a second I was up in the air, as light as a feather.

"I flew faster than the wind—I had no idea of where I might be going, and had barely time to call out: 'Look out!' to the stars, when suddenly I felt myself coming down.

"I looked about and found I was on a mountain. All around were boiling caldrons; there were songs and games, and shrill whistles besides. Dirty trick, by Jove! they were marrying a Jew to a toad.

"I sputtered and was trying to speak to them, when Marousenka came up to me:

"'Quick, get home. What brought you here, you good-for-nothing? They will roast you alive if they see you!'

"But I would not budge.

"'Home? and how in the devil can I find my way?'

"'Ah! you are joking, surely. Here take this broomstick, sit on it and git, you scoundrel.'

"'Me, me sit on a broomstick! me, the Emperor's Hussar! You old hag! Do you think I have sold myself to the devil? And for you to dare speak to me like this, have you more than one life to spare?'

"'A horse?—then here, stupid, here is a horse.'