VII. THE ASSAULT.
I could not sleep during the night, and did not even undress. I intendedto be at the fortress gates at day-dawn to see Marie set out, and bidher a last adieu. I was completely changed. Excitement was less painfulthan my former melancholy, for with the grief of separation theremingled vague but secret hope, impatient expectation of danger, and ahigh ambition. Night passed quickly. I was on the point of going out,when my door opened, and the Corporal entered, saying that our Cossackshad deserted the fortress during the night, forcing with them Zoulac,the Christian Kalmouk, and that all around our ramparts, unknown peoplewere riding. The idea that Marie had not been able to get off, froze mewith terror. I gave, in haste, a few instructions to the Corporal, andran to the Commandant's.
Day was breaking. I was going down the street swiftly when I heard myname called. I stopped.
"Where are you going, dare I ask?" said Ignatius, catching up with me;"the Captain is on the rampart and sends me for you. Pougatcheff ishere."
"Is Marie gone?" I said, shuddering.
"She was not ready in time; communication with Orenbourg is cut off; thefortress is surrounded. Peter, this is bad work."
We went to the rampart--a small height formed by nature and fortifiedby a palisade. The garrison was there under arms. The cannon had beendragged there the evening before. The Commandant was walking up and downbefore his little troop--the approach of danger had restored to the oldwarrior extraordinary vigor. On the steppe, not far from the fortress,there were some twenty horsemen, who looked like Cossacks; but amongstthem were a few Bashkirs, easily recognized by their caps and quivers.The Commandant passed before the ranks of his small army and said to thesoldiers: "Come, boys, let us fight today for our mother the Empress,and show the world that we are brave men and faithful to our oath."
The soldiers, with loud shouts, testified their good will. Alexis wasstanding by me examining the enemy. The people on the steppe, seeing, nodoubt, some movement in our fort, collected in groups and spoke amongstthemselves. The Commandant ordered Ignatius to point the cannon uponthem, he himself applying the light. The ball whistled over their headswithout doing them any harm. The horsemen dispersed at once, settingoff on a gallop, and the steppe became deserted. At this moment Basiliaappeared on the rampart, followed by Marie, who would not leave her.
"Well," said the Captain's wife, "how is the battle going? Where is theenemy?"
"The enemy is not far off," replied Ivan, "but if God wills it, all willbe well; and thou, Marie, art thou afraid?"
"No, papa," said Marie, "I am more afraid by myself in the house." Sheglanced at me, and tried to smile. I pressed my sword, remembering thatI had received it from her on the preceding eve, as if for her defense.My heart was on fire. I fancied myself her knight, and longed to provemyself worthy of her trust. I awaited the decisive moment impatiently.
Suddenly coming from behind a hill, eight versts from the fortress,appeared new groups of horsemen, and soon the whole steppe was coveredby men armed with lances and arrows. Amongst them, wearing a scarletcafetan, sword in hand, could be distinguished a man mounted on a whitehorse. This was Pougatcheff himself. He halted, was surrounded by hisfollowers, and very soon, probably by his orders, four men left thecrowd and galloped to our ramparts. We recognized among them ourtraitors. One of them raised a sheet of paper above his cap and anothercarried on the point of his lance Zoulac's head, which he threw to usover the palisade. The poor Kalmouk's head rolled at the feet of theCommandant.
The traitors shouted to us: "Do not fire, come out and receive the Czar.The Czar is here."
"Fire!" shouted the Captain as sole reply.
The soldiers discharged their pieces. The Cossack who held the letter,tottered and fell from his horse; the others fled. I glanced at Marie.Petrified by horror at the sight of the Kalmouk's head, dizzy from thenoise of the discharge, she seemed lifeless. The Commandant ordered theCorporal to take the letter from the hand of the dead Cossack. Ignatiussallied out and returned, leading by the bridle the man's horse. He gavethe letter to Ivan, who read it in a low voice and tore it up. Meantimethe rebels were preparing for an attack. Very soon balls whistled aboutour ears, and arrows fell around us, buried deep in the ground.
"Basilia," said the Captain, "women have nothing to do here; take awayMarie; you see the child is more dead than alive." Basilia, whom thesound of the balls had rendered more yielding, glanced at the steppewhere much movement was visible, and said: "Ivan, life and death arefrom God; bless Marie; come, child, to thy father."
Pale and trembling, Marie came and knelt, bending low before him. Theold Commandant made three times the sign of the cross over her, thenraising, kissed her, and said in a broken voice: "Oh! my dear Marie!pray to God, he will never abandon thee. If an honest man seek thee, mayGod give you both love and goodness. Live together as we have lived; mywife and I. Adieu! my dear Marie! Basilia, take her away quickly."
Marie put her arms around his neck and sobbed. The Captain's wife, intears, said: "Embrace us also; adieu, Ivan; if ever I have crossed you,forgive me."
"Adieu! adieu! my dear," said the Commandant, kissing his old companion."Come! enough! go to the house, and if you have time dress Marie in herbest; let her wear a sarafan, embroidered in gold, as is our custom forburial."
Ivan Mironoff returned to us, and fixed all his attention upon theenemy. The rebels collected around their chief and suddenly began toadvance. "Be firm, boys," said the Commandant, "the assault begins." Atthat instant savage war-cries were heard. The rebels were approachingthe fortress with their accustomed fleetness. Our cannon was chargedwith grape and canister. The Commandant let them come within shortrange, and again put a light to his piece. The shot struck in the midstof the force, which scattered in every direction. Only their chiefremained in advance, and he, waving his sabre, seemed to be rallyingthem. Their piercing shouts, which had ceased an instant, redoubledagain. "Now, children," ordered the Captain, "open the gate, beat thedrum, and advance! Follow me, for a sortie!"
The Captain, Ignatius and I were in an instant beyond the parapet. Butthe frightened garrison had not moved from the square. "What are youdoing, my children?" shouted the Captain; "if we must die, let us die;the imperial service demands it!"
At this moment the rebels fell upon us, and forced the entrance to thecitadel. The drum was silent; the garrison threw down their arms. I hadbeen knocked down, but I rose and entered, pell-mell, with the crowdsinto the fortress. I saw the Commandant wounded on the head, and closedupon by a small troop of bandits, who demanded the keys. I was runningto his aid when several powerful Cossacks seized me and bound me withtheir long sashes, crying out: "Wait there, traitor to the Czar, till weknow what to do with you."
We were dragged along the streets. The inhabitants came out of theirhouses offering bread and salt. The bells were rung. Suddenly, shoutsannounced that the Czar was on the square, awaiting to receive the oathsof the prisoners.
Pougatcheff was seated in an arm-chair on the steps of the Commandant'shouse. He was robed in an elegant Cossack cafetan embroidered on theseams. A high cap of martin-skin, ornamented with gold tassels, coveredhis brow almost to his flashing eyes. His face seemed to me not unknown.Cossack chiefs surrounded him. Father Garasim, pale and trembling,stood, the cross in his hand, at the foot of the steps, and seemed tosupplicate in silence for the victims brought before him.
On the square itself, a gallows was hastily erected. When we approached,the Bashkirs opened a passage through the crowd and presented us toPougatcheff. The bells ceased; the deepest silence prevailed. "Which isthe Commandant?" asked the usurper. Our Corporal came out of the crowdand pointed to Mironoff. Pougatcheff looked at the old man with aterrible expression, and said to him: "How did you dare to oppose me,your emperor?"
The Commandant, weakened by his wound, collected all his energy, andsaid, in a firm but faint voice: "You are not my emperor; you are ausurper and a brigand."
Pougatcheff frowned and raised his white handkerchi
ef. Immediately theold Captain was seized by Cossacks and dragged to the gibbet. Astridethe cross-beam of the gallows, sat the mutilated Bashkirs who we hadquestioned; he held a rope in his hand, and I saw, an instant after,poor Ivan Mironoff suspended in the air. Then Ignatius was brought upbefore Pougatcheff.
"Take the oath to the emperor, Peter Fedorovitch."
"You are not our emperor," replied the Lieutenant, repeating hisCaptain's words, "you are a brigand and a usurper."
Pougatcheff again made a signal with his handkerchief, and the kindIgnatius hung beside his ancient chief. It was my turn. I looked boldlyat Pougatcheff, preparing to repeat the words of my brave comrades, whento my inexpressible astonishment I saw Alexis amongst the rebels. He hadhad time to cut his hair round, and exchange his uniform for a Cossackcafetan. He approached Pougatcheff and whispered to him. "Let him behung," said Pougatcheff, not deigning to look at me. A rope was putaround my neck. I uttered a prayer to God in a low voice, expressingsincere repentance for my sins, and imploring him to save all those dearto my heart. I was led beneath the gibbet. A shout was heard, "Stop!Stop!" The executioners paused. I looked. Saveliitch was kneeling atPougatcheff's feet. "O my lord and master," said my dear old serf, "whatdo you want with that nobleman's child? Set him free, you will get agood ransom for his life; but for an example, and to frighten the rest,command that I, an old man, shall be hung."
Pougatcheff made a sign. They unbound me at once. "Our emperor pardonsyou," they said. At the moment I did not know that my deliverance was acause for joy or for sorrow. My mind was too confused. I was taken againbefore the usurper and made to kneel at his feet. Pougatcheff offered mehis muscular hand. "Kiss his hand! Kiss his hand!" cried out allaround me. But I would have preferred the most atrocious torture to adegradation so infamous. "My dear Peter," whispered Saveliitch, who wasstanding behind me, "do not play the obstinate; what does it cost? Kissthe brigand's hand."
I did not move. Pougatcheff drew back his hand: "His lordship isstupefied with joy; raise him up," said he. I was at liberty. Then Iwitnessed the continuation of the infamous comedy.
The inhabitants began to take the oath. They went one by one to kiss thecross and salute the usurper. After them came the garrison soldiers.The company's tailor, armed with his great blunt-pointed shears, cut offtheir queues; they shook their heads and kissed the hand of Pougatcheff,who declared them pardoned and received into his troops. This lasted fornearly three hours. At last Pougatcheff rose from his arm-chair and wentdown the steps, followed by his chiefs. A white horse richly caparisonedwas led to him; tow Cossacks helped him into the saddle. He signifiedto Father Garasim that he would dine with him. At this moment wildheart-rending shrieks from a woman filled the air. Basilia, without hermantle, her hair in disorder, was dragged out on the steps; one thebrigands had on her mantle; the others were carrying away her chests,her linen, and other household goods. "O good men," she cried, "letme go, take me to Ivan Mironoff." Suddenly she saw the gibbet andrecognized her husband. "Wretches," she cried, "What have you done? O mylight, Ivan! Brave soldier! no Prussian ball, nor Turkish sabre killedthee, but a vile condemned deserter."
"Silence that old sorceress," said Pougatcheff.
A young Cossack struck her with his sabre on the head. She fell dead atthe foot of the steps. Pougatcheff rode off, all the people following.