"Come to Toxova for a flogging once a month for a year," said the Barin, panting with his exertions; "and when you come Olga shall come also. I will show you both, and the rest of the village too, that I am to be obeyed. As for marrying, you shall marry the oldest hag in your own village, since you will have a wife." Count Maximof felt somewhat relieved, but he continued his walk to the house wherein the bride had been dressed for her marriage. He found her alone, deserted by her maidens--who had fled from the wrath to come--and he flogged her without pity and without regard for her shrieks and her appeals for mercy. Then, his anger somewhat appeased, he repaired to his estate office and bade them bring him tea, sending a message to Gavril, the driver, that he would return as soon as the horses should be sufficiently rested. Olga might return in his sledge, he added, with fine generosity; she deserved to be made to walk through the forest night or no night, but he would let her drive in mercy. CHAPTER III. The horses had brought their master to Drevno at a hand-gallop, and required some little time for resting. It was half-past four before the _troika_ drove up to the door, and quite dark. Olga sat huddled up on the box-seat beside the driver and she was still crying, her body heaving at regular intervals with deep-drawn sobs. The Barin, having been obliged to wait for more than two hours in the close, hot room which served as his agent's office, was sleepy; he settled himself comfortably in the sledge, well wrapped in furs, and presently dozed off. Soon he was snoring loudly. "Olga," the driver whispered, "don't be startled and make a noise--I am Ivan." Olga did start, and that violently; she would have cried out, too, but Ivan placed a great gloved hand upon her mouth and prevented her. "Ivan, he will awake and recognise thee, and we shall be knouted as we sit," she whispered presently, when he had removed his hand. "Why did you come, and where is Gavril?" "Gavril lies drunk in the Starost's stable; he has had more than his share of the wedding _vodka_; I made him drunk in order to take his place. And I have come because--do not be a fool and cry out--because the devil behind us has lived long enough; as it has not been our wedding-day it shall be his death-day." "Ivan, you dare not--you must not. He is a devil, as you say, but to murder him would do us no good. The Tsar's officers would come and take you from me and carry you away to Siberia, and what should I do then?" "Bah! they must catch us first. We have these horses. We will drive all night by the roads, so as to leave no track, and we will come to the village of Ostrof, where I have relatives; they will take us in." "And then?" said Olga, trembling so that she could scarcely speak. "Their Barin will not ask questions; he will have us registered as his own and there is an end."