About eighty rods from Vodokty they came out on a broad road into dark pine-woods which stood gloomy, hoary, and silent as if sleeping under the thick snow-bunches. The trees flitted before the eye, appeared to be fleeing to some place in the rear of the sleigh; but the sleigh flew on, every moment swiftly, more swiftly, as if the horses had wings. From such driving the head turns, and ecstasy seizes one; it seized Panna Aleksandra. She leaned back, closed her eyes, and yielded completely to the impetus. She felt a sweet powerlessness, and it seemed to her that that boyar of Orsha had taken her by violence: that he is rushing away like a whirlwind, and she growing weak has no strength to oppose or to cry,--and they are flying, flying each moment more swiftly. Olenka feels that arms are embracing her; then on her cheek as it were a hot burning stamp. Her eyes will not open, as if in a dream; and they fly, fly. An inquiring voice first roused the sleeping lady: "Do you love me?" She opened her eyes. "As my own soul." "And I for life and death." Again the sable cap of Kmita bent over the marten-skin cap of Olenka. She knew not herself which gave her more delight,--the kisses or the magic ride. And they flew farther, but always through pine-woods, through pine-woods. Trees fled to the rear in whole regiments. The snow was wheezing, the horses snorting; but the man and the maiden were happy. "I would ride to the end of the world in this way," cried Kmita. "What are we doing? This is a sin!" whispered Olenka. "What sin? Let us commit it again." "Impossible! Mitruny is not far." "Far or near, 'tis all one!" And Kmita rose in the sleigh, stretched his arms upward, and began to shout as if in a full breast he could not find place for his joy: "Hei-ha! hei-ha!" "Hei-hop! hoop-ha!" answered the comrades from the sleighs behind. "Why do you shout so?" asked the lady. "Oh, so, from delight! And shout you as well!" "Hei-ha!" was heard the resonant, thin alto voice. "O thou, my queen! I fall at thy feet." "The company will laugh." After the ecstasy a noisy joyousness seized them, as wild as the driving was wild. Kmita began to sing,-- "Look thou, my girl! look through the door, To the rich fields! Oh, knights from the pine-woods are coming, my mother, Oh, that's my fate! Look not, my daughter! cover thy eyes, With thy white hands, For thy heart will spring out of thy bosom With them to the war." "Who taught you such lovely songs?" asked Panna Aleksandra. "War, Olenka. In the camp we sang them to one another to drive away sadness." Further conversation was interrupted by a loud calling from the rear sleighs: "Stop! stop! Hei there--stop!"