Was such a thing ever heard of as that they should turn a whole horde loose in the village ?' she said.

'And what the plague are they going to do here ?' 'I've heard say they'll build a bridge across the Terek,' said one of the girls.
'And I've been told that they will dig a pit to put the girls in because they don't love the lads,' said Nazarka, approaching Ustenka; and he again made a whimsical gesture which set everybody laughing, and Ergushov, passing by Maryanka, who was next in turn, began to embrace an old woman.
'Why don't you hug Maryanka?
You should do it to each in turn,' said Nazarka.
'No, my old one is sweeter,' shouted the Cossack, kissing the struggling old woman.
'You'll throttle me,' she screamed, laughing.
The tramp of regular footsteps at the other end of the street interrupted their laughter.

Three soldiers in their cloaks, with their muskets on their shoulders, were marching in step to relieve guard by the ammunition wagon.
The corporal, an old cavalry man, looked angrily at the Cossacks and led his men straight along the road where Lukashka and Nazarka were standing, so that they should have to get out of the way.

Nazarka moved, but Lukashka only screwed up his eyes and turned his broad back without moving from his place.
'People are standing here, so you go round,' he muttered, half turning his head and tossing it contemptuously in the direction of the soldiers.
The soldiers passed by in silence, keeping step regularly along the dusty road.
Maryanka began laughing and all the other girls chimed in.
'What swells!' said Nazarka, 'Just like long-skirted choristers,' and he walked a few steps down the road imitating the soldiers.
Again everyone broke into peals of laughter.
Lukashka came slowly up to Maryanka.
'And where have you put up the chief ?' he asked.
Maryanka thought for a moment.
'We've let him have the new hut,' she said.
'And is he old or young,' asked Lukashka, sitting down beside her.
'Do you think I've asked ?' answered the girl.

'I went to get him some chikhir and saw him sitting at the window with Daddy Eroshka.
Red-headed he seemed.