No More Learning

I remained alone in the square with Saveliitch. My follower held in his
hand the memorandum, and was contemplating it with an air of deep
regret. Seeing my friendly understanding with Pugatchef, he had thought
to turn it to some account. But his wise hope did not succeed. I was
going to scold him sharply for his misplaced zeal, and I could not help
laughing.

"Laugh, sir, laugh," said Saveliitch; "but when you are obliged to fit
up your household anew, we shall see if you still feel disposed to
laugh. "

I ran to the pope's house to see Marya Ivanofna. The pope's wife came to
meet me with a sad piece of news. During the night high fever had set
in, and the poor girl was now delirious. Akoulina Pamphilovna brought me
to her room. I gently approached the bed. I was struck by the frightful
change in her face. The sick girl did not know me. Motionless before
her, it was long ere I understood the words of Father Garasim and his
wife, who apparently were trying to comfort me.

Gloomy thoughts overwhelmed me. The position of a poor orphan left
solitary and friendless in the power of rascals filled me with fear,
while my own powerlessness equally distressed me; but Chvabrine,
Chvabrine above all, filled me with alarm. Invested with all power by
the usurper, and left master in the fort, with the unhappy girl, the
object of his hatred, he was capable of anything. What should I do? How
could I help her? How deliver her? Only in one way, and I embraced it.
It was to start with all speed for Orenburg, so as to hasten the
recapture of Belogorsk, and to aid in it if possible.

I took leave of the pope and of Akoulina Pamphilovna, recommending
warmly to them her whom I already regarded as my wife. I seized the hand
of the young girl and covered it with tears and kisses.

"Good-bye," the pope's wife said to me, as she led me away. "Good-bye,
Petr' Andrejitch; perhaps we may meet again in happier times. Don't
forget us, and write often to us. Except you, poor Marya Ivanofna has no
longer stay or comforter. "

Out in the Square I stopped a minute before the gallows, which I
respectfully saluted, and I then took the road to Orenburg, accompanied
by Saveliitch, who did not forsake me.

As I thus went along, deep in thought, I heard all at once a horse
galloping behind me. I turned round, and saw a Cossack coming up from
the fort, leading a Bashkir horse, and making signs to me from afar to
wait for him. I stopped, and soon recognized our "_ouriadnik_. "

After joining us at a gallop, he jumped from the back of his own horse,
and handing me the bridle of the other--

"Your lordship," said he, "our father makes you a present of a horse,
and a pelisse from his own shoulder. " On the saddle was slung a plain
sheepskin "_touloup_. " "And, besides," added he, hesitatingly, "he gives
you a half-rouble, but I have lost it by the way; kindly excuse it. "

Saveliitch looked askance at him.

"You have lost it by the way," said he, "and pray what is that which
jingles in your pocket, barefaced liar that you are? "

"Jingling in my pocket? " replied the "_ouriadnik_," not a whit
disconcerted; "God forgive you, old man, 'tis a bridlebit, and never a
half rouble. "

"Well! well! " said I, putting an end to the dispute. "Thank from me he
who sent you: and you may as well try as you go back to find the lost
half rouble and keep it for yourself. "

"Many thanks, your lordship," said he, turning his horse round; "I will
pray God for ever for you. "

With these words, he started off at a gallop, keeping one hand on his
pocket, and was soon out of sight. I put on the "_touloup_" and mounted
the horse, taking up Saveliitch behind me.

"Don't you see, your lordship," said the old man, "that it was not in
vain that I presented my petition to the robber? The robber was ashamed
of himself, although this long and lean Bashkir hoss and this peasant's
'_touloup_' be not worth half what those rascals stole from us, nor what
you deigned to give him as a present, still they may be useful to us.
'From an evil dog be glad of a handful of hairs. '"




CHAPTER X.

THE SIEGE.


As we approached Orenburg we saw a crowd of convicts with cropped heads,
and faces disfigured by the pincers of the executioner. [61]

They were working on the fortifications of the place under the
pensioners of the garrison. Some were taking away in wheelbarrows the
rubbish which filled the ditch; others were hollowing out the earth with
spades. Masons were bringing bricks and repairing the walls.

The sentries stopped us at the gates to demand our passports.

When the Sergeant learnt that we came from Fort Belogorsk he took us
direct to the General.

I found him in his garden. He was examining the apple-trees which the
breath of autumn had already deprived of their leaves, and, with the
help of an old gardener, he was enveloping them in straw. His face
expressed calm, good-humour and health.

He seemed very pleased to see me, and began to question me on the
terrible events which I had witnessed. I related them.

The old man heard me with attention, and, while listening, cut the dead
branches.

"Poor Mironoff! " said he, when I had done my sad story; "'tis a pity! he
was a goot officer! And Matame Mironoff, she was a goot lady and
first-rate at pickled mushrooms. And what became of Masha, the Captain's
daughter? "

I replied that she had stayed in the fort, at the pope's house.

"Aie! aie! aie! " said the General. "That's bad! very bad; it is quite
impossible to count on the discipline of robbers. "

I drew his attention to the fact that Fort Belogorsk was not very far
away, and that probably his excellency would not delay dispatching a
detachment of troops to deliver the poor inhabitants.

The General shook his head with an air of indecision--

"We shall see! we shall see! " said he, "we have plenty of time to talk
about it. I beg you will come and take tea with me. This evening there
will be a council of war; you can give us exact information about that
rascal Pugatchef and his army. Now in the meantime go and rest. "

I went away to the lodging that had been assigned me, and where
Saveliitch was already installed. There I impatiently awaited the hour
fixed.

The reader may well believe I was anxious not to miss this council of
war, which was to have so great an influence on my life. I went at the
appointed hour to the General's, where I found one of the civil
officials of Orenburg, the head of the Customs, if I recollect right, a
little old man, fat and red-faced, dressed in a coat of watered silk.

He began questioning me on the fate of Ivan Kouzmitch, whom he called
his gossip, and he often interrupted me by many questions and
sententious remarks, which if they did not show a man versed in the
conduct of war, yet showed that he was possessed of natural wit, and of
intelligence. During this time the other guests had assembled. When all
were seated, and each one had been offered a cup of tea, the General
explained lengthily and minutely what was the affair in hand.

"Now, gentlemen, we must decide how we mean to act against the rebels.
Shall it be offensively or defensively? Each way has its disadvantages
and its advantages. Offensive warfare offers more hope of the enemy
being speedily crushed; but a defensive war is surer and less dangerous.
Consequently we will collect the votes according to the proper order,
that is to say, begin first consulting the juniors in respect of rank.
Now, Mr. Ensign," continued he, addressing me, "be so good as to give us
your opinion. "

I rose, and after having depicted in a few words Pugatchef and his band,
I declared that the usurper was not in a state to resist disciplined
troops. My opinion was received by the civil officials with visible
discontent.

They saw in it the headstrong impertinence of youth.

A murmur arose, and I distinctly heard said, half-aloud, the words,
"Beardless boy. " The General turned towards me, and smilingly said--

"Mr. Ensign, the early votes in a council of war are generally for
offensive measures. Now we will proceed. Mr. College Counsellor, tell us
your opinion? "

The little old man in the watered silk coat made haste to swallow his
third cup of tea, which he had mixed with a good help of rum.

"I think, your excellency," said he, "we must neither act on the
defensive nor yet on the offensive. "

"How so, Mr. Counsellor? " replied the General, astounded. "There is
nothing else open to us in tactics--one must act either on the defensive
or the offensive. "

"Your excellency, endeavour to suborn. "

"Eh! eh! your opinion is very judicious; the act of corruption is one
admitted by the rules of war, and we will profit by your counsel. We
might offer for the rascal's head seventy or even a hundred roubles, and
take them from the secret funds. "

"And then," interrupted the head of the Customs, "I'm a Kirghiz instead
of a College Counsellor if these robbers do not deliver up their ataman,
chained hand and foot. "

"We will think of it, and talk of it again," rejoined the General.
"Still, in any case, we must also take military measures. Gentlemen,
give your votes in proper order. "

Everyone's opinion was contrary to mine. Those present vied with each
other about the untrustworthiness of the troops, the uncertainty of
success, the necessity of prudence, and so forth. All were of opinion
that it was better to stay behind a strong wall, their safety assured by
cannon, than to tempt the fortune of war in the open field.

At last, when all the opinions had been given, the General shook the
ashes out of his pipe and made the following speech:--

"Gentlemen, I must tell you, for my part, I am entirely of the opinion
of our friend the ensign, for this opinion is based on the precepts of
good tactics, in which nearly always offensive movements are preferable
to defensive ones. " Here he paused a moment and filled his pipe. My
self-love was triumphant, and I cast a proud glance at the civil
officials who were whispering among themselves, with an air of disquiet
and discontent. "But, gentlemen," resumed the General, with a sigh, and
puffing out a cloud of smoke, "I dare not take upon myself such a great
responsibility, when the safety is in question of the provinces
entrusted to my care by Her Imperial Majesty, my gracious Sovereign.
Therefore I see I am obliged to abide by the advice of the majority,
which has ruled that prudence as well as reason declares that we should
await in the town the siege which threatens us, and that we should
defeat the attacks of the enemy by the force of artillery, and, if the
possibility present itself, by well-directed sorties. "

It was now the turn of the officials to look mockingly at me. The
council broke up. I could not help deploring the weakness of the honest
soldier who, against his own judgment, had decided to abide by the
counsel of ignorant and inexperienced people.

Several days after this memorable council of war, Pugatchef, true to his
word, approached Orenburg. From the top of the city wall I took note of
the army of the rebels, and it seemed to me that their number had
increased tenfold since the last assault I had witnessed. They had also
artillery, which had been taken from the little forts which had fallen
before Pugatchef. As I recollected the decision of the council of war, I
foresaw a long imprisonment within the walls of Orenburg, and I was
ready to cry with vexation.

Far be from me any intention of describing the siege of Orenburg, which
belongs to history, and not to a family memoir. In a few words,
therefore, I shall say that in consequence of the bad arrangements of
the authorities, the siege was disastrous for the inhabitants, who were
forced to suffer hunger and privation of all kinds. Life at Orenburg was
becoming unendurable; each one awaited in anxiety the fate that should
befall him. All complained of the famine, which was, indeed, awful.

The inhabitants ended by becoming accustomed to the shells falling on
their houses. Even the assaults of Pugatchef no longer excited great
disturbance. I was dying of ennui. The time passed but slowly. I could
not get any letter from Belogorsk, for all the roads were blocked, and
the separation from Marya became unbearable. My only occupation
consisted in my military rounds.

Thanks to Pugatchef, I had a pretty good horse, with which I shared my
scanty rations. Every day I passed beyond the ramparts, and I went and
fired away against the scouts of Pugatchef. In these sort of skirmishes
the rebels generally got the better of us, as they had plenty of food
and were capitally mounted.

Our thin, starved cavalry was unable to stand against them. Sometimes
our famished infantry took the field, but the depth of the snow
prevented action with any success against the flying cavalry of the
enemy. The artillery thundered vainly from the height of the ramparts,
and in the field guns could not work because of the weakness of the
worn-out horses. This is how we made war, and this is what the officials
of Orenburg called prudence and foresight.

One day, when we had succeeded in dispersing and driving before us a
rather numerous band, I came up with one of the hindmost Cossacks, and I
was about to strike him with my Turkish sabre when he took off his cap
and cried--

"Good day, Petr' Andrejitch; how is your health? "

I recognized our "_ouriadnik_. " I cannot say how glad I was to see him.

"Good day, Maximitch," said I, "is it long since you left Belogorsk? "

"No, not long, my little father, Petr' Andrejitch; I only came back
yesterday. I have a letter for you. "

"Where is it? " I cried, overjoyed.

"I have got it," rejoined Maximitch, putting his hand into his breast.
"I promised Palashka to give it to you. "

He handed me a folded paper, and immediately darted off at full gallop.
I opened it and read with emotion the following lines--

"It has pleased God to deprive me at once of my father and my mother. I
have no longer on earth either parents or protectors. I have recourse to
you, because I know you have always wished me well, and also that you
are ever ready to help those in need. I pray God this letter may reach
you. Maximitch has promised me he will ensure it reaching you. Palashka
has also heard Maximitch say that he often sees you from afar in the
sorties, and that you do not take care of yourself, nor think of those
who pray God for you with tears.

"I was long ill, and when at last I recovered, Alexey Ivanytch, who
commands here in the room of my late father, forced Father Garasim to
hand me over to him by threatening him with Pugatchef. I live under his
guardianship in our house. Alexey Ivanytch tries to oblige me to marry
him. He avers that he saved my life by not exposing Akoulina
Pamphilovna's stratagem when she spoke of me to the robbers as her
niece, but it would be easier to me to die than to become the wife of a
man like Chvabrine. He treats me with great cruelty, and threatens, if I
do not change my mind, to bring me to the robber camp, where I should
suffer the fate of Elizabeth Kharloff. [62]

"I have begged Alexey Ivanytch to give me some time to think it over. He
has given me three days; if at the end of that time I do not become his
wife I need expect no more consideration at his hands. Oh! my father,
Petr' Andrejitch, you are my only stay. Defend me, a poor girl. Beg the
General and all your superiors to send us help as soon as possible, and
come yourself if you can.

"I remain, your submissive orphan,

"MARYA MIRONOFF. "

I almost went mad when I read this letter. I rushed to the town,
spurring without pity my poor horse. During the ride I turned over in my
mind a thousand projects for rescuing the poor girl without being able
to decide on any. Arrived in the town I went straight to the General's,
and I actually ran into his room. He was walking up and down, smoking
his meerschaum pipe. Upon seeing me he stood still; my appearance
doubtless struck him, for he questioned me with a kind of anxiety on the
cause of my abrupt entry.

"Your excellency," said I, "I come to you as I would to my poor father.
Do not reject my request; the happiness of my whole life is in
question. "

"What is all this, my father? " asked the astounded General. "What can I
do for you? Speak. "

"Your excellency, allow me to take a battalion of soldiers and fifty
Cossacks, and go and clear out Fort Belogorsk. "

The General stared, thinking, probably, that I was out of my senses; and
he was not far wrong.

"How? What! what! Clear out Fort Belogorsk! " he said at last.
"I'll answer for success! " I rejoined, hotly. "Only let me go. "

"No, young man," he said, shaking his head; "it is so far away. The
enemy would easily block all communication with the principal strategic
point, which would quickly enable him to defeat you utterly and
decisively. A blocked communication, do you see? "

* * * * *

I took fright when I saw he was getting involved in a military
dissertation, and I made haste to interrupt him.

"The daughter of Captain Mironoff," I said, "has just written me a
letter asking for help. Chvabrine is obliging her to become his wife. "

"Indeed! Oh! this Chvabrine is a great rascal. If he falls into my hands
I'll have him tried in twenty-four hours, and we will shoot him on the
glacis of the fort. But in the meantime we must have patience. "

"Have patience! " I cried, beside myself. "Between this and then he will
ill-treat Marya. "

"Oh! " replied the General. "Still that would not be such a terrible
misfortune for her. It would be better for her to be the wife of
Chvabrine, who can now protect her. And when we shall have shot him,
then, with heaven's help, the betrothed will come together again. Pretty
little widows do not long remain single; I mean to say a widow more
easily finds a husband. "

"I'd rather die," I cried, furiously, "than leave her to Chvabrine. "

"Ah! Bah! " said the old man, "I understand now. Probably you are in love
with Marya Ivanofna. Then it is another thing. Poor boy! But still it is
not possible for me to give you a battalion and fifty Cossacks. This
expedition is unreasonable, and I cannot take it upon my own
responsibility. "

I bowed my head; despair overwhelmed me. All at once an idea flashed
across me, and what it was the reader will see in the next chapter, as
the old novelists used to say.




CHAPTER XI.

THE REBEL CAMP.


I left the General and made haste to return home.

Saveliitch greeted me with his usual remonstrances--

"What pleasure can you find, sir, in fighting with these drunken
robbers? Is it the business of a _'boyar_? ' The stars are not always
propitious, and you will only get killed for naught. Now if you were
making war with Turks or Swedes! But I'm ashamed even to talk of these
fellows with whom you are fighting. "

I interrupted his speech.

"How much money have I in all? "

"Quite enough," replied he, with a complacent and satisfied air. "It was
all very well for the rascals to hunt everywhere, but I over-reached
them. "

Thus saying he drew from his pocket a long knitted purse, all full of
silver pieces.

"Very well, Saveliitch," said I. "Give me half what you have there, and
keep the rest for yourself. I am about to start for Fort Belogorsk. "

"Oh! my father, Petr' Andrejitch," cried my good follower, in a
tremulous voice; "do you not fear God? How do you mean to travel now
that all the roads be blocked by the robbers? At least, take pity on
your parents if you have none on yourself. Where do you wish to go?
Wherefore? Wait a bit, the troops will come and take all the robbers.
Then you can go to the four winds. "

My resolution was fixed.

"It is too late to reflect," I said to the old man. "I must go; it is
impossible for me not to go. Do not make yourself wretched, Saveliitch.
God is good; we shall perhaps meet again. Mind you be not ashamed to
spend my money; do not be a miser. Buy all you have need of, even if you
pay three times the value of things. I make you a present of the money
if in three days' time I be not back. "

"What's that you're saying, sir? " broke in Saveliitch; "that I shall
consent to let you go alone? Why, don't dream of asking me to do so. If
you have resolved to go I will e'en go along with you, were it on foot;
but I will not forsake you. That I should stay snugly behind a stone
wall! Why, I should be mad! Do as you please, sir, but I do not leave
you. "

I well knew it was not possible to contradict Saveliitch, and I allowed
him to make ready for our departure.

In half-an-hour I was in the saddle on my horse, and Saveliitch on a
thin and lame "_garron_," which a townsman had given him for nothing,
having no longer anything wherewith to feed it. We gained the town
gates; the sentries let us pass, and at last we were out of Orenburg.

Night was beginning to fall. The road I had to follow passed before the
little village of Berd, held by Pugatchef. This road was deep in snow,
and nearly hidden; but across the steppe were to be seen tracks of
horses each day renewed.

I was trotting. Saveliitch could hardly keep up with me, and cried to me
every minute--

"Not so fast, sir, in heaven's name not so fast! My confounded
'_garron_' cannot catch up your long-legged devil. Why are you in such a
hurry? Are we bound to a feast? Rather have we our necks under the axe.
Petr' Andrejitch! Oh! my father, Petr' Andrejitch! Oh, Lord! this
'_boyar's_' child will die, and all for nothing! "

We soon saw twinkling the fires of Berd. We were approaching the deep
ravines which served as natural fortifications to the little settlement.
Saveliitch, though keeping up to me tolerably well, did not give over
his lamentable supplications. I was hoping to pass safely by this
unfriendly place, when all at once I made out in the dark five peasants,
armed with big sticks.

It was an advance guard of Pugatchef's camp. They shouted to us--

"Who goes there? "

Not knowing the pass-word, I wanted to pass them without reply, but in
the same moment they surrounded me, and one of them seized my horse by
the bridle. I drew my sword, and struck the peasant on the head. His
high cap saved his life; still, he staggered, and let go the bridle. The
others were frightened, and jumped aside. Taking advantage of their
scare, I put spurs to my horse, and dashed off at full gallop.

The fast increasing darkness of the night might have saved me from any
more difficulties, when, looking back, I discovered that Saveliitch was
no longer with me. The poor old man with his lame horse had not been
able to shake off the robbers. What was I to do?

After waiting a few minutes and becoming certain he had been stopped, I
turned my horse's head to go to his help. As I approached the ravine I
heard from afar confused shouts, and the voice of my Saveliitch.
Quickening my pace, I soon came up with the peasants of the advance
guard who had stopped me a few minutes previously. They had surrounded
Saveliitch, and had obliged the poor old man to get off his horse, and
were making ready to bind him.

The sight of me filled them with joy. They rushed upon me with shouts,
and in a moment I was off my horse. One of them, who appeared to be the
leader, told me they were going to take me before the Tzar.

"And our father," added he, "will decide whether you are to be hung at
once or if we are to wait for God's sunshine! "

I offered no resistance. Saveliitch followed my example, and the
sentries led us away in triumph.

We crossed the ravine to enter the settlement. All the peasants' houses
were lit up. All around arose shouts and noise. I met a crowd of people
in the street, but no one paid any attention to us, or recognized in me
an officer of Orenburg. We were taken to a "_izba_," built in the angle
of two streets. Near the door were several barrels of wine and two
cannons.

"Here is the palace! " said one of the peasants; "we will go and announce
you. "

He entered the "_izba_. " I glanced at Saveliitch; the old man was making
the sign of the cross, and muttering prayers. We waited a long time. At
last the peasant reappeared, and said to me--

"Come, our father has given orders that the officer be brought in. "

I entered the "_izba_," or the palace, as the peasant called it. It was
lighted by two tallow candles, and the walls were hung with gold paper.
All the rest of the furniture, the benches, the table, the little
washstand jug hung to a cord, the towel on a nail, the oven fork
standing up in a corner, the wooden shelf laden with earthen pots, all
was just as in any other "_izba_. Pugatchef sat beneath the holy
pictures in a red caftan and high cap, his hand on his thigh. Around
him stood several of his principal chiefs, with a forced expression of
submission and respect. It was easy to see that the news of the arrival
of an officer from Orenburg had aroused a great curiosity among the
rebels, and that they were prepared to receive me in pomp. Pugatchef
recognized me at the first glance. His feigned gravity disappeared at
once.

"Ah! it is your lordship," said he, with liveliness. "How are you? What
in heaven's name brings you here? "

I replied that I had started on a journey on my own business, and that
his people had stopped me.

"And on what business? " asked he.

I knew not what to say. Pugatchef, thinking I did not want to explain
myself before witnesses, made a sign to his comrades to go away. All
obeyed except two, who did not offer to stir.

"Speak boldly before these," said Pugatchef; "hide nothing from them. "

I threw a side glance upon these two confederates of the usurper. One of
them, a little old man, meagre and bent, with a scanty grey beard, had
nothing remarkable about him, except a broad blue ribbon worn cross-ways
over his caftan of thick grey cloth. But I shall never forget his
companion. He was tall, powerfully built, and appeared to be about
forty-five. A thick red beard, piercing grey eyes, a nose without
nostrils, and marks of the hot iron on his forehead and on his cheeks,
gave to his broad face, seamed with small-pox, a strange and indefinable
expression. He wore a red shirt, a Kirghiz dress, and wide Cossack
trousers. The first, as I afterwards learnt, was the deserter, Corporal
Beloborodoff. The other, Athanasius Sokoloff, nicknamed Khlopusha,[63]
was a criminal condemned to the mines of Siberia, whence he had escaped
three times. In spite of the feelings which then agitated me, this
company wherein I was thus unexpectedly thrown greatly impressed me. But
Pugatchef soon recalled me to myself by his question.

"Speak! On what business did you leave Orenburg? "

A strange idea occurred to me. It seemed to me that Providence, in
bringing me a second time before Pugatchef, opened to me a way of
executing my project. I resolved to seize the opportunity, and, without
considering any longer what course I should pursue, I replied to
Pugatchef--

"I was going to Fort Belogorsk, to deliver there an orphan who is being
oppressed. "

Pugatchef's eyes flashed.

"Who among my people would dare to harm an orphan? " cried he. "Were he
ever so brazen-faced, he should never escape my vengeance! Speak, who
is the guilty one? "

"Chvabrine," replied I; "he keeps in durance the same young girl whom
you saw with the priest's wife, and he wants to force her to become his
wife. "

"I'll give him a lesson, Master Chvabrine! " cried Pugatchef, with a
fierce air. "He shall learn what it is to do as he pleases under me, and
to oppress my people. I'll hang him. "

"Bid me speak a word," broke in Khlopusha, in a hoarse voice. "You were
too hasty in giving Chvabrine command of the fort, and now you are too
hasty in hanging him. You have already offended the Cossacks by giving
them a gentleman as leader--do not, therefore, now affront the gentlemen
by executing them on the first accusation. "

"They need neither be overwhelmed with favours nor be pitied," the
little old man with the blue ribbon now said, in his turn. "There would
be no harm in hanging Chvabrine, neither would there be any harm in
cross-examining this officer. Why has he deigned to pay us a visit? If
he do not recognize you as Tzar, he needs not to ask justice of you; if,
on the other hand, he do recognize you, wherefore, then, has he stayed
in Orenburg until now, in the midst of your enemies. Will you order that
he be tried by fire? [64] It would appear that his lordship is sent to us
by the Generals in Orenburg. "

The logic of the old rascal appeared plausible even to me. An
involuntary shudder thrilled through me as I remembered in whose hands I
was.

Pugatchef saw my disquiet.

"Eh, eh! your lordship," said he, winking, "it appears to me my
field-marshal is right. What do you think of it? "

The banter of Pugatchef in some measure restored me to myself.

I quietly replied that I was in his power, and that he could do with me
as he listed.

"Very well," said Pugatchef; "now tell me in what state is your town? "

"Thank God," replied I, "all is in good order. "

"In good order! " repeated Pugatchef, "and the people are dying of hunger
there. "

The usurper spoke truth; but, according to the duty imposed on me by my
oath, I assured him it was a false report, and that Orenburg was amply
victualled.

"You see," cried the little old man, "that he is deceiving you. All the
deserters are unanimous in declaring famine and plague are in Orenburg,
that they are eating carrion there as a dish of honour. And his lordship
assures us there is abundance of all. If you wish to hang Chvabrine,
hang on the same gallows this lad, so that they need have naught
wherewith to reproach each other. "

The words of the confounded old man seemed to have shaken Pugatchef.

Happily, Khlopusha began to contradict his companion.

"Hold your tongue, Naumitch," said he; "you only think of hanging and
strangling. It certainly suits you well to play the hero. Already you
have one foot in the grave, and you want to kill others.