A few days later the one who was left to Tchertop-hanov announced that someone had come on horseback and wanted to speak to him. Tchertop-hanov went out on to the steps and recognised the Jew, riding a splendid horse of the Don breed, which stood proud and motionless in the middle of the courtyard. The Jew was bareheaded; he held his cap under his arm, and had thrust his feet into the stirrup-straps, not into the stirrups themselves; the skirts of his long coat hung down on both sides of the saddle. On seeing Tchertop-hanov, he gave a with his lips, and ducked down with a of the elbows and a bend of the legs. Tchertop-hanov, however, not only failed to respond to his greeting, but was even by it; he was all on fire in a minute: a Jew dare to ride a magnificent horse like that!... It was indecent!  
'Hi, you Ethiopian fright!' he shouted; 'get off at once, if you don't want to be flung off into the mud!'
 
The Jew obeyed, rolled off the horse like a sack, and keeping hold of the with one hand, he approached Tchertop-hanov, smiling and bowing.
 
'What do you want?' Panteley Eremyitch inquired with dignity.
 
'Your ex-shelency, to look what a horse!' said the Jew, never ceasing to bow for an instant.
 
'Er... well... the horse is all right. Where did you get it from? Stole it, I suppose?'
 
'How can you say that, your ex-shelency! I'm an honest Jew. I didn't steal it, but I obtained it for your ex-shelency--really! And the trouble, the trouble I had to get it? But, then, see what a horse it is! There's not another horse like it to be found in all the Don country! Look, your ex-shelency, what a horse it is! Here, step this way! Wo!... wo!... turn round, stand sideways! And we'll take off the saddle. What do you think of him, your ex-shelency?'
 
'The horse is all right,' repeated Tchertop-hanov with , though his heart was beating like a sledge-hammer in his breast. He was a lover of 'horse-flesh,' and knew a good thing when he saw it.
 
'Only take a look at him, your ex-shelency! Pat him on the neck! yes, yes, he-he-he-he! like this, like this!'
 
Tchertop-hanov, with apparent , laid his hand on the horse's neck, gave it a pat or two, then passed his fingers from the forelock along the , and when he had reached a certain spot above the kidneys, like a , he lightly pressed that spot. The horse instantly arched its spine, and looking round suspiciously at Tchertop-hanov with its black eye, snorted and moved its legs.
 
The ............