‘Stepan Timofeitch! Stepan Timofeitch is coming!’ was shouted noisily all
round; ‘he is coming, our father, our ataman, our bread-giver!’ As before I
saw nothing but it seemed to me as though a huge body were moving straight
at me.... ‘Frolka! where art thou, dog?’ thundered an awful voice.
‘Set fire to every corner at once--and to the hatchet with them, the
white-handed scoundrels!’
I felt the hot breath of the flame close by, and tasted the bitter savour
of the smoke; and at the same instant something warm like blood spurted
over my face and hands.... A savage roar of laughter broke out all
round....
I lost consciousness, and when I came to myself, Alice and I were gliding
along beside the familiar bushes that bordered my wood, straight towards
the old oak....
‘Do you see the little path?’ Alice said to me, ‘where the moon shines
dimly and where are two birch-trees overhanging? Will you go there?’
But I felt so shattered and exhausted that I could only say in reply:
‘Home! home!’
‘You are at home,’ replied Alice.
I was in fact standing at the very door of my house--alone. Alice
had vanished. The yard-dog was about to approach, he scanned me
suspiciously--and with a bark ran away.
With difficulty I dragged myself up to my bed and fell asleep without
undressing.