you beat me to death, I'll die from starvation, it's all the same. Let's all die together, wife, child, let's all die... But you, just wait, someone will settle accounts with you!"

The lone wolf stood up. "Let's fight, let's fight," the farmer went on in a furious voice, "let's fight, come, let's fight... (The little girl jumped up from the ground hurriedly and stared at him.) Fight! Fight! !"

"Shut up!" the forest guard shouted, and took two steps forward.

"Come on, come on, Foma," I cried, "let him go . . . let him go."

"I won't shut up," continued the unfortunate man, "everything is going to die. You murderer, brute! . Damn, just wait!"

The lone wolf grabbed him by the shoulders... I rushed to help the farmer... "Don't move, sir!" The forester stopped me.

Not afraid of his threat, I stretched out my hand; but to my great astonishment, he snatched the strap from the peasant's elbow, seized him by the collar, and buttoned his hat over his eyes. Come on, open the door, and push him out.

"Take your horse and get the hell out!" he yelled behind him, "but be careful, next time I'm going to..."

He went back to the house and searched for something in the corner. "Well, Lone Wolf," I said at last, "I can't think of you doing this, I see you're a good man." You don't want to go out. I'd better let you go out now." He went on, "You can't wait until the rain stops..."

The wheels of the peasant's cart sounded in the yard. "Listen, he's gone!" he murmured, "I'll show him something next time! . . . " Half an hour later he said good-bye to me by the woods.

(End of this chapter)