He sees Dina squatting on her heels, with her knees higher than her head; she leaned over, her necklace hung down and swung over the pit. And her little eyes twinkled like stars. She took from her sleeve two cheesecakes, and threw them down to him. Zhilin accepted them, and said, "Why did you stay away so long? I have been making you some dolls. Here they are." He began to toss them up to her one at a time. But she shook her head, and would not look at them. "I can't take them," said she. She said nothing more for a time, but sat there: then she said, "Iván, they want to kill you." She made a significant motion across her throat. "Who wants to kill me?" "Father. The old man has ordered him to. But I am sorry for you." And Zhilin said, "Well, then, if you are sorry for me, bring me a long stick." She shook her head, meaning that it was impossible. He clasped his hands in supplication to her. "Dina, please! Bring one to me, Dínushka!" "I can't," said she. "They would see me; they are all at home." And she ran away. Afterwards, Zhilin was sitting there in the evening, and wondering what he should do. He kept raising his eyes. He could see the stars, but the moon was not yet up. The mulla uttered his call, then all became silent. Zhilin began already to doze, thinking to himself, "The little maid is afraid." Suddenly a piece of clay fell on his head; he glanced up; a long pole was sliding over the edge of the pit, it slid out, began to descend toward him, it reached the bottom of the pit. Zhilin was delighted. He seized it, pulled it along,--it was a strong pole. He had noticed it before on Abdul's roof. He gazed up; the stars were shining high in the heavens, and Dina's eyes, at the edge of the pit, gleamed in the darkness like a cat's. She craned her head over, and whispered, "Iván, Iván." And she waved her hands before her face, meaning, "Softly, please." "What is it?" said Zhilin. "All have gone, there are only two at home." And Zhilin said, "Well, Kostuilin, let us go, let us make our last attempt. I will help you." Kostuilin, however, would not hear to it. "No," says he, "it is not meant for me to get away from here. How could I go when I haven't even strength to turn over?" "All right, then. Good-by.[104] Don't think me unkind." [Footnote 104: _proshchaï._] He kissed Kostuilin. He clasped the pole, told Dina to hold it firmly, and tried to climb up. Twice he fell back,--his clog so impeded him. Kostuilin boosted him; he managed to get to the top: Dina pulled on the sleeves of his shirt with all her might, laughing heartily. Zhilin pulled up the pole, and said, "Carry it back to its place, Dina, for if they found it they would flog you." She dragged off the pole, and Zhilin began to go down the mountain. When he had reached the bottom of the cliff, he took a sharp stone, and tried to break the padlock of his clog. But the lock was strong; he could not strike it fairly.