'You don't like it?' Ergushov began again.

'And I've also heard say that the girls will have to make the soldiers'
beds and offer them chikhir and honey,' said Nazarka, putting one foot
forward and tilting his cap like Lukashka.

Ergushov burst into a roar of laughter, and seizing the girl nearest to
him, he embraced her. 'I tell you true.'

'Now then, you black pitch!' squealed the girl, 'I'll tell your old
woman.'

'Tell her,' shouted he. 'That's quite right what Nazarka says; a
circular has been sent round. He can read, you know. Quite true!' And
he began embracing the next girl.

'What are you up to, you beast?' squealed the rosy, round-faced
Ustenka, laughing and lifting her arm to hit him.

The Cossack stepped aside and nearly fell.

'There, they say girls have no strength, and you nearly killed me.'

'Get away, you black pitch, what devil has brought you from the
cordon?' said Ustenka, and turning away from him she again burst out
laughing. 'You were asleep and missed the abrek, didn't you? Suppose he
had done for you it would have been all the better.'

'You'd have howled, I expect,' said Nazarka, laughing.

'Howled! A likely thing.'

'Just look, she doesn't care. She'd howl, Nazarka, eh? Would she?' said
Ergushov.

Lukishka all this time had stood silently looking at Maryanka. His gaze
evidently confused the girl.

'Well, Maryanka! I hear they've quartered one of the chiefs on you?' he
said, drawing nearer.

Maryanka, as was her wont, waited before she replied, and slowly
raising her eyes looked at the Cossack. Lukashka's eyes were laughing
as if something special, apart from what was said, was taking place
between himself and the girl.

'Yes, it's all right for them as they have two huts,' replied an old
woman on Maryanka's behalf, 'but at Fomushkin's now they also have one
of the chiefs quartered on them and they say one whole corner is packed
full with his things, and the family have no room left. Was such a
thing ever heard of as that they should turn a whole horde loose in the
village?' she said. 'And what the plague are they going to do here?'

'I've heard say they'll build a bridge across the Terek,' said one of
the girls.

'And I've been told that they will dig a pit to put the girls in
because they don't love the lads,' said Nazarka, approaching Ustenka;
and he again made a whimsical gesture which set everybody laughing, and
Ergushov, passing by Maryanka, who was next in turn,