explained that they both belonged to the same master, and that the one who would produce the money first would be the first to be set free.
"See how quiet your comrade is," he said to Jilin. "You get angry and he has written home asking to have five thousand roubles sent him. He will be well fed, and no one will do him any harm."
And Jilin said, "My comrade can do what he likes. He may be rich, and I am not. I won't go back on my word. You can kill me if you like, but you get no advantage by that; I won't write for more than five hundred roubles."
The Tartars were silent. Suddenly Abdul sprang up, took out a pen, ink and a scrap of paper from a little box, put them in Jilin's hands and slapping him on the shoulder, said, " Write." He had agreed to the five hundred roubles.
"One moment," Jilin said to the interpreter; "tell him that he must feed and clothe us well, and that he must put us together so that we don't feel so lonely, and he must remove our shackles."
