Denísov, Pétya, and the esaul , accompanied by some Cossacks and the hussar who had the prisoner, rode to the left across a ravine to the edge of the forest.

The rain had stopped, and only the mist was falling and drops from the trees. Denísov, the esaul , and Pétya rode silently, following the peasant in the knitted cap who, stepping lightly with outturned toes and moving noiselessly in his bast shoes over the roots and wet leaves, silently led them to the edge of the forest.

He ascended an incline, stopped, looked about him, and advanced to where the screen of trees was less dense. On reaching a large oak tree that had not yet shed its leaves, he stopped and beckoned mysteriously to them with his hand.