VI.
Preparation for the Hunt
Yákov was called during the dessert and orders were given in regard to the carriage, the dogs, and the saddle-horses, — all this with the minutest details, calling each horse by its name.
As Volódya's horse was lame, papa ordered a hunter's horse to be saddled for him. This word, "hunter's horse," somehow sounded strange in mamma's ears; it seemed to her that a hunter's horse must be some kind of a ferocious animal, which must by all means run away with and kill Volódya. In spite of the assurance of papa and of Volódya, who said with remarkable pluck that it was all nothing and that he was very fond of being carried rapidly by a horse, poor mamma continued saying that she should be worrying during the whole picnic.
The dinner came to an end. The grown people went into the cabinet to drink coffee, and we ran into the garden, to scuff along the paths, which were covered with fallen yellow leaves, and to have a chat. We began to talk about Volódya's riding on a hunter's horse, about its being a shame that Lyúbochka did not run so fast as Kátenka, about its being interesting to get a look at Grísha's chains, and so on, but not a word was said of our departure. Our conversation was interrupted by the rattle of the approaching carriage, on each spring of which a village boy was seated. Behind the carriage followed the hunters with their dogs, and behind the hunters, coachman
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