Several cannons2, among which I recognized ours, were placed on field-gun carriages. All the inhabitants had assembled in the same place, awaiting the usurper3. Before the door of the Commandant’s house a Cossack held by the bridle4 a magnificent white horse of Kirghiz breed. I sought with my eyes the body of the Commandant’s wife; it had been pushed aside and covered over with an old bark mat.
At last Pugatchéf came out of the house. All the crowd uncovered. Pugatchéf stopped on the doorstep and said good-morning to everybody. One of the chiefs handed him a bag filled with small pieces of copper6, which he began to throw broadcast among the people, who rushed to pick them up, fighting for them with blows.
The principal confederates of Pugatchéf surrounded him. Among them was Chvabrine. Our eyes met; he could read contempt in mine, and he looked away with an expression of deep hatred7 and pretended mockery. Seeing me in the crowd Pugatchéf beckoned8 to me and called me up to him.
“Listen,” said he, “start this very minute for Orenburg. You will tell the governor and all the generals from me that they may expect me in a week. Advise them to receive me with submission9 and filial love; if not, they will not escape a terrible punishment. A good journey, to your lordship.”
Then turning to the people, he pointed10 out Chvabrine.
“There, children,” said he, “is your new Commandant; obey him in all things; he answers to me for you and the fort.”
I heard these words with affright. Chvabrine become master of the place! Marya remained in his power! Good God! what would become of her? Pugatchéf came down the steps, his horse was brought round, he sprang quickly into the saddle, without waiting for the help of the Cossacks prepared to aid him.
At this moment I saw my Savéliitch come out of the crowd, approach Pugatchéf, and present him with a sheet of paper. I could not think what it all meant.
“What is it?” asked Pugatchéf, with dignity.
“Deign to read it, and you will see,” replied Savéliitch.
Pugatchéf took the paper and looked at it a long time with an air of importance. At last he said —
“You write very illegibly11; our lucid60 eyes cannot make out anything. Where is our Chief Secretary?”
A youth in a corporal’s uniform ran up to Pugatchéf.
“Read it aloud,” the usurper said to him, handing him the paper.
I was extremely curious to know on what account my retainer had thought of writing to Pugatchéf. The Chief Secretary began in a loud voice, spelling out what follows —
“Two dressing12 gowns, one cotton, the other striped silk, six roubles.”
“What does that mean?” interrupted Pugatchéf, frowning.
“Tell him to read further,” rejoined Savéliitch, quite unmoved.
The Chief Secretary continued to read —
“One uniform of fine green cloth, seven roubles; one pair trousers, white cloth, five roubles; twelve shirts of Holland shirting, with cuffs13, ten roubles; one box with tea service, two-and-a-half roubles.”
“What is all this nonsense?” cried Pugatchéf. “What do these tea-boxes and breeches with cuffs matter to me?”
Savéliitch cleared his throat with a cough, and set to work to explain matters.
“Let my father condescend14 to understand that that is the bill of my master’s goods which have been taken away by the rascals15.”
“What rascals?” quoth Pugatchéf, in a fierce and terrible manner.
“Beg pardon, my tongue played me false,” replied Savéliitch. “Rascals, no they are not rascals; but still your fellows have well harried16 and well robbed, you must agree. Do not get angry; the horse has four legs, and yet he stumbles. Bid him read to the end.”
“Well, let us see, read on,” said Pugatchéf.
The Secretary continued —
“One chintz rug, another of wadded silk, four roubles; one pelisse fox skin lined with red ratteen, forty roubles; and lastly, a small hareskin ‘touloup,’ which was left in the hands of your lordship in the wayside house on the steppe, fifteen roubles.”
“What’s that?” cried Pugatchéf, whose eyes suddenly sparkled.
I confess I was in fear for my poor follower17. He was about to embark18 on new explanations when Pugatchéf interrupted him.
“How dare you bother me with such nonsense?” cried he, snatching the paper out of the hands of the Secretary and throwing it in Savéliitch’s face. “Foolish old man, you have been despoiled19; well, what does it signify. But, old owl20, you should eternally pray God for me and my lads that you and your master do not swing up there with the other rebels. A hareskin ‘touloup!’ Hark ye, I’ll have you flayed21 alive that ‘touloups’ may be made of your skin.”
“As it may please you!” replied Savéliitch. “But I am not a free man, and I must answer for my lord’s goods.”
Pugatchéf was apparently22 in a fit of high-mindedness. He turned aside his head, and went off without another word. Chvabrine and the chiefs followed him. All the band left the fort in order. The people escorted it.
I remained alone in the square with Savéliitch. My follower held in his hand the memorandum23, and was contemplating24 it with an air of deep regret. Seeing my friendly understanding with Pugatchéf, 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 zeal25, and I could not help laughing.
“Laugh, sir, laugh,” said Savéliitch; “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 Ivánofna. 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 delirious26. Akoulina Pamphilovna brought me to her room. I gently approached the bed. I was struck by the frightful27 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 orphan28 left solitary29 and friendless in the power of rascals filled me with fear, while my own powerlessness equally distressed30 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 Bélogorsk, 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’ Andréj?tch; perhaps we may meet again in happier times. Don’t forget us, and write often to us. Except you, poor Marya Ivánofna has no longer stay or comforter.”
Out in the Square I stopped a minute before the gallows, which I respectfully saluted31, and I then took the road to Orenburg, accompanied by Savéliitch, who did not forsake32 me.
As I thus went along, deep in thought, I heard all at once a horse galloping33 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 gallop34, 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 slung35 a plain sheepskin “touloup.” “And, besides,” added he, hesitatingly, “he gives you a half-rouble, but I have lost it by the way; kindly36 excuse it.”
Savéliitch looked askance at him.
“You have lost it by the way,” said he, “and pray what is that which jingles37 in your pocket, barefaced38 liar39 that you are?”
“Jingling in my pocket?” replied the “ouriadnik,” not a whit5 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 Savéliitch 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 deigned40 to give him as a present, still they may be useful to us. ‘From an evil dog be glad of a handful of hairs.’”
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1
gallows
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| n.绞刑架，绞台 | |
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cannons
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| n.加农炮，大炮，火炮( cannon的名词复数 ) | |
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usurper
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| n. 篡夺者, 僭取者 | |
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bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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whit
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| n.一点，丝毫 | |
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copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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illegibly
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| adv.难读地，暧昧地 | |
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dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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cuffs
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| n.袖口( cuff的名词复数 )v.掌打，拳打( cuff的第三人称单数 ) | |
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condescend
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| v.俯就，屈尊；堕落，丢丑 | |
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rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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harried
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| v.使苦恼( harry的过去式和过去分词 )；不断烦扰；一再袭击；侵扰 | |
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follower
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| n.跟随者；随员；门徒；信徒 | |
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embark
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| vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机 | |
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despoiled
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| v.掠夺，抢劫( despoil的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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flayed
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| v.痛打( flay的过去式和过去分词 )；把…打得皮开肉绽；剥（通常指动物）的皮；严厉批评 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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memorandum
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| n.备忘录，便笺 | |
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contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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delirious
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| adj.不省人事的，神智昏迷的 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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orphan
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| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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forsake
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| vt.遗弃，抛弃；舍弃，放弃 | |
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galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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35
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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37
jingles
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| 叮当声( jingle的名词复数 )； 节拍十分规则的简单诗歌 | |
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barefaced
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| adj.厚颜无耻的，公然的 | |
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liar
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| n.说谎的人 | |
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deigned
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| v.屈尊，俯就( deign的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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