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COLLOQUIAL Russian Vol 2 The Next Step in
Language Learning 2nd ed 2019 2nd Edition Olga
Sobolev Digital Instant Download
Author(s): Olga Sobolev, Natasha Bershadski, Svetlana le Fleming, Suán E.
Kay
ISBN(s): 9781351598514, 1351598511
Edition: 2
File Details: PDF, 17.89 MB
Year: 2019
Language: english
2
Colloquial Russian 2
Colloquial Russian 2 is the ideal way to refresh your knowledge of the
language and to extend your skills.
Structured to give you the opportunity to listen to and read lots of modern,
everyday Russian, Colloquial Russian 2 has been developed to work
systematically on reinforcing and extending your grasp of Russian grammar,
vocabulary, intercultural communication skills, and understanding of
contemporary Russian society.
New to this edition:
• revision material to help consolidate and build up learners’ basics;
• a wide range of authentic and up-to-date reading materials, including
blogs, forums, surveys, opinion pieces, and commentaries;
• exercises based on role plays, group activities, and debating techniques,
aimed at developing oral communication and expanding vocabulary range
of learners; and
• new audio material including authentic and up-to-date audio excerpts.

Audio material to accompany the course is available to download free in MP3

format from www.routledge.com/cw/colloquials. Recorded by native speakers,
the audio material features the dialogues and texts from the book and will help
develop your listening and pronunciation skills.
 2
THE COLLOQUIAL SERIES
Series Adviser: Gary King

The following languages are available in the Colloquial series:

Afrikaans German Romanian

Albanian Greek Russian
Amharic Gujarati Scottish Gaelic
Arabic (Levantine) Hebrew Serbian
Arabic of Egypt Hindi Slovak
Arabic of the Gulf Hungarian Slovene
Basque Icelandic Somali
Bengali Indonesian Spanish
Breton Irish Spanish of Latin
Bulgarian Italian America
Burmese Japanese Swahili
Cambodian Kazakh Swedish
Cantonese Korean Tamil
Catalan Latvian Thai
Chinese (Mandarin) Lithuanian Tibetan
Croatian Malay Turkish
Czech Mongolian Ukrainian
Danish Norwegian Urdu
Dutch Panjabi Vietnamese
English Persian Welsh
Estonian Polish Yiddish
Finnish Portuguese Yoruba
French Portuguese of Brazil Zulu (forthcoming)

COLLOQUIAL 2s series: The Next Step in Language Learning

Chinese Italian Spanish of Latin

Dutch Portuguese of Brazil America
French Russian
German Spanish

Colloquials are now supported by FREE AUDIO available

online. All audio tracks referenced within the text are free
to stream or download from www.routledge.com/cw/
colloquials.
2
Colloquial Russian 2

The Next Step in Language Learning

Olga Sobolev, Natasha Bershadski,

Svetlana le Fleming and Susan E. Kay
Second edition published 2019
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2019 Olga Sobolev, Natasha Bershadski, Svetlana le Fleming and Susan E. Kay
The right of Olga Sobolev, Natasha Bershadski, Svetlana le Fleming and Susan E. Kay
to be identified as authors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with
sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in
any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter
invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to
infringe.
First edition published by Routledge 2003
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Soboleva, Olga, 1959– author. | Bershadski, Natasha, author. | le Fleming,
Svetlana, author. | Kay, Susan E., 1947– author.
Title: Colloquial Russian 2 : the next step in language learning / Olga Sobolev,
Natasha Bershadski, Svetlana le Fleming and Susan E. Kay.
Other titles: Colloquial Russian two | Colloquial series.
Description: Second edition. | Routledge : New York, 2018. | Series: Colloquial
series | Includes index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017051284 | ISBN 9781138098015 (pbk. : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9781315104577 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Russian language—Conversation and phrase books—English. |
Russian language—Textbooks for foreign speakers—English. | Russian
language—Spoken Russian. | Russian language—Self-instruction.
Classification: LCC PG2121 .S58 2018 | DDC 491.783/421—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017051284
ISBN: 978-1-138-09801-5 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-10457-7 (ebk)
Typeset in Sabon and Helvetica
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
Visit the companion website: www.routledgetextbooks.com/textbooks/colloquial/
language/russian.php
Contents

Acknowledgementsvii
How to use this book viii

Unit 1 Россия и русский язык1

Russia and the Russian language
Unit 2 Поехали с нами! Путешествие на поезде38
Transport
Unit 3 Туризм – лучший отдых, но отдых лучше туризма.
Путешествие на теплоходе62
Tourism
Unit 4 Миграция. «Добро пожаловать!» или «Постоpонним
вход воспрещён»?85
Migration
Unit 5 О спорт, ты – мир! 109
Sport
Unit 6 Национальный характер и традиции. «Умом Pоссию
не понять» 132
National character and traditions
Unit 7 Средства массовой информации (СМИ)153
The mass media
Unit 8 Культурная жизнь России177
Cultural life in Russia
Unit 9 Демография202
Demography
Unit 10 Образование223
Education
Unit 11 Российское общество. Cредний класс247
Russian society. Middle class
vi     
|    
Contents

Unit 12 Экономика267
Economics
Unit 13 Религиозное разнообразие291
Religious diversity
Unit 14 Россия на международной арене312
Russia in the international arena

Grammar reference 335

Key to exercises 352
Russian–English vocabulary 375
Grammar index 410
Acknowledgements

The authors and publishers would like to thank a group of experts

on contemporary Russian society who were interviewed for the new
edition of this book: Professor David Woodruff, LSE; Dr Judith Sha-
piro, LSE; Dr Marat Shterin, King’s College London; and Dr ­Dmitrii
Tsiskarashvili, Trinity College, Dublin. Our gratitude goes to Liza
Kolker (Units 1–4), Shoshana Gilmore (Units 5–7) and Aleksandr
Semenovsky (Units 8–14) who provided original illustrations for text
and exercises. We are also indebted to Alexei Menkov who donated
photographs for the book, and Sergei Chebankov for all his assistance
in preparing the manuscript.
Every effort has been made to trace and acknowledge ownership
of copyright. The publishers will be glad to hear from any copyright
holders whom it has not been possible to contact.
How to use this book

Colloquial Russian 2 is intended for students who, working on their

own or with a teacher, have already completed a first-level course in
Russian and want to continue their study (aiming at B1/B2 level of
proficiency in Russian). The book starts with a revision unit which
covers all the basic structures, including cases and aspects, so it is not
a problem if you are a bit rusty.
This is a new revised edition of the book authored by Olga Sobolev
and Natasha Bershadski; the grammar part is written by Svetlana le
Fleming and Susan E. Kay. The book is thematically based and draws
on sources from newspapers and magazines, as well as on interviews
with experts on Russian politics, economics and social issues. The aim
is to provide compelling and engaging information about contempo-
rary Russian society at the same time as introducing new vocabu-
lary and language points. It focuses on the communicative approach
to language learning and addresses some of the particular problems
of learning Russian, such as memorising vocabulary and contex-
tual application of grammar. Each unit contains materials based on
newspaper articles and interviews with experts in the relevant field,
as well as various other written materials encountered in everyday
life: advertisements, tables and graphs, questionnaires and blogs to
discuss. The text is also illustrated by photographs, drawings and car-
icatures, which at times may be included in the language tasks. There
are a variety of exercises, designed to test comprehension, practise the
new language points and increase your Russian vocabulary. Key new
vocabulary is given in each unit, and there is a cumulative Russian–
English vocabulary, including all key words, at the end of the book.
At the end of the book there is also a key to lexical and grammar
exercises (for liaison, interpreting and translation, you can now find
help through the relevant online applications i.e. Google Translate
etc.), quick reference grammatical tables and an index of the language
points covered in the course.
On the accompanying audio you will find not only dialogues but
also comprehension exercises and exercises to practise the new lan-
guage points in each unit.
1 РОССИЯ И РУССКИЙ ЯЗЫК

Как уст румяных без улыбки,

Без грамматической ошибки
Я русской речи не люблю.1
А.С. Пушкин

In this unit you will:

 learn some facts about the history of Russia

 revise the basic structures of Russian grammar including cases and
aspects

Language revision 

Rules of spelling
These rules apply throughout Russian and impact on all the other
language points described below.

1 After г, к, x, ж, ч, ш, щ replace ы by и.
2 After ж, ч, ш, щ, ц replace unstressed о by e.
3 After г, к, x, ж, ч, ш, щ, ц replace я by a.
4 After г, к, x, ж, ч, ш, щ, ц replace ю by у.

Cases
Understanding the case system is fundamental to a grasp of Russian.
Cases hardly feature in English: there is only some differentiation in the
use of pronouns. Contrast ‘I like her’ with ‘She likes me’. The forms ‘I’
and ‘she’ are used when they are the subject of the verb, or nominative
case, and ‘her’ and ‘me’ when they are the object, or accusative case.
2     |    Russia and the Russian language

In Russian, not just pronouns, but nouns and adjectives also proclaim
their role in the sentence by changing their ending, and the number of
cases extends beyond nominative and accusative to six in total.
Comprehensive tables of the endings of nouns, adjectives and pro-
nouns can be found in the Grammar Reference at the end of the book.

The nominative case

Uses of the nominative case

1 The nominative is the case of the subject of the verb:
Москва процветает.
Moscow flourishes.
2 It is also used as the complement of (i.e. following) the nonexistent
present tense of the verb ‘to be’ and after это ‘it is’ and вот ‘here is’:
Москва – столица.
Moscow is the capital.
Вот Москва. Это столица.
Here is Moscow. It is the capital.
The nominative may also be found after the past tense of быть, where
the permanence of a state is being emphasised:
Пушкин был великий поэт.
Pushkin was a great poet.

Endings in the nominative case

Singular nouns

Masculine Feminine Neuter

Consonant президент -a газета -o вино

president newspaper wine
-й трамвай -я револцоия -e здание
tram revolution building
-ь кремль -ь возможность -мя время
kremlin opportunity time
 Россия и русский язык    |     3

Note
There are three genders of nouns in Russian, and in most instances
the gender is indicated by the noun’s final letter in the nominative
singular. When a noun ending in -a or -я clearly refers to someone of
male gender, the word is masculine: мужчина ‘man’; дядя ‘uncle’. In
practice, this means that the word changes its endings like a feminine
noun but that adjectives and verbs agreeing with it will have mascu-
line endings.

Plural nouns

Masculine Feminine Neuter

Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural

президент президенты газета газеты вино вина

трамвай трамваи революция революции здание здания
кремль кремли возможность возможности время времена

Notes
1 The spelling rule may require a change from -ы to -и: книга –
книги ‘books’.
2 Some masculine nouns have a nominative plural in -а: берег –
бeрега ‘banks’; вечер – вечера ‘evenings’; дом – дома ‘houses’;
город – города ‘towns’.
3 Nouns in -анин end in -ане: англичанин – англичане ‘English-
men’ but господин – господа ‘gentlemen’.
4 Other exceptions: учитель – учителя ‘teachers’; брат – братья
‘brothers’; стул – стулья ‘chairs’; друг – друзья ‘friends’;
сын – сыновья ‘sons’; дерево – дeревья ‘trees’; ребёнок – дети
‘children’; человек – люди ‘people’; мать – матери ‘mothers’;
дочь – дочери ‘daughters’. (Note that all forms of мать and
дочь, apart from the nominative and accusative singular, have
-ep- before the ending.)
5 Some nouns, generally of foreign origin, are indeclinable. They
never change their endings and do not even have a plural. Adjec-
tives describing them will decline in the usual way, however. Their
gender can generally be determined by their ending, as with declin-
able nouns, but note такси is neuter.
4     |    Russia and the Russian language

Adjectives
There are two basic sets of adjective endings: hard and soft.

Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

Hard интересный интересная интересное интересные

interesting
Soft древний древняя древнее древние
ancient

Notes
1 Adjectives with stressed endings have the masculine ending – ой:
крутой, крутая, крутое, крутые ‘steep’.
2 Endings may be altered by the spelling rules: русский, русская,
русское, русские ‘Russian’; хороший, хорошая, хорошее,
хорошие ‘good’; большой, большая, большое, болыиие ‘big’.

Pronouns

Singular Plural

я I мы we
ты you (singular and familiar) вы you (plural and polite)
он he, it (masculine) они they (all genders)
она she, it (feminine)
оно it (neuter)
кто who
что what

Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural

мой my моя моё мои

твой your (singular and familiar) твоя твоё твои
наш our наша наше наши
ваш your (plural and polite) ваша ваше ваши
весь all вся всё все
 Россия и русский язык    |     5

чей whose чья чьё чьи

зтот this/these эта это эти
тот that/those та то те

Note
The third person forms are indeclinable and remain the same what-
ever the case gender or number of the noun they describe:
его his, its (m and n)
её her, its (f )
их their

Exercise 1
Pick out the nouns, adjectives and pronouns in the nominative case
from the following passage.

Москва – Moscow
Первое летописное упоминание о Москве относится к 1147 году.
Основателем Москвы был суздальский князь Юрий Владимирович
Долгорукий. Это он выбрал место для строительства города.
Город рос быстро и уже в 14-ом веке стал центром русских земель.
Москва оставалась столицей вплоть до 1713 года, когда Пётр
Первый перенёс столицу в новый город – Петербург. Только в 1918
году уже после Революции Москва снова стала столицей сначала
Советского Союза, а потом России.

For information on dates and other uses of ordinal numerals see Unit 4.

Vocabulary
выбрать to choose
князь prince
летописное упоминание chronicle reference
основатель founder
оставаться to remain
относиться к to date from
перенести to transfer
6     |    Russia and the Russian language

расти to grow
строительство construction

Exercise 2
Answer the questions in Russian. One-word answers will suffice.

1 Какой город столица России?

2 Кто основал Москву?
3 Какой город стал столицей в 1713 г?
4 Кто перенёс столицу туда?
5 Какой город стал столицей в 1918 г?

The Moscow Kremlin

Exercise 3
Put these phrases into the plural.
интересный московский музей; древний русский кремль;
страшное историческое событие; сложная экономическая
проблема; наш знаменитый историк.
 Россия и русский язык    |     7

The accusative case

Uses of the accusative case

1 The accusative is the case of the direct object of the verb:
Юрий Долгорукий основал Москву.
Yuriy Dolgorukiy founded Moscow.
2 It is also used after certain prepositions: в/во ‘to, into’ (motion),
‘during’ (time); за ‘beyond, behind’ (motion), for; на ‘to, on to’
(motion), ‘for’ (time); o/oб/oбo ‘against’; по ‘up to, each’; под
‘under’ (motion); про ‘about’; спустя ‘after, later’; через ‘across,
through, in (after a period of time)’.

More detailed information about most of these prepositions is pro-

vided in later units: Unit 2 – на; Units 4 and 6 – в; Unit 8 – за; Unit
6 – о/об/обо, про; Unit 10 – по.
Столицу перенесли в Москву.
They moved the capital to Moscow.
The accusative is also used without a preposition to denote duration
in time or space:
Мы там жили всю зиму.
We lived there all winter.
Всю дорогу домой она молчала.
She was silent the whole way home.

Endings in the accusative case

Singular nouns

Masculine Feminine Neuter

Acc. Nom. Acc. Acc.

inanimate as nom. газета газету all nouns as nom.

animate as gen. революция революцию
(see below)
возможность возможность
8     |    Russia and the Russian language

Plural nouns

Masculine Feminine Neuter

Acc. Acc. Acc.

inanimate as nom. inanimate as nom. all nouns as nom.

animate as gen. animate as gen.
(see below)

Adjectives and pronouns

Masculine Feminine Neuter

Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural

inanimate inanimate интересную inanimate as nom. as nom.

as nom. as nom. as nom.
animate animate as древнюю animate as
as gen. gen. gen.
мою, твою
нашу, вашу
всю, чью
эту, ту

Singular Plural

я меня мы нас
ты тебя вы вас
он/оно его они их
она её
кто кого
что что

Note
Его, её and их are preceded by н- after a preposition, as they are in all
cases other than the nominative: похож на него ‘like him’.
 Россия и русский язык    |     9

The genitive case

Uses of the genitive case

1 The genitive is the only case ending which English retains on
nouns. It is the -’s ending used to denote possession. Similarly, in
Russian, the genitive indicates possession or translates as ‘of’.
Путин – президент России.
Putin is the President of Russia.
Роль Президента очень сложная.
The President’s role (role of the President) is very complex.
2 The genitive is also used after a very large number of prepositions:
без ‘without’; вдоль ‘along’; вне ‘outside’; внутри ‘inside’; впереди
‘in front of, before’; вместо ‘instead of’; во время ‘during’ (named
events in history); возле ‘by, near’, вокруг ‘around’; в течение
‘during’ (with words such as неделя ‘week’ or год ‘year’, indicat-
ing periods of time); для ‘for (the sake of)’; до ‘up to, until’ (time
or place); из ‘from, out of’; из-за ‘because of, from behind’; из-под
‘from under’; кроме ‘except’; мимо ‘past’; напротив ‘opposite’;
около ‘around, near’; от ‘from’; после ‘after’; против ‘against’;
ради ‘for the sake of’; c/co ‘from’; среди ‘among’; у ‘by, near, chez’:
во время переворота
during the coup
против президента
against, opposed to the President
ради Бога
for God’s sake
до распада Советского Союза
until the collapse of the Soviet Union
после революции
after the revolution
More detailed information is given about из-за in Unit 7; about the differ-
ences between из, от and с in Unit 5; and between с and со in Unit 12.
The preposition у + genitive ‘in the possession of’ is used to trans-
late ‘to have’ into Russian:
У президента была большая власть.
The President had great power.
10     |    Russia and the Russian language

Note that большая власть is the subject of this sentence; literally

‘Great power was in the possession of President’.

3 The genitive singular is used after оба/обе ‘both’ and the numerals
два/две ‘two’; три ‘three’; четыре ‘four’ and compounds ending in
those numerals. The genitive plural is used after all other numer-
als, except for один/одна/одно/одни ‘one’, which is an adjective
agreeing with the noun it describes.
двадцать три члена Думы
twenty-three members of the Duma
пятнадцать членов Думы
fifteen members of the Duma
There is much more detailed treatment of cardinal numerals in Unit 9.

4 The genitive is used after expressions of quantity such as много

‘a lot’; мало/немного ‘a little, few’; несколько ‘several’, сколько
‘how many’; большинство ‘the majority’, and on its own as a par-
titive genitive, to indicate part of a substance or ‘some’:
Политика вызывает мало интереса в России.
Politics arouses little interest in Russia.
Мы выпили вина.
We drank some wine.
Contrast:
Мы выпили вино.
We drank the wine.

5 The genitive is found in several negative constructions:

After нет/не было/не будет ‘there is not/was not, will not be’:
У президента не было компетентных советников.
The president did not have competent advisers.
В такой ситуации нет другого выхода.
In such a situation there is no other way out.
After не видно/не слышно/не заметно ‘cannot be seen/heard/
discerned’:
 Россия и русский язык    |     11

Белого дома не видно отсюда.

The White House cannot be seen from here.
As the direct object of negative verbs:
Горбачёв не имел поддержки среди народа.
Gorbachev did not have support among the people.
However, when the object is more concrete, the accusative is
preferred:
Я не вижу его автомобиль.
I don’t see his car.
There is much more detail about the negative in Unit 13.

6 The genitive is also used as the direct object of certain verbs:

желать/пожелать ‘to wish’; достигать/достигнуть ‘to achieve’.
Expressions such as счастливого пути ‘bon voyage’ are in the
genitive because the verb желать is understood. Some other
verbs take either the genitive or the accusative: бояться ‘to fear’;
ждать ‘to wait for’; искать/по- ‘to seek, look for’; ожидать ‘to
expect’; просить/по- ‘to ask for’; требовать/по- ‘to demand’;
хотеть/за- ‘to want’. Generally the genitive is used if the object
is abstract, and the accusative is used if it is a concrete object or
a person: искать помощи ‘to seek for help’; искать дом ‘to look
for a house’.
There are more examples in Unit 11.

Endings in the genitive case

Singular nouns

Masculine Feminine Neuter

Nom. Gen. Nom. Gen. Nom. Gen.

президент президента газета газеты вино вина

трамвай трамвая революция революции здание здания
кремль кремля возможность возможности время времени
12     |    Russia and the Russian language

Notes
1 Never forget the effect the spelling rules have on endings: книга –
книги.
2 Remember that the accusative of masculine animate nouns is the
same as the genitive:
Мы за сына и против отца.
We are for the son and against the father.
3 Some masculine nouns also have alternative genitive endings in -y
or -ю. They are most commonly found in the sense of ‘some’: Купи
чаю ‘Buy some tea’. Note also the expression много народу ‘a lot
of people’.

Plural

Masculine Feminine Neuter

Nom. Gen. plural Nom. Gen. plural Nom. Gen.

plural

президент президентов газета газет вино вин

трамвай трамваев неделя недель море морей
‘week’ ‘sea’
кремль кремлей революция революций здание зданий
возможность возможностей время времён

Notes
1 Masculine nouns:
месяц – месяцев ‘months’ (because of the spelling rule);
москвич – москвичей ‘Muscovites’ (also nouns ending in -ж, -щ
and -щ); слой – слоёв ‘layers’ (because of the stressed ending);
англичанин – англичан; брат – братьев; стул – стyльев; друг –
друзей; сын – сыновей; ребёнок – детей; человек – людей.
2 Feminine nouns:
идея – идей ‘ideas’; семья – семей ‘families’
 Россия и русский язык    |     13

Sometimes a vowel (-о-, -е- or -ё-) is inserted between the last two
consonants of nouns ending in -а: студентка – студенток ‘female
students’; девушка – девушек ‘girls’; nouns ending in -ня generally
do not have a -ь: песня – песен ‘songs’, but there are exceptions:
деревня – деревень ‘villages’; кухня – кухонь ‘kitchens’.
3 Neuter nouns:
дерево – деревьев ‘trees’
Sometimes a vowel is inserted between the last two consonants
of nouns ending in -о: окно – окон ‘windows’; письмо – писем
‘letters’; кресло – кресел ‘armchairs’.

Adjectives and pronouns

Masculine and neuter Feminine Plural

интересного интересной интересных

древнего древней древних
моего моей моих
твоего твоей твоих
нашего нашей наших
вашего вашей ваших
этого этой этих
того той тех
всего всей всех
чьего чьей чьих

Notes
1 Remember that the accusative plural of masculine and feminine
animate nouns is the same as the genitive and that adjectives or pro-
nouns agreeing with them will also take endings like the genitive:
Я знаю этих рyсских женщин и их мужей.
I know these Russian women and their husbands.
2 The genitive of personal pronouns and кто is the same as the accu-
sative. The genitive of что is чего.
14     |    Russia and the Russian language

Dative case

Uses of the dative case

1 The dative is the case of the indirect object of the verb:
Горбачёв передал власть Ельцину в декабре 1991г.
Gorbachev handed over power to Yeltsin in December 1991.
2 The dative is also used after certain verbs that take a direct object
in English: верить/по- ‘to believe’; помогать/помочь ‘to help’;
следовать/по- ‘to follow’ (orders etc.); советовать/по- ‘to advise’;
угрожать, грозить ‘to threaten’:
России грозит переворот.
A coup threatens Russia.
There is further information on verbs with the dative in Unit 5.
Note the constructions with учить ‘to teach/learn’ and учиться ‘to
learn’:
Я учу его русскому языку.
I teach him Russian.
Я учусь русскому языку.
I am learning/studying Russian.
But note:
Я учу русский язык.
I am learning Russian.
There is more information on verbs of teaching and learning in Unit 10.
3 The dative is used with the prepositions к ‘towards (place), by (time)’
and по ‘according to, along, through, by’: к вечеру ‘by evening’; к
дому ‘towards the house’; по почте ‘by post’; по улице ‘along the
street’. There is more information on the use of по in Unit 10.
4 The dative is used with a large number of impersonal expressions:
нам интересно ‘it is interesting for us’; Президенту надо решить
‘The President has to decide’. These expressions are dealt with in
detail in Unit 12. Note also: Он нам известен ‘He is known to us’.
5 Note this use of the dative with the infinitive:
Что мне делать?
What am I to do?
 Россия и русский язык    |     15

6 The dative may also be combined with certain reflexive verbs:

Лидеру приходится решать.
The leader has to decide.
Ему хотелось увидеть президента.
He wanted to see the President.
These expressions are also covered in Unit 12.
Note the construction with the reflexive verb нравиться/по- ‘to like’:
Им не нравилась политика Горбачёва.
They did not like Gorbachev’s policy – literally ‘Gorbachev’s policy
was not pleasing to them’.
7 The dative is also used with the short adjective нужен/нужна/
нужно/нужны to translate ‘to need’:
Ему нужна была помощь.
He needed help.
There are further examples of this construction in Unit 12.

Endings in the dative case

Nouns

Masculine Feminine

Singular Plural Singular Plural

президенту президентам газете газетам

трамваю трамваям неделе неделям
кремлю кремлям революции революциям
возможности возможностям

Neuter

Singular Plural

вину винам

зданию зданиям
времени временам
16     |    Russia and the Russian language

Adjectives and pronouns

Masculine and neuter Feminine Plural

интересному интересной интересным

древнему древней древним
моему моей моим
твоему твоей твоим
нашемy нашей нашим
вашемy вашей вашим
этомy этой этим
тому той тем
всему всей всем
чьему чьей чьим

Singular Plural

я мне мы нам
ты тебе вы вам
он/оно ему они им
она ей
кто кому
что чему

Instrumental case

Uses of the instrumental case

1 The instrumental case is used to translate ‘by’ or ‘with’ refer-
ring to the instrument with which an action is performed: писать
карандашом ‘to write with a pencil’; окружать танками ‘to
encircle with tanks’. Note its use after certain verbs indicating
movement of parts of the body: махать рукой ‘to wave (with)
one’s hand’; кивать/кивнуть головой ‘to shake one’s head’;
 Россия и русский язык    |     17

пожимать плечами ‘to shrug one’s shoulders’. There is further

information on how the instrumental is used to translate ‘by’ in
Unit 10.
2 It is also used after certain prepositions:

за behind, beyond, for (to fetch)

между between
над over
перед in front of, before
под under (place)
с with (accompanied by)

There is more information on the uses of за in Unit 8 and on с in

Units 5 and 6.

3 The instrumental is frequently used as the complement of быть ‘to

be’ when this verb is in the past or future tense or the infinitive: Он
хотел быть президентом ‘He wanted to be president’.
4 The instrumental case is used after several verbs:

заниматься/заняься to be engaged in, occupied with

интересоваться/за- to be interested in
оказываться/оказаться to turn out to be
оставаться/остаться to remain as
пользоваться/вос- to use, enjoy
становиться/стать to become
увлекаться/увлечься to be keen on
управлять to control, manage, govern
являться to seem, be

There is information on these and other verbs with the instrumental

in Unit 6.

5 The instrumental occurs in certain adverbial expressions of time:

утром in the morning днём in the daytime

вечером in the evening ночью at night
весной in spring летом in summer
осенью in autumn зимой in winter
целыми днями for days on end
18     |    Russia and the Russian language

and in some expressions of manner:

шёпотом in a whisper бегом at a run

Note also the phrases таким образом ‘in that way, thus’ and другими
словами ‘in other words’.

6 The instrumental is also used in defining dimensions:

высотой in height длиной in length
ростом tall шириной in width

река шириной в десять метров

a river ten metres wide

Endings in the instrumental case

Nouns

Masculine Feminine

Singular Plural Singular Plural

президентом президентами газетой газетами

трамваем трамваями неделей неделями
роялем роялями революцией революциями
кремлём кремлями возможностью возможностями

Neuter

Singular Plural

вином винами
зданием зданиями
временем временами

Notes
1 Do not forget the possible impact of the spelling rule: врач –
врачом ‘doctor’; товарищ – товарищем ‘comrade’; гостиница –
гостиницей ‘hotel’.
 Россия и русский язык    |     19

2 If the ending is stressed, -ем and -ей are replaced by -ём or -ёй:
земля – землёй ‘earth’.
3 The instrumental of masculine surnames ending in -ов, -ёв, -ин,
-ын is ым: Ельцин – Ельциным. Otherwise they decline like
nouns. For the complete declension, including feminine and plural
surnames, see the Grammar Reference at the end of this book.

Adjectives and pronouns

Masculine and neuter Feminine Plural

интересным интересной интересными

древним древней древними
моим моей моими
твоим твоей твоими
нашим нашей нашими
вашим вашей вашими
этим этой этими
тем той теми
всем всей всеми
чьим чьей чьими

Singular Plural

я мной мы нами
ты тобой вы вами
он/оно им они ими
она ей
кто кем
что чем

Prepositional case

Uses of the prepositional case

The prepositional case is used after certain prepositions: в ‘in’ (place);
на ‘on, at’ (place); о/об/обо ‘about, concerning’; при ‘at the time of,
20     |    Russia and the Russian language

in the presence of, adjoining’. More information about в may be found

in Units 4 and 12, about на in Unit 2 and about o/oб/oбo in Unit 6.

Endings in the prepositional case

Nouns

Masculine Feminine

Singular Plural Singular Plural

президенте президентах газете газетах

трамвае трамваях неделе неделях
кремле кремлях революции революциях
возможности возможностях

Neuter

Singular Plural

вине винах
море морях
здании зданиях
времени временах

Note
Certain masculine nouns take the ending -у after the prepositions в
and на, though not after other prepositions taking the prepositional
case. These nouns include: лес – в лесу ‘in the forest’; берег – на
берегу ‘on the bank’; пол – на полу ‘on the floor’; сад – в саду ‘in the
garden’; угол – в углу ‘in the corner’; год – в прошлом году ‘last year’;
шкаф – в шкафу ‘in the cupboard’; Крым – в Крыму ‘in the Crimea’.

Adjectives and pronouns

Masculine and neuter Feminine Plural

интересном интересной интересных

древнем древней древних
моём моей моих
 Россия и русский язык    |     21

твоём твоей твоих

нашем нашей наших
вашем вашей ваших
этом этой этих
том той тех
всём всей всех
чьём чьей чьих

Singular Plural

я мне мы нас
ты тебе вы вас
он/оно нём они них
она ней
кто ком
что чём

House of the Government of the Russian Federation.

Photo: Creative Commons NVO
22     |    Russia and the Russian language

Revision of case endings of nouns and adjectives

Exercise 4

Распад СССР

Кто не жалеет о распаде Советского Союза, у того нет сердца;

кто хочет воссоздать его в прежнем виде, у того нет головы.
В.В. Путин

Put the words in brackets into the required case (with prompts).
К 1990 dative (год) идея genitive (перестройка) исчерпала себя.
Верховный Совет СССР принял постановление «О prepositional
(концепция) перехода к dative (регулируемая рыночная экономика)»,
затем последовало постановление «Основные направления по
dative (стабилизация) genitive (народное хозяйство) и переходу к
dative (рыночная экономика)». Идея genitive (реформирование)
социализма была похоронена.
В 1991 prepositional (год) была отменена 6-я статья genitive
(Конституция) СССР о prepositional (руководящая роль) КПСС.
Начался процесс формирования genitive (новые партии).
Кризис КПСС в 1989–1990 nominative (годы), и ослабление её
genitive (влияние) позволил отделиться dative (компартии) Литвы,
Латвии и Эстонии.
С genitive (весна) 1990 года идет процесс потери genitive (власть)
центра над instrumental (регионы) и instrumental (союзные республики).
В марте 1990 genitive (год) состоялся 3-й съезд genitive
(народные депутаты) СССР, на котором instrumental (Президент)
СССР избрали М.С. accusative/genitive (Горбачев).
Горбачев поднял вопрос перед instrumental (руководители)
республик о prepositional (необходимость) заключения genitive
(новый Союзный договор). В prepositional (апрель) 1991 года
состоялись переговоры genitive (Президент) СССР с главами genitive
(союзные республики). Почти все республики отвергли accusative
(инициатива) Горбачева о сохранении genitive (многонациональное
государство) на основе федерации genitive (субъекты).

Vocabulary
распад disintegration
воссоздать to re-create
 Россия и русский язык    |     23

в прежнем виде in its previous form

исчерпывать/исчерпать себя to exhaust itself
постановление regulation, ruling
направление direction
народное хозяйство national economy
хоронить/похоронить to bury
отменять/отменить to cancel, abolish
руководящий leading
ослабление weakening
влияние influence
отделяться/отделиться to break away
потеря loss
необходимость necessity
договор agreement, treaty
переговоры talks
отвергать/отвергнуть to reject
сохранение preservation

Exercise 5
Put the words in brackets into the required case.

Попытка переворота

Перспектива genitive (потеря) власти над instrumental (республики)

не устраивала accusative/genitive (многие) функционеров.
24     |    Russia and the Russian language

19 genitive (август) 1991 года группа genitive (высокопоставленные

чиновники) воспользовались instrumental (пребывание) Горбачева
на prepositional (отдых) и учредили Государственный комитет по
dative (чрезвычайное положение) – ГКЧП. В accusative (Москва)
были введены войска. Однако dative (путчисты) был дан отпор,
прошли митинги genitive (протест), у здания genitive (Верховный
Совет) РСФСР были построены баррикады.

Председатель Верховного Совета РСФСР Б.Н. Ельцин и его

команда охарактеризовали действия ГКЧП как nominative
(антиконституционный переворот).

Путчисты не получили поддержки со стороны genitive (народ)

и genitive (военные). Члены ГКЧП были арестованы по dative
(обвинение) в prepositional (попытка) genitive (государственный
переворот). Горбачев вернулся в accusative (Москва).

Vocabulary
устраивать/устроить to suit
высокопоставленный чиновник high official
пользоваться/воспользоваться to use, to take advantage of
учреждать/учредить to establish, to form
чрезвычайное положение state of emergency
вводить/ввести войска to send troops
отпор rebuff
переворот coup
обвинение charge, indictment
попытка attempt
заявлять/заявить to declare
военные servicemen, military

Reflexive pronouns
In addition to the personal pronouns and possessive pronouns referred
to above, there is the reflexive pronoun себя and the reflexive posses-
sive pronoun свой. Себя means myself, yourself, himself etc. referring
back to the subject of the verb. In consequence, it has no nominative.
The other forms, common to all genders, singular and plural are: себя
(acc/gen); себе (dat); собой (instr); себе (prep):
 Россия и русский язык    |     25

Идея перестройки исчерпала себя.

The idea of perestroika exhausted itself.
Она думает только о себе.
She thinks only of herself.
The endings of свой are the same as those of мой and твой. It trans-
lates any possessive – ‘my’, ‘your’, ‘his’ etc., provided it refers back to
ownership by the subject of the verb:
Он любит свою работу.
He loves his work.
To use его in this sentence would mean it was someone else’s work. In
sentences with a first or second person subject, свой may be used as
an alternative to the first or second person possessive:
Мы любим нашу/свою работу.
We love our work.

cам
Сам is the emphatic pronoun ‘self’:
Она сама сделала.
She did it herself.
The full declension is available in the Grammar Reference at the end
of this book.

Short form adjectives

The adjectives referred to earlier are all long or attributive adjectives.
There are also short or predicative adjectives. They are used only in
the predicate of the sentence, separated from the noun or pronoun
they describe by the verb ‘to be’:
Книга была интересна.
The book was interesting.
To form a short adjective remove the -ый or -ий from the long
adjective. This gives you the masculine. For the feminine, add -a;
for the neuter, -о; and the plural, -ы: здоровый ‘healthy’ – здоров,
здорова, здорово, здоровы. If the masculine form ends in two con-
sonants, a vowel is sometimes inserted between them: интересный –
интересен.
26     |    Russia and the Russian language

Some adjectives, including those ending in -ский, have no short form.

Adverbs
Adverbs are formed in the same way as neuter short form adjectives:
быстрый ‘quick’ – быстро ‘quickly’, as in он идёт быстро ‘he is walk-
ing quickly’.

Verbs
Compared with English, Russian has very few tenses: one present,
two future and two past. Verbs fall mostly into two conjugations,
or patterns of endings: first and second. First conjugation verbs may
often be recognised by their infinitive ending in -ать or -ять: делать ‘to
do, make’; терять ‘to lose’. Second conjugation verbs more often end
in -ить or -еть: говорить ‘to speak’; смотреть ‘to look at’. However,
there are a small number of second conjugation verbs ending in -ать
and -ять and irregular first conjugation verbs ending in -ить, -еть, -ти.
Note that tables of verb endings are given in the Grammar Reference
at the end of the book.

Formation of the present tense – first conjugation

For regular first conjugation verbs ending in -ать or -ять, remove the
-ть from the infinitive and add: -ю, -ешь -ет, -ем -ете, -ют:

делать

я делаю мы делаем
ты делаешь вы делаете
он/она/оно делает они делают

Remember that, as there is only one present tense in Russian, я

делаю may translate as either ‘I do’ or ‘I am doing’, depending on the
context.
In addition to regular first conjugation verbs, there are also verbs
which take regular first conjugation endings, but their present tense
stem is different from the infinitive stem, so it has to be learnt. Where
 Россия и русский язык    |     27

the present tense stem ends in a vowel, the endings are the same as
on делать, and where the stem ends in a consonant, the endings are
-у, -ешь, -ет, -ем, -ете, -ут. If the ending is stressed, e is replaced by ё:

мыть ‘to wash’

я мою мы моем
ты моешь вы моете
он/она/оно моет они моют
писать ‘to write’
я пишу мы пишем
ты пишешь вы пишете
он/она/оно пишет они пишут
идти ‘to go’
я иду мы идём
ты идёшь вы идёте
он/она/оно идёт они идут

Verbs with infinitives ending in -авать drop the syllable -ав- in the
present tense; verbs ending in -овать replace the -ов- by -y- and those
ending in -евать replace the -ев- by -ю-:

давать ‘to give’

я даю мы даём
ты даёшь вы даёте
он/она/оно даёт они дают
советовать ‘to advise’
я советую мы советуем
ты советуешь вы советуете
он/она/оно советует они советуют
воевать ‘to wage war’
я воюю мы воюем
ты воюешь вы воюете
он/она/оно воюет они воюют

Watch out for the effect of the spelling rules on such verbs:
танцевать ‘to dance’:
танцую, танцуешь, танцует,
танцуем, танцуете, танцуют
28     |    Russia and the Russian language

Second conjugation
Remove the last three letters from the infinitive and add the endings:
-ю, -ишь, -ит, -им, -ите, -ят. Some second conjugation verbs are also
affected by the spelling rules:
говорить ‘to speak’
я говорю мы говорим
ты говоришь вы говорите
он/она/оно говорит они говорят
держать ‘to hold’
я держу мы держим
ты держишь вы держите
он/она/оно держит они держат
If the stem of a second conjugation verb ends in the consonants -д,
-т, -с, -з, -ст, that consonant will change in the first person singular (я
form) only. Other forms are regular. If the stem ends in -б, -в, -п, -ф
and -м, an -л- is inserted between the stem and the ending in the first
person singular only:
водить ‘to lead’ я вожу ты водишь
платить ‘to pay’ я плачу ты платить
просить ‘to ask’ я прошу ты просишь
возить ‘to convey’ я вожу ты возишь
свистеть ‘to whistle’ я свищу ты свистишь
любить ‘to love’ я люблю ты любишь

Irregular verbs
There are a small number of irregular verbs in Russian:
мочь ‘to be able’ могу можем
можешь можете
может могут
бежать ‘to run’ бегу бежим
бежишь бежите
бежит бегут
хотеть ‘to want’ хочу хотим
хочешь хотите
хочет хотят
есть ‘to eat’ ем едим
ешь едите
ест едят
 Россия и русский язык    |     29

Reflexive verbs
Add -ся after a consonant or -ь and -сь after a vowel:

встречаться ‘to meet’ встречаюсь встречаемся

встречаешься встречаетесь
встречается встречаются

There is much more information about reflexive verbs in Unit 4.

The verb ‘to be’

Быть has no present tense. For alternative ways of translating ‘to be’,
see Unit 6.

Use of the present tense

In addition to a straight translation for one of the English present
tenses, Russian uses the present tense in some additional circum-
stances. Actions which started in the past and are continuing in the
present are conveyed in Russian by the use of the present tense:
Я уже четыре года занимаюсь русским языком.
I have been studying Russian for four years already.
In indirect speech or questions, Russian uses the tense in which the
original statement or question was made. This frequently means that
Russian uses the present tense where English uses the past:
Я спросила его, занимается ли он русским языком.
I asked him whether he was studying Russian.

Он сказал, что он занимается русским языком.

He said that he was studying Russian.
Verbs of motion have two different present tenses, which have some
similarities to the two present tenses in English. This is explained fully
in Unit 2.

Aspects
There are, in the overwhelming number of cases, two Russian verb
infinitives for every English one. For example, ‘to do’ may be делать
or сделать. The first of these is the imperfective infinitive, or the
infinitive of the imperfective aspect, and the second is the perfective
30     |    Russia and the Russian language

infinitive, or the infinitive of the imperfective aspect. The present tense

is formed from the imperfective infinitive. There are both imperfec-
tive and perfective past and future tenses formed from the respective
infinitives.

Formation of the imperfective future

The imperfective future is formed from the future tense of быть ‘to be’
+ the imperfective infinitive:

я буду делать мы будем делать

ты будешь делать вы будете делать
он/она/оно будет делать они будут делать

The formation is exactly the same for the second conjugation and for
irregular verbs: я буду говорить, etc.; я буду есть, etc.

Formation of the perfective future

The perfective future is formed in the same way as the present tense,
but using the perfective infinitive. Note the irregular perfective дать:

сделать ‘to do’ сделаю сделаем

сделаешь сделаете
сделает сделают
дать ‘to give’ дам дадим
дашь дадите
даст дадут

Formation of the imperfective and perfective past

Both the imperfective and perfective past are formed in the same way,
but from their respective infinitives. Where the infinitive of a Russian
verb ends in -ть, the past tense is generally formed by removing the -ть
and replacing it by: -л (masculine singular), -ла (feminine singular),
-ло (neuter singular), -ли (plural all genders):

делать – делал   делала   делало делали

сделать – сделал сделала сделало сделали
 Россия и русский язык    |     31

Note, however, the following exceptions:

– Verbs ending in -ерeть:

умереть ‘to die’

умер умерла умерло умерли

– Some verbs ending in -нуть drop the -нуть in the masculine:

привыкнуть ‘to get used to’

привык привыкла привыкло привыкли
возникнуть ‘to arise’
возник возникла возникло возникли

but note:

крикнуть ‘to shout’

крикнул крикнула крикнуло крикнули
прыгнуть ‘to jump’
прыгнул прыгнула прыгнуло прыгнули

– Verbs ending in -сть remove the -сть before adding the past tense
endings:

пасть ‘to fall’ пал пала пало пали

есть ‘to eat’ ел ела ело ели

– Verbs ending in -ти:

идти ‘to go’ шёл, шла, шло, шли

нести ‘to carry’ нёс, несла, несло, несли
вести ‘to lead’ вёл, вела, вело, вели
расти ‘to grow’ рос, росла, росло, росли

– Verbs ending in -чь:

течь ‘to flow’ тёк, текла, текло, текли

лечь ‘to lie down’ лёг, легла, легло, легли
мочь ‘to be able to’ мог, могла, могло, могли
достичь ‘to achieve’ достиг, достигла, достигло,
достигли
32     |    Russia and the Russian language

Imperfective and perfective pairs

The perfective is often differentiated from the imperfective by the
addition of a prefix. Common prefixes include:
вы-, за-, на-, о-, от-, пере-, по-, под-, при-, про-, с-, у-:
пить/выпить ‘to drink’
читать/прочитать ‘to read’
писать/написать ‘to write’
делать/сделать ‘to do’
Other pairs are differentiated by a suffix:
решать/решить ‘to decide’
посещать/посетить ‘to visit’
вставать/встать ‘to get up’
давать/дать ‘to give’
собирать/собрать ‘to collect’
надевать/надеть ‘to put on’
or by the presence of the infix -ыв- or -ив- in the imperfective:
подписывать/подписать ‘to sign’. For more about verbs of this type,
see Unit 14.
Говорить has two perfectives: сказать ‘to say, tell’ and поговорить ‘to
talk, speak’. Some other unusual perfective pairs include: брать/взять
‘to take’; покупать/купить ‘to buy’; становиться/стать ‘to become’.
More imperfective and perfective pairs you come across in this unit:
принимать/принять (закон) ‘to pass a law’
следовать/последовать ‘to follow’
терять/потерять ‘to lose’
строить/построить ‘to build’
позволять/позволить ‘to allow’
идти/пойти ‘to go’
запрещать/запретить ‘to ban’

Imperfective and perfective pairs of reflexive verbs

начинаться/начаться ‘to begin’
отделяться/отделиться ‘to break away’
присоединяться/присоединиться ‘to join’
пользоваться/воспользоваться ‘to take advantage of’
возвращаться/вернуться ‘to return’
 Россия и русский язык    |     33

Difference in usage between the imperfective and

perfective aspects

Imperfective aspect
1 Unfinished or continuous actions:
Он целый день смотрел телевизор.
He was watching/watched television all day.
Завтра я буду работать в саду.
Tomorrow I will work in the garden.
2 Habitual or repeated actions:
Мы часто играли в теннис этим летом.
We often played/used to play tennis that summer.
Они будут плавать в море каждый день.
They will be swimming/will swim in the sea every day.
3 Emphasis on the process of the verb:
Я люблю кататься на лыжах.
I love skiing.
4 After the verbs начинать/начать and стать ‘to begin’; кончать/
кончить ‘to finish’; продолжать ‘to continue’ and some other verbs
with similar meanings, the imperfective infinitive is always used:
Я только что кончила работать над этой книгой.
I have only just finished working on this book.
For other verbs meaning ‘to stop’, see Unit 14.

Perfective aspect
1 Emphasis on completion or result. This may be a single action:
Он кончил работу.
He finished the work.
Вы должны прочитать эту книгу сегодня.
You must read (finish reading) that book today.
or a series of actions, each one completed before the next one starts:
Я встану, приму душ и оденусь.
I will get up, take a shower and get dressed.
34     |    Russia and the Russian language

2 Some perfectives with the prefix по- imply that the action is
­performed for a short time only:
Мы посидели в саду и пошли домой.
We sat in the garden for a while and went home.
For aspects in relation to verbs of motion, see Unit 2.

Subjunctive
In addition to the five tenses described above Russian also has a
subjunctive, formed by using the particle бы with the past tense: Я
сделала бы ‘I would have done it’. Fuller information on the subjunc-
tive is given in Unit 11.

Imperative
The third person imperative may be formed from either the imperfec-
tive or perfective verb: делай(те), сделай(те) ‘do!’. For fuller infor-
mation on this imperative, see Unit 2. Давай/давайте, imperative of
давать, is used with the first person plural (мы form) of the future per-
fective to form a first person imperative: Давайте сделаем ‘Let’s do it’.

Exercise 6
Put the words in brackets into the correct case. Observe the use of
impefective/perfective verbs.

Беловежское соглашение

В (ноябрь) 1991 года Ельцин подписал указ о (запрет) деятельности

КПСС на (территория) РСФСР.

Эти события ускорили процесс (распад) СССР. В августе из его

состава вышли Латвия, Литва и Эстония. Горбачев вынужден был
законодательно признать решение (прибалтийские республики).

8 (декабрь) 1991 года в (Беловежская Пуща) лидеры трех

(славянские республики) – России, Украины и Белоруссии заявили
о (прекращение) договора об (образование) СССР.

Было принято решение о (создание) Содружества (Независимые

Государства) – СНГ. Во (вторая половина) декабря к трем (славянские
 Россия и русский язык    |     35

республики) присоединились другие союзные республики, кроме

(прибалтийские республики) и (Грузия).

21 (декабрь) в Алма-Ате стороны признали нерушимость (границы)

и гарантировали выполнение (международные обязательства)
СССР.

Vocabulary
подписывать/подписать to sign
указ decree
запрет ban
ускорять/ускорить to accelerate
деятельность activity
выходить/выйти из состава to quit, leave
вынужден forced
законодательно legislatively
признавать/признать to recognise
прекращение cessation, termination
создание creation
Содружество Независимых Государств Commonwealth of Independent States
нерушимость inviolability, territorial integrity
граница border
обязательство obligation

Exercise 7
Choose the appropriate verb form from the alternatives in brackets.

Распад СССР

Первый конфликт в Советском Союзе (случится/случился) ещё в 1986

г. в Алма-Ате. Затем в 1989 г. (начинался/начался) конфликт между
Арменией и Азербайджаном по поводу Нагорного Карабаха. А с
1989 г. конфликты стали (возникать/возникнуть) практически по всей
стране: в Украине и на Кавказе, в Молдавии и Прибалтике. Советское
руководство сначала не (понимало/поняло) причин этих конфликтов.
Применение силы в Риге и Вильнюсе в январе 1991 г. успеха не
(приносило/принесло). (Начинались/начались) переговоры о новом
союзном договоре. Конфедеративный характер предложений
36     |    Russia and the Russian language

(вызывал/вызвал) недовольство со стороны консерваторов и

(возникала/возникла) идея переворота против реформ вообще.
Победа над путчистами (приводила/привела) к неконтролируемому
распаду СССР. В декабре 1991 г. президенты России, Украины и
Белоруссии (подписывали/подписали) соглашение о ликвидации
СССР и создании Содружества Независимых Государств.

Vocabulary
возникать/возникнуть to arise
причина reason
недовольство dissatisfaction
по поводу on the subject of
соглашение agreement
предложение proposal
применение силы use of force
приносить/принести успех to bring success
случаться/случиться to happen

Exercise 8
Answer the questions in English.

1 Where did the first conflict break out in the Soviet Union?
2 What did Armenia and Azerbaijan fall out about?
3 Where did conflicts break out in 1989?
4 How did the leadership try to subdue the Baltic States in 1991?
5 What was it about the proposals for a new Union treaty which
upset the conservative faction in government?
6 Who signed the agreement to abolish the Soviet Union?
7 What was its substance?

Exercise 9
Прокомментируйте результаты опроса, проведённого Левада-
центром.
Comment on the results of the survey conducted by the Levada
Centre.
Exploring the Variety of Random
Documents with Different Content
The minutes rolled on, each one seeming like an hour of ordinary
time, and still no signs of Fred's return. Then came a rifle-shot from
some point not far distant—a wild yell, followed by the loud crashing
of what seemed horses' hoofs, passing through the forest at
headlong speed. Tremblingly the three fugitives awaited the result,
fearing to move from their covert.
The glowing beacons upon either hand of them, grew more faint as
the moments passed on, and then were entirely shut out from view
by the gathering clouds, and the thickly clustering tree-tops.
And still no sign of Fred's return. Stevens could stand the suspense
no longer, but arose to his feet, saying:
"I will wait no longer. Something must have happened, or he would
have been back long ago. It is throwing away our only chance by
stopping here. Come, let us go."
"But Fred said"—uttered Jennie, falteringly.
"I know that, but something must have happened to hinder his
coming back. If we stay here, we will only be smelled out and killed
by these murdering red-skins. Come on," decisively added Stevens,
as he moved away from the spot.
The women well knew that all resistance would be in vain, and arose
to obey.
Stevens did not think it prudent to travel in the beaten Trace, lest he
should meet some of the enemy, and so kept along through the
forest, using such skill as he was possessed of, to proceed silently.
But the danger foreseen by Fred, proved well founded. In the very
outset the borderer went astray. He had lost his bearings, and
instead of proceeding toward the lower settlements, he was pursuing
an almost directly opposite direction, or nearly toward his own cabin
—or where that had previously stood.
In evading the tree-trunks and clumps of bushes, he deviated from a
direct course, now bearing to the right, now left, until he almost
struck the beaten trail they had lately traversed, when led by Fred
Wilson. And then Stevens ran headlong into the very danger he was
most anxious to avoid.
The settler came first, then his wife, and after her, Jennie. The dress
of the latter caught upon a root, and she paused to loosen it; a fact
that probably saved her life.
For just then a wild yell rung out from close before Stevens,
accompanied by a sharp crack and broad glare that lighted up the
scene for a moment, with startling vividness. By it the settler saw the
dusky figures of some half-score savages, and with impulse of the
moment, he threw up his rifle, firing at the foremost one.
A thrilling death-yell that followed told that his shot had not been
spent in vain, but then a return volley rung out, and he staggered
back, wounded unto death. He stumbled over the prostrate form of
his wife, whom the first shot had stricken down, but recovered
himself as the enemy sprung forward with exultant whoops and yells.
For a brief moment the settler battled with frantic fury, but all was in
vain. The bullet that first struck him had reached the seat of life, and
then a knife pierced his side. Still defiant, he sunk down, with a
hoarse cry, upon the body of his murdered wife. And over them
raged the red-skins, fighting for the coveted scalps like demons
incarnate.
Jennie was sheltered by the intervening tree-trunk, and although
more than one bullet shattered the rough bark, she was unharmed.
Terror held her enchained to the spot, despite herself.
Then she heard the dying cry of her father, and knew that all was
lost. With a low cry of agony she turned and fled through the forest,
half dead with horror.
The red-skins scrambling for the coveted trophies, heard her not, but
one other ear did; that of Sloan Young, and divining the truth, he
sprung forward after the fleeing girl, and knew that the coveted prize
he feared was lost, was now just within his grasp. He gave vent to a
long, loud yell of diabolical exultation.
But Jennie's feet seemed gifted with more than mortal speed, and
she fled over the rough ground, through the bushes and tangled
shrubbery, fully holding her vantage-ground, hard as the half-breed
strove to overtake her. Uttering furious curses, he dashed madly on
—to his death!
Jennie sped on, blindly, half unconsciously. A horrible sound filled
her ears—the death-cry of her father—the gasping groan of her
murdered mother. She knew not her own danger; she only felt some
frightful danger was driving her on, she knew not whither.
She sped on past a dark, crouching form, and then felt, rather than
saw, another figure rise up before her. With a low gasping moan she
sunk unresistingly into the outstretched arms; her senses fled and
she fainted.
The half-breed also heard the cry and answered it with one of
exultant triumph, for he believed that the fugitive must soon drop
from exhaustion, when she would become an easy prey to him. But
he was doomed to a bitter disappointment.
He noted the abrupt cessation of Jennie's footsteps, and tricky
himself, he suspected some ruse upon her part; most probably an
attempt at doubling upon him. To defeat this he paused and listened
intently.
He saw a dark figure rise up almost within arm's length of him, and
believing it to be his intended victim, he sprung forward with
outstretched hands, crying:
"You may as well gi' up, my dear—"
Thus far he spoke, and no further. For a strong hand clutched his
throat, and as the tall form towered above him, the gleam of a
descending knife-blade filled his eyes. The half-breed made one
desperate effort to free himself; he was not given time for more.
But he was held like a child, and then the keen knife hissed down—
then with a horrible thud, the hilt fairly struck against his chest. The
long blade had cloven his heart in twain.
Still he made a desperate effort—his death-throe, it was—and freed
his throat from the vise-like grip fastened upon it. A single wild yell
broke from his lips, and then he sunk a lifeless weight in the arms of
his conqueror, a corpse.
Still the alarm was given, and that last cry bade fair to avenge its
author's death. For it had reached the ears of the still scuffling
savages, and awoke them to their folly.
They recognized the voice of their leader, and one of them had
placed the sound; and he quickly communicated it to his comrades.
Then with shrill yells of anger they sprung forward, eager to assist or
avenge their chief, as the case might be.
"Put the gal down, Jack," muttered Tobe Castor—for it was indeed
him—speaking in a quick tone. "The imps is a comin' hot fut. Let the
women hunker down cluss ahind the log. It's fight now, an' we'll hev
our hands full 'thout them!"
The trio—Castor, Wilson and Stevens—drew together, the better to
meet the shock they knew must soon come. They could not avoid it
by flight; that course would be certain destruction, as they well knew.
The three women had been placed in a clump of bushes bordering
and overhanging a large fallen tree and against this, on the opposite
side, the men backed, as by it they secured themselves from being
assailed upon all sides at the same time. Tobe again spoke:
"Fire as I do, an' then drap down on yer faces. Ef they shoot at the
bleeze, thet'll mebbe save us. Then do the best you know how, with
cold steel an' clubbed rifles, ef so be they make a rush."
There was no time for further instructions, if such had been needed.
But the others knew what lay before them well enough. They knew it
would probably result in a hand-to-hand combat, that could scarcely
end otherwise than in their destruction. And yet they did not flinch.
They had dear and helpless ones to fight for, as well as their own
lives.
The yelling red-skins came on at full speed, until within a short
distance of the borderers, when they abruptly paused; the ominous
stillness awed them. They could not comprehend it.
One Eye did not answer; then he must be dead. Nothing could be
heard of his slayer or slayers. Therefore they could not have fled, or
the sound of their footsteps would have been heard. And would they
have remained here, unless in strong force, sufficient to successfully
resist the braves of the dead half-breed?
But then the more impatient of the Sioux, excited by the slight taste
of blood they had in the death of the two fugitives, gave a cry and
sprung forward. The rest followed, in a compact mass; a fatal move
upon their part.
The three men standing beside the fallen tree could now faintly
distinguish the enemy, as they surmounted a slight knoll. Knowing
the advantage of a first blow, Castor leveled his rifle, the action being
closely imitated by his comrades, and then fired.
The three reports sounded almost as one, and carried death and
dismay into the ranks of the Sioux. The horrible death-yells and
groans of agony told how fatal had been the discharge, and, as with
one impulse, the survivors broke and fled, without firing one shot.
But this panic was only momentary. Then they rallied, and
proceeded to concert some plan for the revenge the blood of their
fallen comrades demanded at their hands.
The three borderers dropped to the ground, as agreed upon, but this
precaution was needless, as we have already seen. Then they
began hurriedly re-charging their weapons, full well knowing there
would be further need of them, ere the affair was over.
"They are driven back—why not take the women and slip away?"
whispered Wilson, cautiously, he being nearest to Tobe.
"Don't be a fool, Ed—don't, fer marcy's sake. They'd hear us, an'
then we'd be in a nice fix—I guess not. Thet's jest what they want the
most. They don't know how we're fixed now, and 'll fight shy fer a
time. No, we must stick it out here—fer a time, anyhow."
Their weapons recharged, the three men crouched down in anxious
waiting. Especially was John Stevens troubled.
He feared the worst. He had found Jennie, his sister, fleeing from a
spot where had been going on a desperate fight for life. But where
were the others? his father and mother? Were they dead, or also
fugitives in the forest?
That was a query he feared to answer, but something down in his
heart told him that a great calamity had occurred: that he was now
parentless. Still, there was a faint hope. Jennie had escaped with
life; then might not the others have fared equally as well?
Fortunately he had something to distract his thoughts, in a measure.
Otherwise he would have gone mad. But now he must bear up for
the sake of his sister—his loved one and her friends. They were in
imminent peril, and upon his arms partly depended their hopes of
preservation.
The groans of the dying wretches had ceased, and all was once
more still in the forest. Even the insects had seemed to cease their
humming, and the faint breeze to die utterly away. The stillness was
awful—depressing in the extreme.
For despite this seeming peacefulness, they well knew that
bloodthirsty and unscrupulous foes were busily compassing their
destruction. They knew that some subtle plot was being concocted
by the savages, who would be fairly wild with rage and thirst for
revenge. This suspense was harder to bear than the deadliest strife
would have been, for while they knew their peril was imminent, they
knew not in which direction it would first appear, nor the shape it
would assume.
But they had not long to wait for the knowledge. A faint rustling
sound at some little distance first met their vigilant ears, although no
human form could be seen. This for a time puzzled them, as the
sound appeared confined to a circumscribed space, near the little
knoll upon which the Indians had stood when the fatal volley was
discharged at them.
Then this rustling ceased, and another sound took its place. Castor
uttered a grunt of dismay, as though he comprehended the meaning
of this. Wilson whispered:
"What is it, Tobe?"
"Wait an' you'll see soon a plenty. Cuss the pesky imps!" and the old
scout fairly ground his teeth with intense ire.
And in the course of a few moments they did see, sure enough. A
faint, flickering glow—not a blaze, at least visible to them—shone
forth upon the knoll, only a few yards distant from its crest. At this
moment, Stevens and Wilson divined the truth, as Castor had
already done.
The Indians were building a fire!
Their object in thus doing was plain. They felt assured their enemy
had not fled, and by this light they counted upon discovering their
covert, without serious risk to themselves.
"Cuss the imp!" hissed Castor, wrathfully. "He's hid behind a rock or
log or somethin' else, or I'd soon sicken the dog, fer good. But we
must git out o' here, jest the quickest!"
"But how? Surely they wouldn't leave a path open for us? They must
have surrounded us, to guard against any move like that," muttered
Wilson.
"I know thet—I ain't sech a pesky fool as to make a run fer it, yit. But
ef we stay here tell thet light bleezes up—as 'twill shortly—we're
gone suckers, fer shore! But we must git over the log, here. Thar's a
big fork in it, whar we kin hunker down, an' hev the bushes fer kiver,
too. Then they cain't rout us out 'thout makin' a rush fer it; which they
won't be apt to do afore day, anyhow. So up with ye, one at a time,
an' git the wimmen onder kiver."
"You go first—if you know where the fork is."
"I'd orter know—seein's as how I durned nigh broke my neck over
the pesky thing a-tumblin' down whar we run up, a bit ago. But when
you come, don't make no n'ise, 'less you'll hev a load o' lead in your
karkidge as 'll be mighty onhandy to kerry about."
So speaking, the old scout cautiously rose up and crawled upon the
log. The fire was now blazing up quite briskly, and already casting
out a circle of light that nearly reached the tree-trunk. There was no
time to be lost.
Jennie was still half-senseless, and, stooping, the old scout gently
raised her in his arms, and, in a low, guarded whisper, bade the
other two women follow him. Though trembling with apprehension,
they obeyed, without a word.
Castor glided through the bushes, along the log for a few paces, and
then pausing, lowered Jennie to the ground. It was a narrow space
between two forks of the tree, that were here some two feet in
thickness, while over and around them, grew a dense fringe of
bushes and vines.
There was ample room for the entire party, and while hidden from
the enemies' view, by lying down, they were protected in a great
measure from any bullets that might be discharged into their covert.
Upon this fact Tobe had counted when he determined to remove
from the spot rendered untenable by the rapidly-increasing light of
the fire.
The women safe placed, Castor turned and whispered to his
comrades. Wilson was already over the log, and Stevens speedily
followed his example. Then they sought the new refuge, where they
knelt down with senses upon the keen alert, and rifles ready for use.
"You wimmen keep cluss," continued Castor. "Them pesky reds is
mighty keerless, sometimes, an' one o' thar bullits mought chaince to
hit ye. Hurt, too, they would; bet yer life they do!"
"What do you think they will do now?" anxiously queried Wilson.
"Don't know. Tell you better a'ter a bit. But then you'll know jest as
soon's I will, come to think o' it. Hist! jes' lis'en to thet!"
This exclamation was drawn forth by a series of sounds that
suddenly broke the stillness of the forest. They seemed to come
from every point of the compass, forming a terribly-significant
concert, when the listeners so well knew the true performers.
The faint howling as of wolves; the whistle of the night-hawk; the
chirp of the tree-toad or ground squirrel; the mournful cry of the rain-
crow—with still other sounds, came from the forest depths, telling the
fugitives that their foes were upon the alert—that they were
surrounded by a cordon of bloodthirsty and cunning enemies, whose
every power would be strenuously exerted to wreak a fearful
vengeance upon the slayers of their fallen comrades.
The fire blazed higher and more brightly, casting a flood of light over
all surrounding objects, plainly revealing the long log, behind which
crouched the fugitives. But still, not a trace of the savages could be
seen, though keen and practiced eyes swept every foot of the
ground revealed.
Then the signals abruptly ceased, and even the fire appeared to
burn without noise. A stillness as of death swept over the forest. The
moment of action was evidently nigh at hand.
"Keep your eyes peeled, boys," muttered Tobe Castor, as his teeth
clenched and his eyes glittered with a strange glow. "They know jest
about whar we be, an' 'll show thar hands 'fore long. Plug the fust
varmint as you kin draw a bead on, but don't waste 'ary shot."
It was evident that the savages had determined upon the position of
the fugitives, but then a wide stretch was given them, for the log was
some fifty or sixty feet in length, the entire body of it fringed with
bushes, any point along it sufficiently dense for the fugitives to hide
in. This fact alone kept the Indians from making a desperate onset at
once.
Then a rifle-shot rung out from the gloom beyond the broad circle of
light. The bullet sunk with a dull thud into the decayed log, some feet
from the fugitives.
Another and another rung forth, from different points of the compass,
but still not a cry or a sound came to tell the Indians of the exact spot
occupied by their intended victims. One of the bullets tore its way
through the cheek of Tobe Castor, but he did not flinch or move, save
to brush the hot blood from his eyes.
Then a series of cries ran along the cordon of dusky warriors. Its
meaning was comprehended by the old scout, who muttered:
"It's comin' in airnest, now, boys! Pick yer game an' drap it. Then
load up, ef you hev time."
The words still hissed upon his lips, when a wild whoop resounded
from every side of their position; and then a number of dusky figures
appeared in view. But they did not advance boldly; instead, they
sprung from side to side, yelling frightfully and brandishing their
weapons in the air above their heads.
Castor was too wise a veteran to be fooled in the manner they
evidently counted upon. His hands checked the less experienced
men, whose eyes were already glancing along their rifle-barrels.
"Don't shoot—fer yer lives don't shoot yit!" he hissed, warningly.
"They on'y want to find out whar we be. Don't ye see? Wait ontil they
make a gineral rush."
His prudence was soon confirmed, for like magic the yelling crowd
and the dim, phantom-like figures disappeared as though they had
sunk into the ground. Evidently the red-skins were puzzled, knowing
now that either their prey had fled, or else were far more cunning
then they had given them credit for.
Thus another half-hour expired, and still no direct assault was made,
although an occasional shot was discharged into the bush-screened
log. An overruling Providence seemed to shield the fugitives, for as
yet, the crease upon Tobe Castor's cheek was the only wound the
party had received, though more than once the hissing missiles had
passed so close that their venomous whistle could be distinguished
by the besieged.
Then Tobe gave a faint hiss. His comrades gazed in the direction his
finger pointed, and they beheld a faint, shadowy figure upon the
ground, at only a few yards' distance. Under other circumstances
this would hardly have been noticed, or if so, would have been
thought a mere shadow; but now, with his senses sharpened by
peril, Castor knew that it was the form of an Indian, who was
crawling up toward them, evidently with the intention of learning their
exact position; a sort of forlorn hope, in which he risked his life to
benefit his comrades and work the ruin of his foes.
"Leave the imp to me," muttered Tobe; "keep a good look-out on
your side fer more o' the same sort. Don't let 'em fool ye!"

CHAPTER VIII.
A STROKE FOR VENGEANCE.
With painfully throbbing heart, Fred Wilson left his companions and
hastened along the narrow Trace toward the blazing cabin, to learn
the fate of his family. He dreaded the worst, for a strange sensation
of coming evil weighed heavily upon his mind.
He was not given to superstition or a belief in omens, but now it
seemed as though the spirit of some loved one was hovering around
him. A firm belief assailed him that he was doomed to suffer some
deep and bitter loss.
And in vain he strove to cast this thought aside; it would return
despite himself. And from a fancy, it became a settled conviction.
Still it did not prevent him from displaying his usual caution and skill,
and he glided along the path, dark and gloomy though the woods
were, with almost the certainty and ease he would have displayed in
broad daylight. Only at times could he distinguish the reddish glow of
the blazing cabin; at others the densely clustering boughs concealed
it from his vision.
In this manner he had proceeded over half a mile, when he fancied
he heard the faint sound of cautious footfalls before him. Instantly
pausing, he bent his ear to the ground. He was not deceived; some
person or persons were coming toward him.
With a wild hope in his heart, the young scout softly drew to one side
of the Trace, and crouched down beside the trunk of a large tree, in
such a position that the passers-by, whoever they might chance to
be, would be momently outlined against a rift in the tree-tops
beyond.
The catlike footfalls came nearer, and then the travelers passed
before him. In the first one he recognized an Indian. He could just
distinguish the nodding plumes upon his head.
And then the next one he noticed was the same. But he had,
unfortunately, looked one moment too long upon the first passer. By
so doing, he only caught a faint glimpse of the second. The last he
saw more closely.
There were only three in number, and he believed them all Indians.
Had he known the truth, the entire course of the after events of that
memorable night would have been changed; perhaps for the better.
For had he known that his friend, John Stevens, was of the number,
he would have dared all to rescue him, and thus learn definitely how
the young settler's mission had terminated. But he was not aware of
this, and so suffered them to pass by, unchallenged.
Fred then arose and pressed rapidly on, his mind filled with
conflicting emotions. This party were coming direct from the burning
building; then what was he fated to find there? All was still in that
direction. Was the tragedy over?
And then the young man paused upon the edge of the clearing. With
wildly-beating heart, he gazed out upon the scene of destruction that
lay before him.
The cabin was one mass of glowing coals, though as yet the walls
were standing. And though his eyes roved keenly around upon the
smooth ground before the building, the dreaded sight met not his
gaze. He had feared he would behold the dead and mangled corses
of his family lying there, weltering in their blood.
But, as we know, this sight did not greet his eyes, and he derived
some faint consolation from it. All might not yet be lost.
And with these thoughts, he began cautiously circling around the
clearing, too wise to venture within the broad circle of light, while
ignorant whether there might not be a score of his enemies lurking
near, watching for some other unwary victim.
He had gained a position nearly opposite the point where he had first
stood, when he received an evidence of the prudence of his caution.
A tall, dark form emerged from the shadows near the mouth of the
Trace, and then strode rapidly toward the building.
Just then the walls fell in with a loud jar, and as the sparks ascended
skyward in a dense cloud, the blaze burst out afresh, and cast a still
more brilliant light over the scene. By its aid, Fred could see that the
new-comer was an Indian, and an angry glow filled his heart, as he
reflected that this same savage might have been an active agent in
the death of his family. For the young man still believed that he
would find them dead. In no other way could he account for the
strange depression that weighed upon his spirits.
And he resolved that this one, at least, should never live to boast of
his bloody deeds. He should die, and by his hand. And then he set
about compassing this end.
In this point again Fortune seemed favoring him. The red-skin stood
motionless for a moment, his eyes roving keenly around the clearing;
then his tall form stooped, and he glided to and fro, evidently
searching for some sign.
Fred waited in eager anticipation for a moment more favorable than
this, although the range was short, and he could easily have picked
off the savage with his rifle. But this was a move he did not fancy, as
he did not know how many red-skins might be within hearing, and
with the lives of others partly depending upon him, Fred dared not
run the risk of a shot. The blow must be dealt with cold steel, if at all.
The red-skin ceased his zig-zag movements, and now proceeded in
a direct line. Fred knew that he was following some trail, and to his
stern delight, found that trail led the Indian toward the Lower Trace.
With sternly-compressed lips and eyes glowing with a strange light,
the young scout glided rapidly toward the point where the Trace
began, a long, keen knife firmly clenched in his hand. He was none
too soon, for scarcely had he crouched behind a tree-trunk, than the
Indian entered the bushes, his head still bowed toward the ground.
Then he paused, with a slight grunt, as of disappointment. It was
none other than the petty chief who had been with One Eye, or
Sloan Young, and who had started off to put Dusky Dick upon the
watch when it was found the Stevens family had fled.
Fred Wilson collected his energies and sprung upon the unprepared
red-skin, knife in hand. Ere the assailed could lift a finger in self-
defense, the keen weapon hissed through the air and then buried
itself, with a peculiar thud, deep in his broad chest.
A low, gurgling cry arose to his lips, but then died away with the gush
of blood that filled his throat. Then, as the knife was withdrawn, the
tall form, so lately full of life and strength, tottered and sunk to the
ground, a lump of lifeless clay.
"You are the first one—but will not be the last, by many more!"
muttered the young scout, with a terrible depth of hatred and
revenge in his tones, as he stooped over the dead man and adroitly
removed his scalp.
Then he suddenly sprung erect. A significant sound met his ear. A
rifle-shot—an Indian yell, at no very great distance.
It apparently proceeded from near the spot where he had left the
Stevens family, and Fred feared they had been discovered by the
Sioux. He could do no good by remaining here, as there were no
traces of his family, and he resolved to return at once, though fearing
it would be too late.
The young scout was not one to hesitate, when once his mind was
made up, and securing the gory scalp to his waist, he entered the
forest once more, gliding with speedy footsteps toward the point
where he had left his friends in hiding. Still, despite his rapid
progress, he was too late.
As he neared the covert, he uttered the signal agreed upon, but
without an answer. Then he crept forward to the clump of bushes. He
parted them and peered inside. They were untenanted by those
whom he sought.
Fred stood in angry disappointment, not unmingled with
apprehension. He did not know whether Stevens had disobeyed his
strict injunctions, and ventured forth in an attempt to escape
unaided, or whether he had been surprised and taken prisoner, and
he dared not strike a light to discover, lest it should prove a beacon
to guide a treacherous bullet or arrow to his life.
Then, as he stood there, another sound met his ear; one similar to
that which had drawn him from the clearing, only louder and more
protracted. Two single rifle-shots and then what seemed a united
volley, accompanied by wild yells and whoops.
There could be no mistaking this. He knew that one party, at least, of
his friends had been attacked by the Indians; most likely those whom
he had taken under his own charge.
He did not hesitate, only long enough to determine the direction and
probable distance of the strife from where he stood, and then
pressed forward toward it, with as much speed as was consistent
with safety. And now he displayed in an astonishing degree, the skill
he had attained, thanks to the instructions of Tobe Castor.
He glided through the forest at a half-run, with apparently as much
ease and celerity as though the intense gloom was replaced by
broad daylight, seeming to avoid the tree-trunks and other obstacles
by intuition. And his footfalls made scarcely more noise than those of
the deer, traversing its course with unhasted steps.
Fred could still distinguish the faint sound of yells and cries, as
though the strife still continued, though there were no more rifle-
shots. This fact puzzled him not a little, though he did not slacken his
pace.
Then the yells seemed to shift places, continuing only for a few
moments; then dying entirely away. Then again came the loud
reports of firearms, with shrill howls of anguish and terror. The plot
was becoming somewhat tangled and complicated, and Fred's
wonder increased.
Still he proceeded, though more deliberately, for under the
circumstances he thought prudence was the wisest course for him to
follow. Then he uttered a little exclamation as his foot struck against
something yielding. There could be no mistaking this peculiar touch;
he knew that he was standing over a corpse!
A convulsive shudder ran through his frame as he leaped back
apace; but then he conquered this involuntary repugnance, and
advancing, stooped over the form. Eyesight could avail him nothing
here; the sense of feeling alone must be depended upon.
His hand touched the body, and a thrill pervaded his form as his
fingers rested upon a soft, slimy substance. He knew it was blood,
fast coagulating. Then a glad hope filled his heart as his hand
encountered the smooth-shaven crown, with the long scalp-lock of
an Indian. Perhaps his friends had not perished, after all!
He slowly moved away from the corpse, feeling along the ground
with his feet, but for some moments, felt in vain. Then he again
touched something that he knew was another victim.
Stooping, his hand rested upon the unmistakable dress of a white
man. Gliding up the body, he then felt of the face. The long heavy
beard there confirmed his suspicions. He felt assured that the dead
body of Wesley Stevens lay before him.
And then a low cry of agonizing horror broke from his lips, as he
touched a woman's dress. He staggered back and sunk to the
ground, trembling and unnerved. He feared the worst. He dreaded to
move, lest he should find the dead and mangled corse of his loved
one—of sweet Jennie Stevens.
But then with an effort he aroused himself, and without a thought for
the danger he might thus incur, he struck a match and bent over the
forms of the ill-fated fugitives. By its faint flickering rays, he
recognized the father and mother; the light also showed him the bare
and gory skulls where the scalps had been ruthlessly torn away.
He only saw this much, when the match burned to his finger tips and
then expired. Tremblingly he essayed to light another, but he was too
greatly unnerved. He sunk down upon the blood-stained ground and
covered his eyes as though he would shut out the horrible vision that
filled his brain.
It was a moment of frightful torture, and it seemed as though he
would go mad. He believed that the dear one, whom he loved better
than his own life, was lying near at hand, dead—murdered like her
parents.
But then with an effort he aroused up. Though sick at heart, his
hands were steady as he struck another match. He had nerved
himself to bear the worst, now.
The light cast a faint glow around, but the dreaded sight did not meet
his staring eyes. As he strode around the spot hope sprung up in his
heart, once more.
A whip-like report broke the stillness of the air, so close that Fred
started back and dropped the match, believing that he had been the
target. But then he beheld his mistake, as another and yet another
shot rung out at some little distance to his left. He also heard shrill
yells, that he knew could only proceed from the throats of red-skins.
His eyes flashed instinctively and he clutched his rifle with a firm
grip. He remembered now the second series of shots and yells he
had heard; these were probably a continuation of those. If so, then
the savages who had slain his friends were yet at hand, and if Jennie
was taken a prisoner, she must be there also.
If so, perhaps he could effect her rescue now. But then who could be
the ones at whom the shots were fired? His family? Fred uttered a
low cry of eager hope as this idea flashed across his mind.
The young scout listened for a moment, and then glided forward in
the direction from whence came the sounds. Scarcely had he made
the first step, when the cries died away. But still advancing, Fred
soon caught a glimpse of a bright light before him.
More cautiously he crept on, every sense upon the keen alert, until
he paused beside a huge tree whose butt was surrounded by a
dense growth of bushes, and then gazed out upon the scene. He
beheld a huge bonfire, blazing upon a slight knoll. But not a living
figure was in sight.
Then as he gazed, a dark figure glided between him and the fire; the
light shining brightly, revealed the features of an Indian. Then, like, a
shadow, this melted away. The stillness began to be oppressive, and
Fred could scarcely comprehend the drama that was being enacted
before him.
Leaving the tree, he glided stealthily along through the gloom,
intending to incircle the bonfire, and discover, if possible, who were
attacked by the Indians. He knew there were enemies close about
him, and he brought his keenest powers into play, making scarcely
more noise than would have done a serpent.
He had gone but a few yards, when he heard a slight rustling a little
to one side, and, pausing, he speedily distinguished the form of a
man, evidently a red-skin. It seemed as though he must be
discovered, and Fred drew his limbs together for the emergency; but
the savage brushed past him, almost close enough for their
extended arms to have met. If he saw the dusky figure of the young
scout, he evidently mistook it for one of his own comrades.
With a long-drawn breath of relief, Fred passed on, his eyes roving
keenly in every direction. Keeping at a certain distance from the fire,
he had covered nearly one-fourth of the distance necessary for a
complete circuit, when a new peril threatened him; one that he did
not see in time to avoid.
He noted the form of an Indian coming toward him, just without the
circle of light. Anxiously he watched the movements of this foe. He
could not retreat, as that would only subject him to suspicion, and
the red-man was so close that the slightest movement would be
heard.
And yet the savage was coming directly toward him. Fred crouched
lower and drew his knife partly from its sheath. He had not time for
more, when the savage paused directly beside him, his eyes bent
upon a long line of bushes at but a few paces distance. Then he
spoke in a low tone, using the Sioux dialect.
"Gray Bull is creeping up to find the pale-faces. Let my brother keep
his rifle ready to shoot them as they spring up."
Fred did not reply, lest his voice should betray him, but he stealthily
drew his knife from its sheath. Then the savage turned toward him,
in evident surprise at not being answered.
The fire blazed up afresh, as the topmost sticks broke and fell down.
A ray of light penetrated the bushes, and fell fairly athwart the pale
features of the scout and those of his copper-tinted companion.
Fred beheld the wondering look—the quick change that told of
recognition, and knew that only the promptest action could preserve
his life. His left hand shot out and clutched the throat of the red-skin,
and then the keen knife hissed through the air.
But with a sudden start back, the Indian freed his throat in time to
utter a wild yell of alarm, ere the weapon drank his life's blood. Then
for a brief moment all was still.
Then a single rifle-shot rung out, and Fred felt the bullet crease his
neck. He knew that he was discovered and leaping to his feet he
leveled his rifle at an advancing Indian and fired. Then with a hoarse,
defiant shout, mingled with a death-yell from the stricken savage, he
turned and fled from the spot.
A frightful tumult arose, and the woods echoed with the swift, heavy
tramp of the Sioux as they dashed in hot pursuit after their daring
foe.

CHAPTER IX.
OUT OF THE TRAP.
Tobe Castor keenly watched the slowly approaching red-skin. He
could long since have disposed of him by a rifle-shot, had he felt so
inclined; but that he did not choose to do. If he did, then the main
object of the savages would be accomplished. Once given the exact
position of the pale-faces, such a storm of bullets would be poured in
upon them that death would be inevitable.
The old scout had decided upon a plan of action that he believed
might work, though the chances were greatly against it. He saw that
the red-skin would strike the bushes, if he maintained the course he
had begun, at only a few feet from where crouched the fugitives.
The bushes, interlaced with vines and creepers, were very dense,
and a person standing close upon the outside could not perceive
those within, by night, unless he first parted the screen. This was
what the savage would have to do, in case he accomplished his
object.
Castor hoped to be able to quiet this dangerous customer with the
knife, and so quietly that those who were watching his progress,
would still be at a loss as to their exact whereabouts. It would be
difficult, though he believed it could be done.
Warning his comrades by a gesture to remain perfectly quiet, the old
scout moved along by slow degrees so as to intercept the savage.
When the point was gained directly in front of the creeping figure,
Castor paused and prepared his knife for use.
But the trial was not yet to come. A strange and unexpected
interruption came and afforded the besieged a respite, none the less
welcome, because unlooked for.
There resounded a hoarse, gurgling yell—a rifle-shot—another; and
then the defiant shout in the unmistakable voice of a white man.
Following, came wild cries and whoops from the red-skins.
It was indeed the discovery of the young scout, Fred Wilson,
although his friends did not know it. And a most fortunate occurrence
it proved to be, at least for them.
The savages were bewildered and knew not what to make of the
affair. But then all seemed clear.
The strange silence of the pale-faces was now explained. They no
longer wondered that no reply had come from the bush-screened
log, when they had so plentifully bestowed their leaden favors upon
it. They had been upon a false scent, all the time. The hated pale-
faces were not there, but had given them the slip, and but for a
fortunate discovery would have crept entirely away and left them in
the lurch.
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