[Footnote 97: _Aul_ = Tatar's village.--_Author's note._]
The Tatars dismounted. The Tatar children came running up, and surrounded
Zhilin, whistling and exulting. Finally they began to fling stones at him.
The Tatar drove away the children, lifted Zhilin from the horse, and called
a servant.
A Nogáï, with prominent cheek-bones, came at the call. He wore only a
shirt. The shirt was torn; his whole breast was bare. The Tatar said
something to him. The servant brought a foot-stock. It consisted of two
oaken blocks provided with iron rings, and in one of the rings was a clamp
with a lock. They unfastened Zhilin's arms, put on the stock, and took him
to a barn, pushed him in, and shut the door.
Zhilin fell on the manure. As he lay there, he felt round in the darkness,
and when he had found a place that was less foul, he stretched himself out.