After capturing the wolf, it is still early in the day so the hunters move off to some nearby fields to continue the hunt. Soon their hounds locate and give chase to a fox. At the last instant, however, some unknown hunters not belonging to their party step in and kill this fox, which is a breach of ettiquette. A fight between the competing huntsman breaks out, and Nicholas approaches to sort the matter out. The unknown huntsman, it turns out, belongs to Ilágin. Ilágin is friendly to Nicholas, apologizes for what his huntsman did, and offers to allow Nicholas’ party to hunt on his land. They admire each others hunting dogs. In the new location they find a hare, which their dogs begin to chase. One of the fastest dogs catches it. When the hare is caught, the excitement causes Natásha to scream. The hare is retrieved and the hunting party moves on.
quote from the chapter:
Instead of an enemy, Nicholas found in Ilágin a stately and courteous gentleman who was particularly anxious to make the young count’s acquaintance. Having ridden up to Nicholas, Ilágin raised his beaver cap and said he much regretted what had occurred and would have the man punished who had allowed himself to seize a fox hunted by someone else’s borzois. He hoped to become better acquainted with the count and invited him to draw his covert. Natásha, afraid that her brother would do something dreadful, had followed him in some excitement. Seeing the enemies exchanging friendly greetings, she rode up to them. Ilágin lifted his beaver cap still higher to Natásha and said, with a pleasant smile, that the young countess resembled Diana in her passion for the chase as well as in her beauty, of which he had heard much. To expiate his huntsman’s offense, Ilágin pressed the Rostóvs to come to an upland of his about a mile away which he usually kept for himself and which, he said, swarmed with hares. Nicholas agreed, and the hunt, now doubled, moved on.
Book 7, Chapter 6
The hunt continues. Nicholas meets Ilágin.
Summary:
After capturing the wolf, it is still early in the day so the hunters move off to some nearby fields to continue the hunt. Soon their hounds locate and give chase to a fox. At the last instant, however, some unknown hunters not belonging to their party step in and kill this fox, which is a breach of ettiquette. A fight between the competing huntsman breaks out, and Nicholas approaches to sort the matter out. The unknown huntsman, it turns out, belongs to Ilágin. Ilágin is friendly to Nicholas, apologizes for what his huntsman did, and offers to allow Nicholas’ party to hunt on his land. They admire each others hunting dogs. In the new location they find a hare, which their dogs begin to chase. One of the fastest dogs catches it. When the hare is caught, the excitement causes Natásha to scream. The hare is retrieved and the hunting party moves on.
quote from the chapter:
Instead of an enemy, Nicholas found in Ilágin a stately and courteous gentleman who was particularly anxious to make the young count’s acquaintance. Having ridden up to Nicholas, Ilágin raised his beaver cap and said he much regretted what had occurred and would have the man punished who had allowed himself to seize a fox hunted by someone else’s borzois. He hoped to become better acquainted with the count and invited him to draw his covert. Natásha, afraid that her brother would do something dreadful, had followed him in some excitement. Seeing the enemies exchanging friendly greetings, she rode up to them. Ilágin lifted his beaver cap still higher to Natásha and said, with a pleasant smile, that the young countess resembled Diana in her passion for the chase as well as in her beauty, of which he had heard much. To expiate his huntsman’s offense, Ilágin pressed the Rostóvs to come to an upland of his about a mile away which he usually kept for himself and which, he said, swarmed with hares. Nicholas agreed, and the hunt, now doubled, moved on.
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