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At the same instant, under Vronsky's eyes, right before him

flashed the palings of the barrier. Without the slightest change

in her action his mare flew over it; the palings vanished, and he

heard only a crash behind him. The mare, excited by Gladiator's

keeping ahead, had risen too soon before the barrier, and grazed

it with her hind hoofs. But her pace never changed, and Vronsky,

feeling a spatter of mud in his face, realized that he was once

more the same distance from Gladiator. Once more he perceived in

front of him the same back and short tail, and again the same

swiftly moving white legs that got no further away.