The interpreter translated his words. "He means," says he, "how much will you give?" Zhilin after pondering a little said, "Five hundred rubles." Then the Tatars all began to talk at once. Abdul began to scream at the red-bearded Tatar. He grew so excited as he talked, that the spittle flew from his mouth. But the red-bearded Tatar only frowned, and clucked with his tongue. When all became silent again, the interpreter said, "Five hundred rubles is not enough to buy you of your master. He himself has paid two hundred for you. Kazi Muhamet was in debt to him. He took you for the debt. Three thousand rubles; it is no use to send less. But if you don't write, they will put you in a hole, and flog you with a whip." "_Ekh!_" thinks Zhilin, "the more cowardly one is, the worse it is for him." He leaped to his feet, and said,-- "Now you tell him, dog that he is, that if he thinks he is going to frighten me, then I will not give him a single kopek nor will I write. I am not afraid of you, and you will never make me afraid of you, you dog!" The interpreter translated this, and again they all began to talk at once. They gabbled a long time, then the dark one got up and came to Zhilin. "_Urus_," says he, "_jigit, jigit Urus!_" The word _jigit_ among them signifies a brave young man. And he grinned, said something to the interpreter, and the interpreter said, "Give a thousand rubles." Zhilin would not give in. "I will not pay more than five hundred. But if you kill me, you will get nothing at all." The Tatars consulted together, sent out the servant, and they themselves looked first at the door, then at Zhilin. The servant returned, followed by a rather stout man in bare feet and almost stripped. His feet also were in stocks. Zhilin made an exclamation: he recognized Kostuilin. And they brought him in, and placed him next his comrade; the two began to talk together, and the Tatars looked on and listened in silence. Zhilin told how it had gone with him; Kostuilin told how his horse had stood stock still, and his gun had missed fire, and that this same Abdul had overtaken him and captured him. Abdul listened, pointed to Kostuilin, and muttered something. The interpreter translated his words to mean that they now both belonged to the same master, and that the one who paid the ransom first would be freed first. "Now," says he to Zhilin, "you lose your temper so easily, but your comrade is calm; he has written a letter home; they will send five thousand silver rubles. And so he will be well fed, and he won't be hurt." And Zhilin said, "Let my comrade do as he pleases. Maybe he is rich. But I am not rich; I will do as I have already told you. Kill me if you wish, but it would not do you any good, and I will not pay you more than five hundred rubles." They were silent.