XI. THE REBEL CAMP.
I left the General and hastened to my quarters. Saveliitch receivedme with his usual remonstrance: "What pleasure, my lord, is there infighting these drunken brigands? If they were Turks or Swedes, allright; but these sons of dogs--"
I interrupted him: "How much money have I in all?"
"You have plenty," said he with a satisfied air. "I knew how to whiskit out of sight of the rogues." He drew from his pocket a long knittedpurse full of silver coin.
"Saveliitch, give me half of what you have there, and keep the rest foryourself. I am off for the fortress of Belogorsk."
"Oh, Peter!" said the old serf, "do you not fear God? The roads are cutoff. Have pity on your parents; wait a little; our troops will come anddisperse the brigands, and then you can go to the four quarters of theworld."
"It is too late to reflect. I must go. Do not grieve, Saveliitch; I makeyou a present of that money. Buy what you need. If I do not return inthree days--"
"My dear," said the old man, "I will go with you, were it on foot. Ifyou go, I must first lose my senses before I will stay crouching behindstone walls."
There was never any use disputing with the old man. In half an hourI was in the saddle, Saveliitch on an old, half-starved, limpingrosinante, which a citizen, not having fodder, had given for nothing tothe serf. We reached the city gates; the sentinels let us pass, and wewere finally out of Orenbourg. Night was falling. My road lay before thetown of Berd, the headquarters of Pougatcheff. This road was blocked upand hidden by snow; but across the steppe were traces of horses, renewedfrom day to day, apparently, and clearly visible. I was going at agallop, Saveliitch could scarcely keep up and shouted, "Not so fast! Mynag can not follow yours." Very soon we saw the lights of Berd. We wereapproaching deep ravines, which served as natural fortifications to thetown. Saveliitch, without however being left behind, never ceased hislamentations. I was in hopes of passing safely the enemy's place, whenI saw through the darkness five peasants armed with bigsticks--Pougatcheff's extreme outpost.
"_Qui vive_! Who goes there?"
Not knowing the watchword, I was for going on without answering. But oneof them seized my horse's bridle. I drew my sabre and struck the peasantof the head. His cap saved his life; he staggered and fell; the others,frightened, let me pass. The darkness, which was deepening, mighthave saved me from further hindrance; when, looking back, I saw thatSaveliitch was not with me. What was I to do? The poor old man, with hislame horse, could not escape from the rascals. I waited a minute; then,sure that they must have seized him, I turned my horse's head to go andaid him. Approaching the ravine I heard voices, and recognized that ofSaveliitch. Hastening my steps, was soon within sight of the peasants.They had dismounted the old man, and were about to garrote him. Theyrushed upon me; in an instant I was on foot. Their chief said I shouldbe conducted to the Czar. I made no resistance. We crossed the ravineto enter the town, which was illuminated. The streets were crowded andnoisy. We were taken to a hut on the corner of two streets. There weresome barrels of wine and a cannon near the door. One of the peasantssaid: "Here is the palace; we will announce you." I glanced atSaveliitch; he was making signs of the cross, and praying. We waited along time. At last the peasant re-appeared and said: "The Czar ordersthe officers to his presence."
The palace, as the peasant called it, was lighted by two tallow candles.The walls were hung with gold paper. But every thing else, the benches,the table, the basin hung up by a cord, the towel on a nail in the wall,the shelf laden with earthen vessels, were exactly the same as in anyother cabin. Pougatcheff, wearing his scarlet cafetan and high Cossackcap, with his hand on his hip, sat beneath the sacred pictures common toevery Russian abode. Around him stood several of his chiefs. I couldsee that the arrival of an officer from Orenbourg had awakenedsome curiosity, and that they had prepared to receive me with pomp.Pougatcheff recognized me at once, and his assumed gravity disappeared.
"Ah! it is your lordship! how are you? What brings you here?"
I replied that I was traveling about my private business, when hispeople arrested me.
"What business?" asked he. I did not know what to answer. Pougatcheffthinking that I would not speak before witnesses gave a sign to hiscomrades to leave. All obeyed except two. "Speak before these," said he;"conceal nothing from them."
I glanced at these intimates of the usurper. One was an old man frailand bent, remarkable for nothing but a blue riband crossed over hiscoarse gray cloth cafetan; but I shall never forget his companion. Hewas tall, of powerful build, and seemed about forty-five. A thick redbeard, piercing gray eyes, a nose without nostrils, marks of the searingirons on his forehead and cheeks, gave to his broad face, pitted bysmall-pox a most fierce expression. He wore a red shirt, a Kirghis robe,and wide Cossack pantaloons. Although wholly pre-occupied by my ownfeelings, yet this company deeply impressed me. Pougatcheff recalled meto myself quickly.
"What business brought you from Orenbourg?"
A bold idea suggested itself to my mind. It seemed to me thatProvidence, leading me a second time before this robber, gave me themeans of accomplishing my work. I decided to seize the chance, andwithout reflecting on the step, I replied:
"I am on the way to the fortress of Belogorsk to liberate an oppressedorphan there."
Pougatcheff's eyes flashed. "Who dares to oppress an orphan? Were heseven feet high, he shall not escape my vengeance. Speak, who is theguilty one?"
"Alexis; he holds in slavery that same young girl whom you saw at FatherGarasim's, and wants to force her to marry him."
"I shall give Alexis a lesson! I'll teach him to oppress my subjects. Ishall hang him."
"Permit me a word," said the man without nostrils. "You were too hastygiving the command to Alexis. You offended the Cossacks by giving thema noble as chief; do not offend the gentlemen by hanging one of them onthe first accusation."
"There is no need to pardon nor pity," said the man with the blueriband. "It would be no harm to hang Alexis, nor to question thisgentleman. Why does he visit us? If he does not acknowledge you as Czarhe has no justice to get at your hands; if he acknowledge you, whydid he stay at Orenbourg with your enemies? Will you not order him toprison, and have a fire lighted there?"
The old rascal's logic seemed plausible even to myself. I shuddered whenI remembered into whose hands I had fallen. Pougatcheff saw my trouble.
"Eh! eh! your lordship," said he, winking, "it seems my field-marshal isright. What do you think?"
The jesting tone of the chief restored my courage. I replied calmly thatI was in his power.
"Well," said Pougatcheff, "tell me now the condition of your city?"
"It is, thank God, in a good state."
"A good condition," repeated the brigand, "when the people are dying ofhunger."
The usurper was right, but according to the duty imposed by my oath, Iaffirmed that it was a false report, and that the fort was sufficientlyprovisioned.
"You see he deceives you," interrupted the man with the riband. "Allthe deserters are unanimous in saying that famine and pestilence areat Orenbourg; that thistles are eaten as dainties there. If you wish tohang Alexis, hang on the same gibbet this young fellow, that they may beequal."
These words seemed to shake the chief. Happily the other wretch opposedthis view.
"Silence," said this powerful fellow. "You think of nothing but hangingand strangling. It becomes _you_ to play the hero. To look at you, noone knows where your soul is."
"And which of the saints are you?" replied the old man.
"Generals," said Pougatcheff, with dignity, "an end to your quarrels.It would be no great loss if all the mangy dogs from Orenbourg weredangling their legs under the same cross-beam; but it would be amisfortune if our own good dogs should bite each other."
Feeling the necessity of changing the conversation, I turned toPougatcheff with a smile, and said:
"Ah! I forgot to thank you for the horse and touloup. Without your aidI should not have reache
d the city. I would have died from cold on thejourney." My trick succeeded. Pougatcheff regained his good humor.
"The beauty of debt is the payment thereof," said he, winking. "Tellme your story. What have you to do with the young girl that Alexispersecutes? Has she caught your heart, too?"
"She is my promised bride," said I, seeing no risk in speaking thetruth.
"Your promised bride! Why did you not tell me sooner? We'll marry you,and be at your wedding. Listen, Field-marshal," said he. "We are oldfriends, his lordship and I. Lets us go to supper. Tomorrow we shallsee what is to be done with him. Night brings wisdom, and the morning isbetter than the evening."
I would gladly have excused myself from proposed honor, but it wasimpossible. Two Cossacks girls covered the table with a white cloth, andbrought bread, soup made of fish, and pitchers of wine and beer. Thus,for the second time, I was at table with Pougatcheff and his terriblecompanions. The orgie lasted far into the night. Drunkenness at lasttriumphed. Pougatcheff fell asleep in his place, and his companionssigned to me to leave him. I went out with them. The sentry locked meup in a dark hole, where I found Saveliitch. He was so surprised by allthat he saw and heard, that he asked no questions. Lying in darkness, hesoon fell asleep.
The next morning Pougatcheff sent for me. Before his door stood akibitka, with three horses abreast. The street was crowded. Pougatcheff,whom I met in the entry of his hut, was dressed for a journey, in apelisse and Kirghis cap. His guests of the previous night surroundedhim, and wore a look of submission which contrasted strongly with whatI had seen on the preceding evening. Pougatcheff bade me good-morninggaily, and ordered me to sit beside him in the kibitka. We took ourplaces.
"To the fortress of Belogorsk," said Pougatcheff to the robust Tartar,who, standing, drove his horses. My heart beat violently. The Tartarhorses shot off, the bells tinkled, the kibitka flew over the snow.
"Stop! stop!" cried a voice I knew too well. "O Peter! do not abandon mein my old age, in the midst of the rob--"
"Ah, you old owl!" said Pougatcheff, "sit up there in front."
"Thanks, Czar, may God give you a long life."
The horses set off again. The people in the streets stopped and bowedlow, as the usurper passed. Pougatcheff saluted right and left. In aninstant we were out of the town, taking our way over a well-definedroad. I was silent. Pougatcheff broke in upon my reverie. "Why sosilent, my lord?" said he.
"I can not help thinking," said I, "of the chain of events. I am anofficer, noble, yesterday at war with you; today I ride in the samecarriage with you, and all the happiness of my life depends on you."
"Are you afraid?"
"You have already given me my life!"
"You say truly. You know how my fellows looked upon you; only today theywanted to try you as a spy. The old one wanted to torture and then hangyou; but I would not, because I remembered your glass of wine and yourtouloup. I am not bloodthirsty, as your friends say." I remembered thetaking of our fortress, but I did not contradict him.
"What do they say of me at Orenbourg?"
"It is said there, that you will not be easily vanquished. It must beconfessed that you have given us some work."
"Yes; I am a great warrior. Do you think the King Prussia is as strongas I?"
"What do you think yourself? Can you beat Frederick?"
"Frederick the Great? Why not? Wait till I march to Moscow!"
"You really intend to march on Moscow?"
"God knows," said he, reflecting; "my road is narrow--my boys do notobey--they are thieves--I must listen--keep my ears open; at the firstreverse they would save their own necks by my head."
"Would it not be better," I said, "to abandon them now, before it is toolate, and have recourse to the clemency of the Empress?"
He smiled bitterly. "No; the time is passed. I shall end as I began. Whoknows?"
Our Tartar was humming a plaintive air; Saveliitch, sound asleep, swayedfrom side to side; our kibitka was gliding rapidly over the winter road.I saw in the distance a village well known to my eyes, with its palisadeand church spire on the steep bank of the river Iaik. A quarter of anhour after we entered the fortress of Belogorsk.