The count, forgetting to smooth out the smile on his face, lookedinto the distance straight before him, down the narrow open space,holding the snuffbox in his hand but not taking any. After the cryof the hounds came the deep tones of the wolf call from Daniel'shunting horn; the pack joined the first three hounds and they could beheard in full cry, with that peculiar lift in the note thatindicates that they are after a wolf. The whippers-in no longer set onthe hounds, but changed to the cry of ulyulyu, and above the othersrose Daniel's voice, now a deep bass, now piercingly shrill. His voiceseemed to fill the whole wood and carried far beyond out into the openfield.

　　After listening a few moments in silence, the count and hisattendant convinced themselves that the hounds had separated intotwo packs: the sound of the larger pack, eagerly giving tongue,began to die away in the distance, the other pack rushed by the woodpast the count, and it was with this that Daniel's voice was heardcalling ulyulyu. The sounds of both packs mingled and broke apartagain, but both were becoming more distant.

　　Simon sighed and stooped to straighten the leash a young borzoihad entangled; the count too sighed and, noticing the snuffbox inhis hand, opened it and took a pinch. "Back!" cried Simon to aborzoi that was pushing forward out of the wood. The count started anddropped the snuffbox. Nastasya Ivanovna dismounted to pick it up.The count and Simon were looking at him.

　　Then, unexpectedly, as often happens, the sound of the hunt suddenlyapproached, as if the hounds in full cry and Daniel ulyulyuing werejust in front of them.

　　The count turned and saw on his right Mitka staring at him with eyesstarting out of his head, raising his cap and pointing before him tothe other side.

　　"Look out!" he shouted, in a voice plainly showing that he hadlong fretted to utter that word, and letting the borzois slip hegalloped toward the count.

　　The count and Simon galloped out of the wood and saw on their left awolf which, softly swaying from side to side, was coming at a quietlope farther to the left to the very place where they were standing.The angry borzois whined and getting free of the leash rushed past thehorses' feet at the wolf.

　　The wolf paused, turned its heavy forehead toward the dogsawkwardly, like a man suffering from the quinsy, and, still slightlyswaying from side to side, gave a couple of leaps and with a swishof its tail disappeared into the skirt of the wood. At the sameinstant, with a cry like a wail, first one hound, then another, andthen another, sprang helter-skelter from the wood opposite and thewhole pack rushed across the field toward the very spot where the wolfhad disappeared. The hazel bushes parted behind the hounds andDaniel's chestnut horse appeared, dark with sweat. On its long backsat Daniel, hunched forward, capless, his disheveled gray hair hangingover his flushed, perspiring face.

　　"Ulyulyulyu! ulyulyu!..." he cried. When he caught sight of thecount his eyes flashed lightning.

　　"Blast you!" he shouted, holding up his whip threateningly at thecount.

　　"You've let the wolf go!... What sportsmen! and as if scorning tosay more to the frightened and shamefaced count, he lashed the heavingflanks of his sweating chestnut gelding with all the anger the counthad aroused and flew off after the hounds. The count, like apunished schoolboy, looked round, trying by a smile to win Simon'ssympathy for his plight. But Simon was no longer there. He wasgalloping round by the bushes while the field was coming up on bothsides, all trying to head the wolf, but it vanished into the woodbefore they could do so.BK7|CH5