Page:Zakhar Berkut(1944).djvu/43

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casual remarks the warmth of a powerful, magnetic, enduring attraction which drew the two fine and healthy young people unconsciously together. Nor did they apprehend in their innocence the difficulties they would encounter in the fulfilment of their first love.

But Tuhar Wolf, who walked ahead of them ruminating upon some way by which to impress the gathering on the morrow with his importance and superiority, was completely unaware of what was transpiring between the two young people. However, he was annoyed with the audacity of the youth in conducting himself with him and his daughter as if he were their equal. But for the time-being, he decided to keep his anger in check and to let the matter pass..

They had left the village and were nearing the spot where the kettle-shaped valley closed in upon itself, permitting the passage of only a narrow stream of water through a craggy gate of rock in the precipice. The sun had rolled down low over the top of the forest below, reflecting its thin rays in the stream of foaming water. The jagged crags of rock which transfused the flow of the stream from the Tukholian valley cast long shadows while the chill of twilight had already descended over the narrowest point of the slippery pass. Below, the stream of water dashed itself against a huge bowlder while overhead the stiff, spring evening breeze soughed in the pine and beech trees. A trail had also been cut out of the rock on each side of the stream by the Tukholian mountaineers.

An icy tremor shook Peace-Renown when she entered the extraordinary rocky gateway. Whether it was from its chill dampness or from some premonition, the fact was, she took hold of her father’s arm and pressing close to him, exclaimed, “What a fearful place!” stopping midway in the narrow corridor, looking up at the arch of rock. The place was indeed an awesome one, perhaps no more than about three yards wide and so smoothly carved out of the wall of rock by the force

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