the　following　night！　　It　was　only　on　the　next　morning　that　he　came　to　the　fortress　and　proceeded　to　ask　that　the　name　of　the　thief　should　be　told　him。　　The　sentry　who　had　ob…　served　Azamat　untying　the　horse　and　galloping　away　on　him　did　not　see　any　necessity　for　con…　cealment。　　At　the　name　of　Azamat；　Kazbich's　eyes　flashed；　and　he　set　off　to　the　village　where　Azamat's　father　lived。〃
  ＇1＇　〃No！　　Russian　　bad；　bad！〃
  〃And　what　about　the　father？〃
  〃Ah；　that　was　where　the　trick　came　in！　Kazbich　could　not　find　him；　he　had　gone　away　somewhere　for　five　or　six　days；　otherwise；　how　could　Azamat　have　succeeded　in　carrying　off　Bela？
  〃And；　when　the　father　returned；　there　was　neither　daughter　nor　son　to　be　found。　　A　wily　rogue；　Azamat！　　He　understood；　you　see；　that　he　would　lose　his　life　if　he　was　caught。　　So；　from　that　time；　he　was　never　seen　again；　probably　he　joined　some　gang　of　Abreks　and　laid　down　his　turbulent　life　on　the　other　side　of　the　Terek　or　the　Kuban。　　It　would　have　served　him　right！〃　。　。　。
  CHAPTER　V
  〃I　CONFESS　that；　for　my　part；　I　had　trouble　enough　over　the　business。　　So　soon　as　ever　I　learned　that　the　Circassian　girl　was　with　Grigori　Aleksandrovich；　I　put　on　my　epaulettes　and　sword　and　went　to　see　him。
  〃He　was　lying　on　the　bed　in　the　outer　room；　with　one　hand　under　his　head　and　the　other　holding　a　pipe　which　had　gone　out。　　The　door　leading　to　the　inner　room　was　locked；　and　there　was　no　key　in　the　lock。　　I　observed　all　that　in　a　moment。　。　。　　I　coughed　and　rapped　my　heels　against　the　threshold；　but　he　pretended　not　to　hear。
  〃'Ensign！'　I　said；　as　sternly　as　I　could。　　'Do　you　not　see　that　I　have　come　to　you？'
  〃'Ah；　good　morning；　Maksim　Maksimych！　Won't　you　have　a　pipe？'　he　answered；　without　rising。
  〃'Excuse　me；　I　am　not　Maksim　Maksimych。　I　am　the　staff…captain。'
  〃'It's　all　the　same！　　Won't　you　have　some　tea？　　If　you　only　knew　how　I　am　being　tortured　with　anxiety。'
  〃'I　know　all；'　I　answered；　going　up　to　the　bed。
  〃'So　much　the　better；'　he　said。　　'I　am　not　in　a　narrative　mood。'
  〃'Ensign；　you　have　committed　an　offence　for　which　I　may　have　to　answer　as　well　as　you。'
  〃'Oh；　that'll　do。　　What's　the　harm？　　You　know；　we've　gone　halves　in　everything。'
  〃'What　sort　of　a　joke　do　you　think　you　are　playing？　　Your　sword；　please！'　。　。　。
  〃'Mitka；　my　sword！'
  〃'Mitka　brought　the　sword。　　My　duty　dis…　charged；　I　sat　down　on　the　bed；　facing　Pechorin；　and　said：　'Listen　here；　Grigori　Aleksandrovich；　you　must　admit　that　this　is　a　bad　business。'
  〃'What　is？'
  〃'Why；　that　you　have　carried　off　Bela。　。　。　Ah；　it　is　that　beast　Azamat！　。　。　。　　Come；　con…　fess！'　I　said。
  〃'But；　supposing　I　am　fond　of　her？'　。　。　。
  〃Well；　what　could　I　say　to　that？　。　。　。　　I　was　nonplussed。　　After　a　short　interval　of　silence；　however；　I　told　him　that　if　Bela's　father　were　to　claim　her　he　would　have　to　give　her　up。
  〃'Not　at　all！'
  〃'But　he　will　get　to　know　that　she　is　here。'
  〃'How？'
  〃Again　I　was　nonplussed。
  〃'Listen；　Maksim　Maksimych；'　said　Pechorin；　rising　to　his　feet。　　'You're　a　kind…hearted　man；　you　know；　but；　if　we　give　that　savage　back　his　daughter；　he　will　cut　her　throat　or　sell　her。　　The　deed　is　done；　and　the　only　thing　we　can　do　now　is　not　to　go　out　of　our　way　to　spoil　matters。　Leave　Bela　with　me　and　keep　my　sword！'
  〃'Show　her　to　me；　though；'　I　said。
  〃'She　is　behind　that　door。　　Only　I　wanted；　myself；　to　see　her　to…day　and　wasn't　able　to。　She　sits　in　the　corner；　muffled　in　her　veil；　and　neither　speaks　nor　looks　up　　timid　as　a　wild　chamois！　　I　have　hired　the　wife　of　our　dukhan…　keeper：　she　knows　the　Tartar　language；　and　will　look　after　Bela　and　accustom　her　to　the　idea　that　she　belongs　to　me　　for　she　shall　belong　to　no　one　else！'　he　added；　banging　his　fist　on　the　table。
  〃I　assented　to　that　too。　。　。　　What　could　I　do？　　There　are　some　people　with　whom　you　absolutely　have　to　agree。〃
  〃Well？〃　I　asked　Maksim　Maksimych。　　〃Did　he　really　succeed　in　making　her　grow　accustomed　to　him；　or　did　she　pine　away　in　captivity　from　home…sickness？〃
  〃Good　gracious！　how　could　she　pine　away　from　home…sickness？　　From　the　fortress　she　could　see　the　very　same　hills　as　she　could　from　the　village　　and　these　savages　require　nothing　more。　　Besides；　Grigori　Aleksandrovich　used　to　give　her　a　present　of　some　kind　every　day。　　At　first　she　didn't　utter　a　word；　but　haughtily　thrust　away　the　gifts；　which　then　fell　to　the　lot　of　the　dukhan…keeper's　wife　and　aroused　her　eloquence。　　Ah；　presents！　　What　won't　a　woman　do　for　a　coloured　rag！　。　。　。　　But　that　is　by　the　way。　。　。　　For　a　long　time　Grigori　Aleksandro…　vich　persevered　with　her；　and　meanwhile　he　studied　the　Tartar　language　and　she　began　to　understand　ours。　　Little　by　little　she　grew　accustomed　to　looking　at　him；　at　first　furtively；　askance；　but　she　still　pined　and　crooned　her　songs　in　an　undertone；　so　that　even　I　would　feel　heavy　at　heart　when　I　heard　her　from　the　next　room。　　One　scene　I　shall　never　forget：　I　was　walking　past；　and　I　looked　in　at　the　window；　Bela　was　sitting　on　the　stove…couch；　her　head　sunk　on　her　breast；　and　Grigori　Aleksandrovich　was　standing；　facing　her。
  〃'Listen；　my　Peri；'　he　was　saying。　　'Surely　you　know　that　you　will　have　to　be　mine　sooner　or　later　　why；　then；　do　you　but　torture　me？　Is　it　that　you　are　in　love　with　some　Chechene？　If　so；　I　will　let　you　go　home　at　once。'
  〃She　gave　a　scarcely　perceptible　start　and　shook　her　head。
  〃'Or　is　it；'　he　continued；　'that　I　am　utterly　hateful　to　you？'
  〃She　heaved　a　sigh。
  〃'Or　that　your　faith　prohibits　you　from　giving　me　a　little　of　your　love？'
  〃She　turned　pale　and　remained　silent。
  〃'Believe　me；　Allah　is　one　and　the　same　for　all　races；　and；　if　he　permits　me　to　love　you；　why；　then；　should　he　prohibit　you　from　requiting　me　by　returning　my　love？'
  〃She　gazed　fixedly　into　his　face；　as　though　struck　by　that　new　idea。　　Distrust　and　a　desire　to　be　convinced　were　expressed　in　her　eyes。　　What　eyes　they　were！　　They　sparkled　just　like　two　glowing　coals。
  〃'Listen；　my　dear；　good　Bela！'　continued　Pechorin。　　'You　see　how　I　love　you。　　I　am　ready　to　give　up　everything　to　make　you　cheerful　once　more。　　I　want　you　to　be　happy；　and；　if　you　are　going　to　be　sad　again；　I　shall　die。　　Tell　me；　you　will　be　more　cheerful？'
  〃She　fell　into　thought；　her　black　eyes　still　fixed　upon　him。　　Then　she　smiled　graciously　and　nodded　her　head　in　token　of　acquiescence。
  〃He　took　her　by　the　hand　and　tried　to　induce　her　to　kiss　him。　　She　defended　herself　feebly；　and　only　repeated：　'Please！　　Please！　　You　mustn't；　you　mustn't！'
  〃He　went　on　to　insist；　she　began　to　tremble　and　weep。
  〃'I　am　your　captive；'　she　said；　'your　slave；　of　course；　you　can　compel　me。'
  〃And　then；　again　　tears。
  〃Grigori　Aleksandrovich　struck　his　forehead　with　his　fist　and　sprang　into　the　other　room。　　I　went　in　to　see　him；　and　found　him　walking　moodily　backwards　and　forwards　with　folded　arms。
  〃'Well；　old　man？'　I　said　to　him。
  〃'She　is　a　devil　　not　a　woman！'　he　answered。　'But　I　give　you　my　word　of　honour　that　she　shall　be　mine！'
  〃I　shook　my　head。
  〃'Will　you　bet　with　me？'　he　said。　　'In　a　week's　time？'
  〃'Very　well；'　I　answered。
  〃We　shook　hands　on　it　and　separated。
  〃The　next　day　he　immediately　despatched　an　express　messenger　to　Kizlyar　to　purchase　some　things　for　him。　　The　messenger　brought　back　a　quite　innumerable　quantity　of　various　Persian　stuffs。
  〃'What　think　you；　Maksim　Maksimych？'　he　said　to　me；　showing　the　presents。　　'Will　our　Asiatic　beauty　hold　out　against　such　a　battery　as　this？'
  〃'You　don't　know　the　Circassian　women；'　I　answered。　　'They　are　not　at　all　the　same　as　the　Georgian　or　the　Transcaucasian　Tartar　women　　not　at　all！　　They　have　their　own　principles；　they　are　brought　up　differently。'
  〃Grigori　Aleksandrovich　smiled　and　began　to　whistle　a　march　to　himself。〃
  CHAPTER　VI
  〃AS　things　fell　out；　however；〃　continued　Maksim　Maksimych；　〃I　was　right；　you　see。　　The　presents　produced　only　half　an　effect。　She　became　more　gracious　more　trustful　　but　that　was　all。　　Pechorin　accordingly　determined　upon　a　last　expedient。　　One　morning　he　ordered　his　horse　to　be　saddled；　dressed　himself　as　a　Cir…　cassian；　armed　himself；　and　went　into　her　room。
  〃'Bela；'　he　said。　　'You　know　how　I　love　you。　　I　decided　to　carry　you　off；　thinking　that　when　you　grew　to　know　me　you　would　give　me　your　love。　　I　was　mistaken。　　Farewell！　　Re…　main　absolute　mistress　of　all　I　possess。　　Return　to　your　father　if　you　like　　you　are　free。　　I　have　acted　wrongfully　towards　you；　and　I　must　punish　myself。　　Farewell！　　I　am　going。　　Whither？　　How　should　I　know？　　Perchance　I　shall　not　have　long　to　court　the　bullet　or　the　sabre…stroke。　Then　remember　me　and　forgive。'
  〃He　turned　away；　and　stretched　out　his　hand　to　her　in　farewell。　　She　did　not　take　his　hand；　but　remained　silent。　　But　I；　standing　there　behind　the　door；　was　able　through　a　chink　to　observe　her　countenance；　and　I　felt　sorry　for　her　　such　a　deathly　pallor　shrouded　that　charm…　ing　little　face！　　Hearing　no　answer；　Pechorin　took　a　few　steps　towards　the　door。　　He　was　trembling；　and　　shall　I　tell　you？　　I　think　that　he　was　in　a　state　to　perform　in　very　fact　what　he　had　been　saying　in　jest！　　He　was　just　that　sort　of　man；　Heaven　knows！
  〃He　had　scarcely　touched　the　door；　however；　when　Bela　sprang　to　her　feet；　burst