I dread lest she should fall
ill. Oh! God in heaven! that we should have lived to see this!"

Vassilissa Igorofna went away to make ready for her daughter's
departure.

The council at the Commandant's still continued, but I no longer took
any part in it. Marya Ivanofna reappeared for supper, pale and her eyes
red. We supped in silence, and we rose from table earlier than usual.
Each of us returned to his quarters after bidding good-bye to the whole
family. I purposely forgot my sword, and came back to fetch it. I felt I
should find Marya alone; in fact, she met me in the porch, and handed me
my sword.

"Good-bye, Petr' Andrejitch," she said to me, crying; "they are sending
me to Orenburg. Keep well and happy. Mayhap God will allow us to see one
another again, if not--"

She began to sob. I pressed her in my arms.

"God be with you, my angel," I said to her. "My darling, my loved one,
whatever befall me, rest assured that my last thought and my last prayer
will be for you."

Masha still wept, sheltered on my breast. I kissed her passionately, and
abruptly went out.

CHAPTER VII.

THE ASSAULT.

All the night I could not sleep, and I did not even take off my clothes.
I had meant in the early morning to gain the gate of the fort, by which
Marya Ivanofna was to leave, to bid her a last good-bye. I felt that a
complete change had come over me. The agitation of my mind seemed less
hard to bear than the dark melancholy in which I had been previously
plunged. Blended with the sorrow of parting, I felt within me vague, but
sweet, hopes, an eager expectation of coming dangers, and a feeling of
noble ambition.

The night passed quickly. I was going out, when my door opened and the
corporal came in to tell me that our Cossacks had left the fort during
the night, taking away with them by force Joulai, and that around our
ramparts unknown people were galloping. The thought that Marya Ivanofna
had not been able to get away terrified me to death. I hastily gave some
orders to the corporal, and I ran to the Commandant's house.

Day was breaking. I was hurrying down the street when I heard myself
called by someone. I stopped.

"Where are you going, if I may presume to ask you?" said Iwan
Ignatiitch, catching me up. "Ivan Kouzmitch is on the ramparts, and has
sent me to seek you. The '_pugatch_'[52] has come."

"Is Marya Ivanofna gone?" I asked, with an inward trembling.

"She hasn't had time," rejoined Iwan Igna