THE OLD COUNT went home. Natasha and Petya promised to follow immediately. The hunting party went on further as it was still early. In the middle of the day they set the hounds into a ravine covered with thickly growing young copse. Nikolay, standing1 on the stubble land above, could see all his party.
Facing Nikolay on the opposite side was a field of green corn, and there stood his huntsman, alone in a hollow behind a nut bush. As soon as they loosed the hounds, Nikolay heard a hound he knew—Voltorn—give tongue at intervals2; other hounds joined him, pausing now and then, and taking up the cry again. A moment later he heard from the ravine the cry that they were on the scent3 of a fox, and all the pack joining together made for the opening towards the green corn away from Nikolay.
He saw the whippers-in in their red caps galloping5 along the edge of the overgrown ravine; he could see the dogs even, and was every instant expecting the fox to come into sight on the further side among the green corn.
The huntsman standing in the hollow started off and let his dogs go, and Nikolay saw the red, uncouth-looking fox hurrying along close to the ground, with its bushy tail, through the green corn. The dogs bore down on it. And now they were getting close, and now the fox was beginning to wind in circles between them, making the circles more and more rapidly, and sweeping6 its bushy brush around it, when all of a sudden a strange white dog flew down upon it, and was followed by a black one, and everything was confusion, and the dogs formed a star-shaped figure round it, scarcely moving, with their heads together, and their tails out. Two huntsmen galloped7 down to the dogs; one in a red cap, the other, a stranger, in a green coat.
“What's the meaning of it?” wondered Nikolay. “Where did that huntsman spring from? That's not uncle's man.”
The huntsmen got the fox, and remained a long while standing on foot there, without hanging the fox on the saddle.
He could see the horses with their snaffles jutting8 up standing close by the huntsmen, and the dogs lying down. The huntsmen were waving their arms and doing something with the fox. A horn was sounded—the signal agreed upon in case of a dispute.
“That's Ilagin's huntsman getting up a row of some sort with our Ivan,” said Nikolay's groom9.
Nikolay sent the groom to call his sister and Petya to come to him, and rode at a walking pace towards the spot where the whippers-in were getting the hounds together. Several of the party galloped to the scene of the squabble.
Nikolay dismounted, and, with Natasha and Petya, who had ridden up, he stood by the hounds waiting to hear how the difficulty was settled. The huntsman who had been quarrelling came riding out of the bushes with the fox on the crupper, and rode towards his young master. He took off his cap a long way off and tried as he came up to speak respectfully. But he was pale and gasping11 for breath, and his face was wrathful. One of his eyes was blackened, but he was probably not aware of it.
“What was the matter over there?” asked Nikolay.
“Why, he was going to kill the fox right under our hounds' noses! And my bitch it was—the mouse-coloured one—that had got hold of it. You can go and have me up for it! Snatching hold of the fox! I gave him one with the fox. Here it is on my saddle. Is it a taste of this you want?” said the huntsman, pointing to his hunting-knife and apparently12 imagining that he was still talking to his enemy.
Nikolay did not waste words on the man, but asking his sister and Petya to wait for him, rode over to where the hounds and the men of the enemy, Ilagin, were gathered together.
The victorious13 huntsman rode off to join his fellows, and there, the centre of a sympathetic and inquisitive14 crowd, he recounted his exploit.
The point was that Ilagin, with whom the Rostovs had some quarrel and were engaged in a lawsuit15, was hunting over places that by old custom belonged to the Rostovs, and now, as though of design, had sent his men to the ravine where the Rostovs were, and had allowed his man to snatch a fox under a stranger's dogs.
Nikolay had never seen Ilagin, but he had heard of the quarrelsomeness and obstinacy16 of their neighbour; and rushing, as he always did, to an extreme in his judgments17 and feelings, he cordially detested18 him, and looked upon him as his bitterest foe19. Excited and angry, he rode up to him now, grasping his whip in his hand, fully10 prepared to take the most energetic and desperate measures in dealing20 with the enemy.
He had scarcely ridden beyond the ridge21 of the copse when he saw a stout22 gentleman in a beaver23 cap riding towards him on a handsome raven24 horse, accompanied by two grooms25.
Instead of an enemy Nikolay found in Ilagin a courteous26 gentleman of imposing27 appearance, who was particularly anxious to make the young count's acquaintance. Ilagin took off his beaver cap as he approached Rostov, and said that he greatly regretted what had occurred, that he would have the man punished, that he begged the count to let them be better acquainted, and offered him the use of his preserves for hunting.
Natasha had ridden up not far behind her brother, in some excitement, fearing he might do something awful. Seeing that the opponents were exchanging affable greetings, she rode up to them. Ilagin lifted his beaver cap higher than ever to Natasha, and, smiling agreeably, said that the countess was indeed a Diana both in her passion for the chase and her beauty, of which he had heard so much.
Ilagin, to efface28 the impression of his huntsman's crime, insisted on Rostov coming to his upland a verst away, which he preserved for his own shooting, and described as teeming30 with hares. Nikolay agreed, and the whole party, its numbers now doubled, moved on. They had to ride through the fields to get there. The huntsmen moved in a line, and the gentry31 rode together. The uncle, Rostov, and Ilagin glanced stealthily at each other's dogs, trying not to be observed by the others, and looking uneasily for rivals likely to excel their own dogs.
Rostov was particularly struck by the beauty of a small thoroughbred, slender, black and tan bitch of Ilagin's, with muscles like steel, a delicate nose, and prominent black eyes. He had heard of the sporting qualities of Ilagin's dogs, and in that handsome bitch he saw a rival of his Milka.
In the middle of a sedate32 conversation about the crops of the year, started by Ilagin, Nikolay pointed33 out the black and tan bitch.
“You have a fine bitch there!” he said, in a careless tone. “Is she clever?”
“That one? Yes, she's a good beast—she can catch a hare,” Ilagin said indifferently of his black and tan Yerza, a bitch for whom he had a year before given a neighbour three families of house-serfs. “So they don't brag34 of their thrashing, count,” he went on, taking up their previous conversation. And feeling it only polite to repay the young count's compliment, Ilagin scanned his dogs, and pitched on Milka, whose broad back caught his eye.
“That's a good black and tan you have there—a fine one!” he said.
“Yes, she's all right, she can run,” answered Nikolay. “Oh, if only a good big hare would run into the field, I would show you what she's like!” he thought, and turning to his groom, he said he would give a rouble to any one who would unearth35 a hare.
“I can't understand,” Ilagin went on, “how it is other sportsmen are so envious36 over game and dogs. I will tell you for myself, count. I enjoy hunting, as you know; the chase in such company…what could be more delightful” (he doffed37 his beaver cap again to Natasha); “but this reckoning up of the skins one has carried off—I don't care about that.”
“Oh no!”
“Nor could I be chagrined38 at my dog's being outdone by another man's—all I care about is the chase itself, eh, count? And so I consider…”
“Oh,…ho…ho,” sounded at that moment in a prolonged call from one of the grooms. He was standing on a knoll39 in the stubble with his whip held up, and he called once more, “O…ho…aho!” (This call, and the lifted whip, meant that he saw a hare squatting40 before him.)
“Ah, he has started a hare, I fancy,” said Ilagin carelessly. “Well, let us course it, count!”
“Yes, we must…but what do you say, together?” answered Nikolay, looking intently at Yerza and the uncle's red Rugay, the two rivals against whom he had never before had a chance of putting his dogs. “What if they outdo my Milka from the first?” he thought, riding by the uncle and Ilagin towards the hare.
“Is it full-grown?” asked Ilagin, going up to the groom who had started it, and looking about him with some excitement, as he whistled to his Yerza.… “And you, Mihail Nikanoritch?” he said to the uncle.
The uncle rode on, looking sullen41.
“What's the use of my competing with you? Why, your dogs—you have paid a village for each of them; they're worth thousands. You try yours against each other, and I'll look on!”
“Rugay! Hey, hey,” he shouted. “Rugayushka!” he added, involuntarily expressing his tenderness, and the hope he put in the red dog by this affectionate diminutive42. Natasha saw and felt the emotion concealed43 by the two elderly men and by her brother, and was herself excited by it. The groom on the knoll was standing with his whip lifted; the gentlemen rode up to him at a walking pace; the pack were on the rim29 of the horizon, moving away from the hare; the rest of the hunting party too were riding away. Everything was done slowly and deliberately44.
“Which way is its head?” asked Nikolay, after riding a hundred paces towards the groom. But before the groom had time to answer, the hare, who had been sniffing45 in the ground the frost coming next morning, leapt up from its squatting posture46. The pack of hounds on leashes47 flew baying downhill after the hare; the harriers, who were not on leash48, rushed from all sides towards the hounds or after the hare. The whippers-in, who had been moving so deliberately, galloped over the country getting the dogs together, with shouts of “stop!” while the huntsmen directed their course with shouts of “o … o … ahoy!” Nikolay, Natasha, and the uncle and Ilagin, who had been hitherto so composed, flew ahead, reckless of how or where they went, seeing nothing but the dogs and the hare, and afraid of nothing but losing sight for an instant of the course. The hare turned out to be a fleet and strong one. When he jumped up he did not at once race off, but cocked up his ears, listening to the shouts and tramp of hoofs49, that came from all sides at once. He took a dozen bounds not very swiftly, letting the dogs gain on him, but at last choosing his direction, and grasping his danger, he put his ears back, and dashed off at full speed. He had been crouching50 in the stubble, but the green field was in front of him, and there it was marshy51 ground. The two dogs of the groom who had started him were the nearest and the first to be on the scent after him. But they had not got near him, when Ilagin's black and tan Yerza flew ahead of them, got within a yard, pounced52 on him with fearful swiftness, aiming at the hare's tail, and rolled over, thinking she had hold of him. The hare arched his back, and bounded off more nimbly than ever. The broad-backed, black and tan Milka flew ahead of Yerza, and began rapidly gaining on the hare.
“Milashka! little mother!” Nikolay shouted triumphantly53. Milka seemed on the point of pouncing54 on the hare, but she overtook him and flew beyond. The hare doubled back. Again the graceful55 Yerza dashed at him, and kept close to the hare's tail, as though measuring the distance, so as not to miss getting hold of the hare, by the haunch this time.
“Yerzinka, little sister!” wailed56 Ilagin, in a voice unlike his own. Yerza did not heed57 his appeals. At the very moment when she seemed about to seize the hare, he doubled and darted58 away to the ditch between the stubble and the green field. Again Yerza and Milka, running side by side, like a pair of horses, flew after the hare; the hare was better off in the ditch, the dogs could not gain on him so quickly.
“Rugay! Rugayushka! Forward—quick march,” another voice shouted this time. And Rugay, the uncle's red, broad-shouldered dog, stretching out and curving his back, caught up the two foremost dogs, pushed ahead of them, flung himself with complete self-abandonment right on the hare, turned him out of the ditch into the green field, flung himself still more viciously on him once more, sinking up to his knees in the swampy59 ground, and all that could be seen was the dog rolling over with the hare, covering his back with mud. The dogs formed a star-shaped figure round him. A moment later all the party pulled their horses up round the crowding dogs. The uncle alone dismounted in a rapture60 of delight, and cutting off the feet, shaking the hare for the blood to drip off, he looked about him, his eyes restless with excitement, and his hands and legs moving nervously61. He went on talking, regardless of what or to whom he spoke62. “That's something like, quick march … there's a dog for you … he outstripped63 them all … if they cost a thousand or they cost a rouble … forward, quick march, and no mistake!” he kept saying, panting and looking wrathfully about him, as though he were abusing some one, as though they had all been his enemies, had insulted him, and he had only now at last succeeded in paying them out. “So much for your thousand rouble dogs—forward, quick march! Rugay, here's the foot,” he said, dropping the dog the hare's muddy foot, which he had just cut off; “you've deserved it—forward, quick march!”
“She wore herself out—ran it down three times all alone,” Nikolay was saying, listening to no one, and heedless whether he were heard or not.
“To be sure, cutting in sideways like that!” Ilagin's groom was saying.
“Why, when it had been missed like that, and once down, any yard-dog could catch it of course,” said Ilagin, at the same moment, red and breathless from the gallop4 and the excitement. At the same time Natasha, without taking breath, gave vent64 to her delight and excitement in a shriek65 so shrill66 that it set every one's ears tingling67. In that shriek she expressed just what the others were expressing by talking all at once. And her shriek was so strange that she must have been ashamed of that wild scream, and the others must have been surprised at it at any other time. The uncle himself twisted up the hare, flung him neatly68 and smartly across his horse's back, seeming to reproach them all by this gesture, and with an air of not caring to speak to any one, he mounted his bay and rode away. All but he, dispirited and disappointed, rode on, and it was some time before they could recover their previous affectation of indifference69. For a long time after they stared at the red dog, Rugay, who with his round back spattered with mud, and clinking the rings of his leash, walked with the serene70 air of a conqueror71 behind the uncle's horse.
“I'm like all the rest till it's a question of coursing a hare; but then you had better look out!” was what Nikolay fancied the dog's air expressed.
When the uncle rode up to Nikolay a good deal later, and addressed a remark to him, he felt flattered at the uncle's deigning72 to speak to him after what had happened.
老伯爵骑马回家去了。娜塔莎和彼佳答应立刻就回来。狩猎已延续下去，因为时间还很早。日当午，他们把猎犬放进长满茂密的幼林的峡谷。尼古拉站在茬地上，看见自己的全部猎人。
尼古拉对面有一片绿色植物，他的猎人只身站在那一片榛子灌木林后的洼地里。有人把猎犬带走了，尼古拉听见他所熟悉的叫做沃尔托恩的猎犬追捕野兽时断断续续的叫声，其他的猎犬和它合在一起。它们时而停止嗥叫，时而又开始追赶。一分钟以后，孤林里传来追逐狐狸的叫声，整整一群猎犬聚集在一起，离开尼古拉，沿着沟岔朝绿荫方向追去。
他看见几个头戴红帽子的看守猎犬的猎人沿着长满幼林的峡谷边沿疾驰，甚至还看见猎犬，他时刻等待狐狸从那边的绿荫中出现。
那个站在洼地里的猎人开始出动了，他放出几只猎犬，尼古拉看见一只毛红、很短小、形状古怪的狐狸，这只狐狸擦挲着尾巴上的毛，沿着翠绿色的田野急急忙忙地迅跑。几只猎犬赶快向狐狸跑去。已经靠近它了，那只狐狸在这些猎犬中间弯弯曲曲地走，越来越密地兜圈子，摇摆着毛茸茸的尾巴。一只不知是谁的白犬奔袭过来，一只黑犬尾随于其后，混在一起了，几只猎犬屁股朝外地站成星状，身子微微地摆动。两个猎人骑着马向猎犬走来，其中一人头戴红帽，另一人是个外人，他身穿一件绿色的长衣。
“这是怎么回事？”尼古拉想了一下，“这个猎人是打哪儿来的？这不是大叔的猎人。”
几个猎人夺走了狐狸，他们没有把它系在马鞍上，久久地站在那里不动弹。那几匹马儿拖着长缰绳和那隆起的鞍桥，在他们近旁站着，几只猎犬趴在地上。猎人们挥动手臂，不知他们在怎样对付那只狐狸。正是从那里传来了号角——斗殴的信号。
“这是伊拉金的猎人和我们的伊万闹起来了。”尼古拉的马夫说。
尼古拉派马夫去召回妹妹和彼佳，慢步地驰向猎犬训练管理人把猎犬聚集的地点，有几个猎人向斗殴的地方疾驰去了。
尼古拉翻身下马，在猎犬和向他驰近的娜塔莎及彼佳身旁停下来，等候斗殴了结的消息。殴斗的猎人带着系在马鞍后面的狐狸也从林缘后面驰至少爷跟前来了。他在远处就脱下帽子，尽可能恭敬地说话，但是他脸色苍白，喘不过气来，流露着愤恨的表情。他的一只眼睛被打伤了，可是他也许还不知道哩。
“你们那里出了什么事？”尼古拉问道。
“可不是，他要在我们的猎犬身边捉野兽啊！我那只灰色的母犬捉住了狐狸。请过来，讲讲道理吧！他要抢走这只狐狸啊！我就用这只狐狸把他打倒了。瞧，这只狐狸系在马鞍后面哩。你想要吗？”这个猎人一面说，一面指着短剑，大概他想象，他还在跟他的敌人说话哩。
尼古拉没有跟猎人谈话，请他妹妹和彼佳稍等一会儿，他向敌对的伊拉金的猎人帮所在的地点疾驰去了。
获胜的猎人骑马走到一群猎人中去，一些深表同情而又好奇的人把他围住，他讲述了他自己的功绩。
问题在于，伊拉金与罗斯托夫之家发生争执，他竟然在按惯例属于罗斯托夫之家的地点狩猎，仿佛故意吩咐手下人驰到罗斯托夫之家狩猎的孤林，并且容许他自己的猎人在别人的猎犬身边追捕野兽。
尼古拉从未见过伊拉金，但是他在见解和情感上向来就不知道中庸之道为何物，他光凭有关这个地主的横行无忌和暴戾肆虐就对他满怀仇恨，认为他是最凶恶的敌人。他十分忿怒而且激动地向他驰去，手中紧紧地握着一根短柄长鞭，已经作好充分准备，要向他的敌人采取最坚决的致人于死命的行动。
他刚刚走到森林的阶地后面，就看见一个迎面向他走来的头戴一顶海狸皮便帽的很肥胖的地主老爷，他骑着一匹挺好看的黑马，有两个马夫伴随着他。
尼古拉发现伊拉金不是敌人，而是一个特别想和年轻伯爵结交的、仪表堂堂的、令人尊敬的地主老爷。驰近罗斯托夫之后，伊拉金微微举起他那顶海狸皮便帽，并且说他对发生的事件深表遗憾，他就要吩咐手下人惩处那个容许自己在别人的猎犬身边追捕野兽的猎人，他请求伯爵和他结识，并且建议伯爵到他的狩猎场去狩猎。
因为娜塔莎害怕她哥哥会做出什么可怕的事情，所以十分激动地在相距不远的地方跟着他。她看见两个敌人友善地鞠躬行礼之后，便走到他们跟前。在娜塔莎面前，伊拉金把那顶海狸皮便帽举得更高了，他微微一笑，说伯爵小姐热衷于猎事而且容貌秀丽，久有所闻，真不愧为狄安娜①。
①狄安娜是罗马神话中的月亮和狩猎女神。
伊拉金为了替他的猎人赎罪，坚决地请求罗斯托夫到一俄里路远的供他自己使用的山坡去打猎，根据他所说的话，那儿有许多野兔。尼古拉同意了，于是，扩大了一倍的猎人帮继续向前进发了。
他们要经过田野才能达到伊拉金的那片山坡。猎人的行列渐渐排得整齐了。老爷们都在一起骑行。大叔、罗斯托夫、伊拉金悄悄地端详别人的猎犬，尽可能不让别人觉察到这点，他们激动不安地在别人的猎犬中间寻找自己的猎犬的敌手。
伊拉金的猎犬群中有一只红花斑的纯种小母犬，身子略嫌矮小，但肌肉发达，有如钢铁，嘴脸清秀，有一对凸出的乌眼睛，它的优美尤使罗斯托夫为之震惊。他听说伊拉金的猎犬跑得很快，心里暗自认为这只秀丽的小母犬正是他的米尔卡的对手。
伊拉金郑重其事地提到今年的收成，谈话谈到半中间时，尼古拉向他指了指他自己那只红花斑的母犬。
“您这只母犬多么好看啊！”他用漫不经心的语气说，“它跑得快吗？”
“这只母犬吗？是的，这是一只良种母犬，它善于捕捉野兽。”伊拉金用冷淡的语声谈起他自己的那只红花斑的叶尔扎，他在一年前用了三户奴仆才向邻人买下了这只母犬，“那么，伯爵，你们的脱粒的粮食不能称道吧？”他继续说着已经开始说的话。伊拉金认为应当毕恭毕敬地回报年轻的伯爵，他于是把他的猎犬打量一番，选出了那只身段宽阔的引他注目的米尔卡。
“您这只黑花斑母犬很好看——长得多端正！”他说。
“是啊，还不错，会奔跑，”尼古拉回答。“我只希望有只大灰兔跑到田里来，我就向您显示一下，这只猎犬多能干！”他想了想，把脸转向马夫时，说有谁发现，即使是找到一只躺着的兔子，他就给谁一卢布赏钱。
“我不明了，”伊拉金继续说，“别的猎人怎样妒嫉人家捕获的野兽，妒嫉人家豢养的猎犬。伯爵，我把我自己的情况说给您听吧。您知道，骑马走走，我觉得开心，您瞧，在路上遇见这么一伙人……真是好极了（他又在娜塔莎面前脱下那顶海狸皮便帽），要算兽皮嘛，我能够运回多少，这在我倒是不在乎的！”
“对了。”
“或者说，别人的猎犬，而不是我的猎犬抓住了野兽，会使我生气，其实我只是欣赏欣赏追捕野兽的情景而已，伯爵，是这么回事吗？以后我再来评说……”
“捉住它，”这时候可以听见，有个停下来的灵狸看管人拖长声调大声喊道。他站在茬地里的小丘上，举起那根短柄长鞭，又拖长声调重复地说：“捉——住它！”（这一声喊叫和那举起的长鞭，意味着他看见了自己面前那只躺着的兔子。）“啊，他好像看见了，”伊拉金漫不经心地说，“也好，伯爵，我们去纵犬追捕一阵子！”
“好的，要骑马赶到……怎么样，一同去吗？”尼古拉一面回答，一面瞅着叶尔扎和大叔的红毛鲁加伊，他一次都没有叫过自己的猎犬跟这两个对手较量较量。“如果它们真要把我的米尔卡的耳朵撕下来，那怎样啊！”他想道，一边跟大叔和伊拉金并排地向野兔走去。
“大兔子吗？”伊拉金向那个发现野兔的猎人身边走去时问道，他不无激动地环顾四周，打着唿哨招呼叶尔扎。
“米哈伊尔·尼卡诺雷奇，您怎么？”他把脸转向大叔，问道。大叔皱着眉头继续骑行。
“我干嘛硬要过问呢？正当的事情，去干吧！——为了买一只猎犬，付出了你们全村的数以千计的卢布。你们衡量一下自己的猎犬吧，让我来瞧瞧！”
“鲁加伊！看你的！鲁加尤什卡！”他补充一句话，情不自禁地用这个小名来表示他的温情和对这只红毛公犬所寄托的希望。娜塔莎看见而且感觉到这两个老头子隐藏在内心的激动，而她自己也随之激动起来。
那个猎人扬起一根短柄长鞭，站在山岗上，老爷们缓缓地向他驰去，地平线上的几只猎犬从兔子身边拐个弯走开了，不是老爷们，而是猎人们也走开了。大家慢慢地，沉着地向前走去。
“兔子头朝向何方？”尼古拉向发现野兽的猎人走近百来步，问道。可是那个猎人还来不及回答，那只灰色的兔子就预感到会有不祥之事，再也不卧在那儿，跳起来了。一群带系索的猎犬大声嗥叫，冲下山去捉野兔；几只未系皮带的灵狸从四面八方奔跑着去赶上猎犬捕捉野兔。那些慢步行进的猎犬看管人把猎犬赶在一起时，喊道：“站住！”灵狸看管人在放出猎犬时喊道：“捉住它！”他们在田野上奔跑起来。心平气和的伊拉金、尼古拉、娜塔莎和大叔都飞奔着，他们自己也不晓得要怎样奔跑，跑到何处去，他们只看见猎犬和兔子，提心吊胆，生怕看不见即使是一瞬间的追捕野兽的情景。他们碰到了一只跑得很快的肥大的兔子。它跳了起来，没有马上奔跑，而是竖起耳朵，谛听从四面八方突然传来的喊声和马蹄声。它不很快地跳了十来下，让猎犬追到身边来，最后选好了方向，了解到它会发生危险，于是抿起耳朵，使劲地奔去。它躺在茬地上，但是它前面有一片翠绿的田野，泥泞难行，那个发现兔子的猎人的两只猎犬离得最近，首先盯着看了看，窜了过去，但是隔得远，还没有走到兔子面前，那只伊拉金的红花斑母犬叶尔扎忽然从后面飞奔出来，离兔子只有一只猎犬的距离，它瞄准兔子尾巴，用最快的速度冲过去，它以为它把兔子抓住了，于是倒栽葱似地翻了个跟头。兔子拱着背，跑得更快了。臂部宽大的黑花斑母犬米尔卡从叶尔扎后面飞也似地跑出来，很快就赶上兔子了。
“米卢什卡！我亲爱的！”可以听见尼古拉洋洋得意的喊声。米尔卡看起来马上就要袭击，把兔子抓起来，但是它赶到兔子面前，兔子跑掉了，它的打算落空了。灰兔摆脱了追捕。那只美丽的母犬叶尔扎又追上来，在那只灰兔尾巴上方伸出两只前脚，它好像是在打量一番，希望不出差错，要抓住兔子的后腿。
“叶尔扎尼卡！我的亲姐姐！”可以听见伊拉金的怪腔怪调的哭声。叶尔扎听不懂他的哀求。就在他不得不等待它抓住灰兔的那一瞬间，灰兔霍地一转身，滚到翠绿的田野和茬地之间的界沟中去了。叶尔扎和米尔卡就像套在单辕车上的一对马，并排地追捕兔子；这只兔子在界沟里觉得更困难，猎犬不能很快地向它逼近来。
“鲁加伊！鲁加尤什卡！正当的事情，去干吧！”这时候可以听见另一人的喊声，于是大叔的那只红毛驼背的公犬挺直身子、弓着背向前跑去，一直跑到头两只猎犬身边，后又跑在它们前面显现出令人震惊的奋不顾身的样子向那只兔子扑将过去，把它从界沟撞到田里，在泥深没膝的田里，公犬又一回拼命地鼓起力气，只见它背上粘满了污泥，和兔子一起飞快地滚下去。站成星状的猎犬把它围住了。俄而，大伙儿站在聚成一圈的猎犬周围。唯有走运的大叔一人翻身下马，把那野兔的小腿割下来。他轻轻地抖动着那只野兔，让血流出来，他惊惶不安地东张西望，不知如何措手脚，一面开口说话，连他自己也不知道他在跟谁说话，说些什么。“瞧吧，这是正当的事情，去干吧……瞧，这只猎犬……它在所有的猎犬中出类拔萃，无论是价值一千卢布的猎犬，抑或是价值一卢布的猎犬都比不过它——正当的事情，可以去干！”他说话时上气不接下气，愤愤地环视四周，仿佛咒骂什么人似的，仿佛人人都是他的敌人，人人都会欺侮他，现在他才最后证实了自己是对的。“瞧，你们那价值一千卢布的——正当的事情，可以去干！”
“鲁加伊，给你兔子的小腿！”他说道把那割下来的粘着污泥的小腿扔给它。“你得到应有的报酬——正当的事情，可以去干！”
“它真累坏了，它一连三次独自追赶逃走的兔子。”尼古拉说，他既不听他人说话，也不关心是否有人听他说话。
“这样拦截算啥！”伊拉金的马夫说。
“只要一落空，任何一只看院子的狗赶上去都能捉住它。”就在这个时候伊拉金说道，他满面通红，由于狂奔疾驰和心情激动，他很费劲地喘气。正是在这个时候，娜塔莎不歇一口气，洋洋得意地发出刺耳的尖叫声，使人觉得头嗡嗡地响。她这一声尖叫表示在同一时刻其他猎人在谈话中所表示的全部意义。这一声失叫令人觉得非常奇怪，假如在别的时刻，连她自己也不得不为这一声粗野的尖叫而感到害臊，大家也一定会觉得奇怪。大叔自己用鞍带把猎获的灰兔系在鞍后，灵活而敏捷地把它搭在马屁股后面，他这个动作仿佛在指责这些人似的，他这副样子就像他不愿跟任何人说话似的，他于是跨上他那匹淡栗色的骏马，疾驰而去。除他而外，大家都闷闷不乐，觉得受到很大的委屈，纷纷地四散，这之后过了许久他们才恢复了从前那种假装的冷淡。他们还久久地端详那只红花的鲁加伊，它全身沾满污泥，驼起背来，铁链条发出轻微的丁当的响声，表现出胜利者的泰然自若的样子，跟在大叔的马后向前走去。
“当事情与追捕野兽无关的时候，那怎样呢，我和所有的猎犬一样。唔，可是在追捕野兽的那个时候，就够你瞧的！”
尼古拉仿佛觉得这只猎犬的神色在这样说。
过了很久，当大叔骑马走到尼古拉跟前和他谈话的时候，他感到非常荣幸，在这一切发生之后，大叔又理睬他，跟他谈话了。
收听单词发音 |
1
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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jutting
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| v.（使）突出( jut的现在分词 )；伸出；（从…）突出；高出 | |
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groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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inquisitive
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| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
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lawsuit
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| n.诉讼，控诉 | |
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obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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judgments
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| 判断( judgment的名词复数 )； 鉴定； 评价； 审判 | |
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detested
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| v.憎恶，嫌恶，痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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beaver
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| n.海狸，河狸 | |
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raven
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| n.渡鸟，乌鸦；adj.乌亮的 | |
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grooms
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| n.新郎( groom的名词复数 )；马夫v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的第三人称单数 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗 | |
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courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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efface
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| v.擦掉，抹去 | |
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rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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teeming
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| adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注 | |
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gentry
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| n.绅士阶级，上层阶级 | |
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sedate
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| adj.沉着的，镇静的，安静的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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brag
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| v./n.吹牛，自夸；adj.第一流的 | |
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unearth
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| v.发掘，掘出，从洞中赶出 | |
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envious
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| adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的 | |
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doffed
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| v.脱去，（尤指）脱帽( doff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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chagrined
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| adj.懊恼的，苦恼的v.使懊恼，使懊丧，使悔恨( chagrin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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knoll
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| n.小山，小丘 | |
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squatting
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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diminutive
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| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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sniffing
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| n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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46
posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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leashes
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| n.拴猎狗的皮带( leash的名词复数 ) | |
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leash
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| n.牵狗的皮带，束缚；v.用皮带系住 | |
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hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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marshy
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| adj.沼泽的 | |
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52
pounced
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| v.突然袭击( pounce的过去式和过去分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击） | |
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53
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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54
pouncing
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| v.突然袭击( pounce的现在分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击） | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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56
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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swampy
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| adj.沼泽的，湿地的 | |
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rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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outstripped
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| v.做得比…更好，（在赛跑等中）超过( outstrip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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66
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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67
tingling
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| v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 ) | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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69
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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70
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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71
conqueror
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| n.征服者，胜利者 | |
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72
deigning
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| v.屈尊，俯就( deign的现在分词 ) | |
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