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Nikolay did not hear his own cry； he had no consciousness of galloping； he saw neither the dogs nor the ground over which he galloped。 He saw nothing but the wolf； which； quickening its pace； was bounding in the same direction across the glade。 Foremost of the hounds was the black and tan； broad…backed bitch； Milka； and she was getting close upon him。 But the wolf turned a sidelong glance upon her； and instead of flying at him； as she always had done； Milka suddenly stopped short； her fore…legs held stiffly before her and her tail in the air。
“Loo！ loo！ loo！” shouted Nikolay。
The red hound； Lyubima； darted forward from behind Milka； dashed headlong at the wolf； and got hold of him by the hind…leg； but in the same second bounded away on the other side in terror。 The wolf crouched； gnashed its teeth； rose again； and bounded forward； followed at a couple of yards’ distance by all the dogs： they did not try to get closer。
“He’ll get away！ No； it’s impossible！” thought Nikolay； still shouting in a husky voice。
“Karay！ Loo！ loo！…” he kept shouting； looking for the old hound； who was his one hope now。
Karay； straining his old muscles to the utmost； and watching the wolf intently； was bounding clumsily away from the beast； to cut across his path in front of him。 But it was plain from the swiftness of the wolf’s course and the slowness of the hounds that Karay was out in his reckoning。 Nikolay saw the copse not far now ahead of him。 If once the wolf reached it； he would escape to a certainty。 But in front dogs and men came into sight； dashing almost straight towards the wolf。 There was still hope。 A long； young hound； not one of the Rostovs’—Nikolay did not recognise him—flew from in front straight at the wolf； and almost knocked him over。 The wolf got up again with a surprising rapidity and flew at the young hound； his teeth clacked； and the hound； covered with blood from a gash in his side； thrust its head in the earth； squealing shrilly。
“Karay！ old man！” Nikolay wailed。
The old dog； with the tufts of matted hair； quivering on his haunches； had succeeded； thanks to the delay； in cutting across the wolf’s line of advance； and was now five paces in front of him。 The wolf stole a glance at Karay； as though aware of his danger； and tucking his tail further between his legs； he quickened his pace。 But then—Nikolay could only see that something was happening with Karay—the hound had dashed instantly at the wolf and had rolled in a struggling heap with him into the watercourse before them。
The moment when Nikolay saw the dogs struggling with the wolf in the watercourse； saw the wolf’s grey coat under them； his outstretched hind…leg； his head gasping in terror； and his ears turned back （Karay had him by the throat）—the moment when Nikolay saw all this was the happiest moment of his life。 He had already grasped the pommel of his saddle to dismount and stab the wolf； when suddenly the beast’s head was thrust up above the mass of dogs； then his fore…legs were on the bank of the watercourse。 The wolf clacked his teeth （Karay had not hold of his throat now）； leaped with his hind…legs out of the hollow； and with his tail between his legs； pushed forward； getting away from the dogs again。 Karay； his hair starting up； had difficulty in getting out of the water…course； he seemed to be bruised or wounded。 “My God； why is this！” Nikolay shouted in despair。 The uncle’s huntsman galloped across the line of the wolf’s advance from the other side； and again his hounds stopped the wolf； again he was hemmed in。
Nikolay； his groom； the uncle； and his huntsman pranced about the beast with shouts and cries of “loo；” every minute on the point of dismounting when the wolf crouched back； and dashing forward again every time the wolf shook himself free and moved towards the copse； where his safety lay。
At the beginning of this onset Danilo； hearing the hunters’ cries； had darted out of the copse。 He saw that Karay had hold of the wolf and checked his horse； supposing the deed was done。 But seeing that the hunters did not dismount from their horses； and that the wolf was shaking himself free； and again making his escape； Danilo galloped his own horse； not towards the wolf； but in a straight line towards the copse； to cut him off； as Karay had done。 Thanks to this man？uvre； he bore straight down on the wolf when the uncle’s dogs had a second time fallen behind him。
Danilo galloped up in silence； holding a drawn dagger in his left hand； and thrashing the heaving sides of his chestnut horse with his riding whip； as though it were a flail。
Nikolay neither saw nor heard Danilo till his panting chestnut darted close by him； and he heard the sound of a falling body and saw Danilo lying in the midst of the dogs on the wolf’s back； trying to get him by the ears。 It was obvious to the dogs； to the hunters； and to the wolf that all was over now。 The beast； its ears drawn back in terror； tried to get up； but the dogs clung to him。 Danilo； as he got up； stumbled； and as though sinking down to rest； rolled with all his weight on the wolf； and snatched him by the ears。 Nikolay would have stabbed him； but Danilo whispered： “Don’t； we will string him up！” and shifting his position he put his foot on the wolf’s neck。 They put a stick in the wolf’s jaws； fastened it； as it were bridling him with a leash； and tied his legs。 Danilo swung the wolf twice from side to side。 With happy； exhausted faces they tied the great wolf alive on a horse； that started and snorted in alarm at it； and with all the dogs trooping after and whining at the wolf； they brought it to the place where all were to meet。 The wolfhounds had captured two cubs； and the greyhounds three。 The party met together to show their booty and tell their stories； and every one went to look at the big wolf； which with its heavy…browed head hanging downward and the stick in its teeth； gazed with its great； glassy eyes at the crowd of dogs and men around it。 When they touched him； his fastened legs quivered and he looked wildly and yet simply at all of them。 Count Ilya Andreitch too went up and touched the wolf。
“Oh； what a great beast！” he said。 “He’s an old one； eh？” he asked Danilo； who was standing near him。
“That he is； your excellency；” answered Danilo； hurriedly taking off his cap。
The count remembered the wolf he had let slip and Danilo’s outburst。
“You have a hot temper though； my man；” said the count。
Danilo said nothing； but he shyly smiled a smile of childlike sweetness and amiability。
Chapter 6
THE OLD COUNT went home。 Natasha and Petya promised to follow immediately。 The hunting party went on further as it was still early。 In the middle of the day they set the hounds into a ravine covered with thickly growing young copse。 Nikolay； standing on the stubble land above； could see all his party。
Facing Nikolay on the opposite side was a field of green corn； and there stood his huntsman； alone in a hollow behind a nut bush。 As soon as they loosed the hounds； Nikolay heard a hound he knew—Voltorn—give tongue at intervals； other hounds joined him； pausing now and then； and taking up the cry again。 A moment later he heard from the ravine the cry that they were on the scent of a fox； and all the pack joining together made for the opening towards the green corn away from Nikolay。
He saw the whippers…in in their red caps galloping along the edge of the overgrown ravine； he could see the dogs even； and was every instant expecting the fox to come into sight on the further side among the green corn。
The huntsman standing in the hollow started off and let his dogs go； and Nikolay saw the red； uncouth…looking fox hurrying along close to the ground； with its bushy tail； through the green corn。 The dogs bore down on it。 And now they were getting close； and now the fox was beginning to wind in circles between them； making the circles more and more rapidly； and sweeping its bushy brush around it； when all of a sudden a strange white dog flew down upon it； and was followed by a black one； and everything was confusion； and the dogs formed a star…shaped figure round it； scarcely moving； with their heads together； and their tails out。 Two huntsmen galloped down to the dogs； one in a red cap； the other； a stranger； in a green coat。
“What’s the meaning of it？” wondered Nikolay。 “Where did that huntsman spring from？ That’s not uncle’s man。”
The huntsmen got the fox； and remained a long while standing on foot there； without hanging the fox on the saddle。
He could see the horses with their snaffles jutting up standing close by the huntsmen； and the dogs lying down。 The huntsmen were waving their arms and doing something with the fox。 A horn was sounded—the signal agreed upon in case of a dispute。
“That’s Ilagin’s huntsman getting up a row of some sort with our Ivan；” said Nikolay’s groom。
Nikolay sent the groom to call his sister and Petya to come to him； and rode at a walking pace towards the spot where the whippers…in were getting the hounds together。 Several of the party galloped to the scene of the squabble。
Nikolay dismounted； and； with Natasha and Petya； who had ridden up； he stood by the hounds waiting to hear how the difficulty was settled。 The huntsman who had been quarrelling came riding out of the bushes with the fox on the crupper； and rode towards his young master。 He took off his cap a long way off and tried as he came up to speak respectfully。 But he was pale and gasping for breath； and his face was wrathful。 One of his eyes was blackened； but he was probably not aware of it。
“What was the matter over there？” asked Nikolay。
“Why； he was going to kill the fox right under our hounds’ noses！ And my bitch it was—the mouse…coloured one—that had got hold of it。 You can go and have me up for it！ Snatching hold of the fox！ I gave him one with the fox。 Here it is on my saddle。 Is it a taste of this you want？” said the huntsman； pointing to his hunting…knife and apparently imagining that he was still talking to his enemy。
Nikolay did not waste words on the man； but asking his sister and Petya to wait for him； rode over to where the hounds and the men of the enemy； Ilagin； were gathered together。
The victorious huntsman rode off to join his fellows； and there； the centre of a sympathetic and inquisitive crowd； he recounted his exploit。
The point was that Ilagin； with whom the Rostovs had some quarrel and were engaged in a lawsuit； was hunting over places that by old custom belonged to the Rostovs； and now； as though of design； had sent his men to the ravine where the Rostovs were； and had allowed his man to snatch a fox under a stranger’s dogs。
Nikolay had never seen Ilagin； but he had heard of the quarrelsomeness and obstinacy of their neighbour； and rushing； as he always did； to an extreme in his judgments and feelings； he cordially detested him； and looked upon him as his bitterest foe。 Excited and angry； he rode up to him now； grasping his whip in his hand； fully prepared to take the most energetic and desperate measures in dealing with the enemy。
He had scarcely ridden beyond the ridge of the copse when he saw a stout gentleman in a beaver cap riding towards him on a handsome raven horse； accompanied by two grooms。
Instead of an enemy Nikolay found in Ilagin a courteous gentleman of imposing appearance； who was particularly anxious to make the young count’s acquaintance。 Ilagin took off his beaver cap as he approached Rostov； and said that he greatly regretted what had occurred； that he would have the man punished； that he begged the count to let them be better acquainted； and offered him the use of his preserves for hunting。
Natasha had ridden up not far behind her brother； in some excitement； fearing he might do something awful。 Seeing that the opponents were exchanging affable greetings； she rode up to them。 Ilagin lifted his beaver cap higher than ever to Natasha； and； smiling agreeably； said that the countess was indeed a Diana both in her passion for the chase and her beauty； of which he had heard so much。
Ilagin； to efface the impression of his huntsman’s crime； insisted on Rostov coming to his upland a verst away； which he preserved for his own shooting； and described as teeming with hares。 Nikolay agreed； and the whole party； its numbers no