Ugh, it was horrid!
And they, as before, went on at a walking pace, taking no notice of us.
'Filofey!' I whispered,'just try, keep more to the right; see if you can get by.'
Filofey tried--kept to the right... but they promptly kept to the right too... It was impossible to get by.
Filofey made another effort; he kept to the left.... But there, again, they did not let him pass the cart. They even laughed aloud. That meant that they wouldn't let us pass.
'Then they are a bad lot,' Filofey whispered to me over his shoulder.
'But what are they waiting for?' I inquired, also in a whisper.
'To reach the bridge--over there in front--in the hollow--above the stream.... They'll do for us there! That's always their way... by bridges. It's a clear case for us, master.' He added with a sigh: 'They'll hardly let us go alive; for the great thing for them is to keep it all dark. I'm sorry for one thing, master; my horses are lost, and my brothers won't get them!'
I should have been surprised at the time that Filofey could still trouble about his horses at such a moment; but, I must confess, I had no thoughts for him.... 'Will they really kill me?' I kept repeating mentally. 'Why should they? I'll give them everything I have....'
And the bridge was getting nearer and nearer; it could be more and more clearly seen.