VIII. THE UNEXPECTED VISIT.
I stood in the vacant square, unable to collect my thoughts, disturbedby so many terrible emotions. Uncertainty about Marie's fate torturedme. Where is she? Is she concealed? Is her retreat safe? I went to theCommandant's house. It was in frightful disorder; the chairs, tables,presses had been burned up and the dishes were in fragments. I rushed upthe little stairs leading to Marie's room, which I entered for thefirst time in my life. A lamp still burned before the shrine whichhad enclosed the sacred objects revered by all true believers. Theclothes-press was empty, the bed broke up. The robbers had not taken thelittle mirror hanging between the door and the window. What had becomeof the mistress of this simple, virginal abode? A terrible thoughtflashed through my mind. Marie in hands of the brigands! My heart wastorn, and I cried aloud: "Marie! Marie!" I heard a rustle. Polacca,quite pale, came from her hiding-place behind the clothes-press.
"Ah! Peter," said she, clasping her hands, "what a day! what horrors!"
"Marie?" I asked impatiently, "Marie--where is she?"
"The young lady is alive," said the maid, "concealed at Accoulina's, atthe house of the Greek priest."
"Great God!" I cried, with terror, "Pougatcheff is there!"
I rushed out of the room, made a bound into the street and ran wildlyto the priest's house. It was ringing with songs, shouts and laughter.Pougatcheff was at table there with his men. Polacca had followed me;I sent her in to call out Accoulina secretly. Accoulina came into thewaiting-room, an empty bottle in her hand.
"In the name of heaven, where is Marie?" I asked with agitation.
"The little dove is lying on my bed behind the partition. Oh! Peter,what danger we have just escaped! The rascal had scarcely seated himselfat table than the poor thing moaned. I thought I should die of fright.He heard her. 'Who is moaning in your room, old woman?' 'My niece,Czar.' 'Let me see your niece, old woman.' I saluted him humbly; 'Myniece, Czar, has not strength to come before your grace.' 'Then I willgo and see her.' And will you believe it, he drew the curtains andlooked at our dove, with his hawk's eyes! The child did not recognizehim. Poor Ivan Mironoff! Basilia! Why was Ignatius taken, and youspared? What do you think of Alexis? He has cut his hair and now hobnobswith them in there. When I spoke of my sick niece he looked at me as ifhe would run me through with his knife. But he said nothing, and we mustbe thankful for that."
The drunken shouts of the guests, and the voice of Father Garasim nowresounded together; the brigands wanted more wine, and Accoulina wasneeded. "Go back to your house, Peter," said she, "woe to you, if youfall into his hands!"
She went to serve her guests; I, somewhat quieted, returned to my room.Crossing the square, I saw some Bashkirs stealing the boots from thebodies of the dead. I restrained my useless anger. The brigands had beenthrough the fortress and had pillaged the officers' houses.
I reached my lodging. Saveliitch met me at the threshold. "Thank God!"he cried. "Ah! master, the rascals have taken everything; but whatmatter, since they did not take your life. Did you not recognize theirchief, master?"
"No, I did not; who is he?"
"What, my dear boy, have you forgotten the drunkard who cheated youout of the touloup the day of the snow-drift--a hare-skin touloup?--therascal burst all the seams putting it on."
My eyes were opened. The resemblance between the guide and Pougatcheffwas striking. I now understood the pardon accorded me. I recalled withgratitude the lucky incident. A youth's touloup given to a vagabond hadsaved my neck; and this drunkard, capturing fortress, had shaken thevery empire.
"Will you not deign to eat something?" said Saveliitch, true to hisinstincts; "there is nothing in the house, it is true, but I will findsomething and prepare it for you."
Left alone, I began to reflect that not to leave the fortress, nowsubject to the brigand, or to join his troops, would be unworthy of anofficer. Duty required me to go and present myself where I could stillbe useful to my country. But love counseled me, with no less force, tostay near Marie, to be her protector and champion. Although I foresawa near and inevitable change in the march of events, still I could not,without trembling, contemplate the danger of her position.
My reflections were interrupted by the entrance of a Cossack, who cameto announce that the "great Czar" called me to his presence. "Where ishe?" I asked, preparing to obey. "In the commandant's house," repliedthe Cossack. "After dinner the Czar went to the vapor baths. It must beconfessed that all his ways are imperial! He can do more than others; atdinner he deigned to eat two roast milk-pigs; afterward at the bath heendured the highest degree of heat; even the attendant could not standit; he handed the brush to another and was restored to consciousnessonly by the application of cold water. It is said that in the bath, themarks of the true Czar were plainly seen on his breast--a picture of hisown face and a double-headed eagle."
I did not think it necessary to contradict the Cossack, and I followedhim to the Commandant's, trying to fancy in advance my interview withPougatcheff, and its result. The reader may imagine that I was not quiteat ease. Night was falling as I reached the house. The gibbet withits victims still stood, black and terrible. The poor body of our goodBasilia was lying under the steps, near which two Cossacks mountedguard. He who had brought me, entered to announce my arrival; hereturned at once, and led me to the room where the evening before I hadtaken leave of Marie. At a table covered with a cloth, and laden withbottles and glasses, sat Pougatcheff, surrounded by some ten Cossackchiefs in colored caps and shirts, with flushed faces and sparklingeyes, the effect, no doubt, of the wine-cup.
I saw neither of our traitors, Alexis or the Corporal, amongst them.
"Ah! your lordship, it is you?" said their chief, on seeing me. "Bewelcome! Honor and place at the table!"
The guests drew closer together. I took a place at the end of the table.My neighbor, a young Cossack of slender form and handsome face,poured out a bumper of brandy for me. I did not taste it. I was busyconsidering the assembly. Pougatcheff was seated in the place of honor,elbow on table, his heavy, black beard resting upon his muscular hand.His features, regular and handsome, had no ferocious expression. Heoften spoke to a man of some fifty years, calling him now Count, againUncle. All treated each other as comrades, showing no very markeddeference for their chief. They talked of the assault that morning; ofthe revolt, its success, and of their next operations. Each one boastedof his prowess, gave his opinions, and freely contradicted Pougatcheff.In this strange council of war, they resolved to march upon Orenbourg, abold move, but justified by previous successes. The departure was fixedfor the next day. Each one drank another bumper, and rising, took leaveof Pougatcheff. I wished to follow them, but the brigand said: "Wait, Iwant to speak to you."
Pougatcheff looked at me fixedly in silence for a few seconds, winkinghis left eye with the most cunning, mocking expression. At last he burstinto a long peal of laughter, so hearty, that I, just from seeing him,began to laugh, without knowing why.
"Well, my lord," said he, "confess that you were frightened, when myboys put the rope around your neck? The sky must have seemed to you thenas big as a sheep-skin. And if not for your servant, you would havebeen swinging up there from the cross-beam; but at that very instant Irecognized the old owl. Would you have thought that the man who led youto a shelter on the steppe was the great Czar himself?" Saying thesewords, he assumed a grave and mysterious air. "You have been veryguilty," continued he, "but I have pardoned you, for having done me akindness, when I was obliged to hide from my enemies. I shall load youwith favors, when I shall have regained my empire. Do you promise toserve me with zeal?"
The bandit's question and impudence made me smile.
"Why do you laugh?" said he, frowning, "do you not believe that I am thegreat Czar? Answer frankly."
I was troubled. I could not recognize a vagabond as the emperor; tocall him an impostor to his face was to doom myself to death; and thesacrifice which I was ready to make under the gibbet that morning,before all the peo
ple, in the first flush of indignation, seemed nowa useless bravado. Pougatcheff awaited my answer in fierce silence. Atlast (I still remember with satisfaction that duty triumphed over humanweakness) I replied to Pougatcheff.
"I will tell you the truth and let you decide. Should I recognize youas the Czar, as you are a man of intelligence, you would see that I amlying."
"Then who am I? in your opinion."
"God knows, but whoever you are, you are playing a dangerous game."
Pougatcheff gave me a sharp, quick glance. "You do not believe that I amthe emperor, Peter III? Be it so. Have not bold men succeeded before meand obtained the crown? Think what you please about me, but stay withme. What matters it whom you serve? Success is right. Serve under me,and I will make you a field-marshal, a prince. What say you?"
"No," said I. "I am a nobleman. I have taken an oath to her majesty, theEmpress; I can not serve with you. If truly you wish me well, send me toOrenbourg."
Pougatcheff reflected. "If I send you there, you will, at least, promisenot to bear arms against me?"
"How can I promise that? If I am ordered to march against you, I mustgo. You are now a chief; you desire your subordinates to obey you. No,my life is in your hand; if you give me liberty, thanks; if you put meto death, may God judge you."
My frankness pleased him. "Be it so," said he, slapping me on theshoulders, "pardon or punish to the end. You can go the four quarters ofthe world, and do as you like. Come tomorrow, and bid me good-bye. Nowgo to bed--I require rest myself."
I went out into the street. The night was clear and cold; the moon andstars shone out in all their brightness, lighting up the square and thegibbet. All was quiet and dark in the rest of the fortress. At the innsome lights were visible, and belated drinkers broke the stillness bytheir shouts. I glanced at Accoulina's house; the doors and windows wereclosed, and all seemed perfectly quiet there. I went to my room, andfound Saveliitch deploring my absence. I told him of my freedom. "Thanksto thee, O God!" said he, making the sign of the cross; "tomorrow weshall set out at daybreak. I have prepared something for you; eatand then sleep till morning, tranquil as if in the bosom of the GoodShepherd."
I followed his advice, and after having supped, fell asleep on the barefloor, as fatigued in mind as in body.