etly. Accoulina came into the
waiting-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 himself
at 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; 'My
niece, Czar, has not strength to come before your grace.' 'Then I will
go and see her.' And will you believe it, he drew the curtains and
looked at our dove, with his hawk's eyes! The child did not recognize
him. Poor Ivan Mironoff! Basilia! Why was Ignatius taken, and you
spared? What do you think of Alexis? He has cut his hair and now hobnobs
with them in there. When I spoke of my sick niece he looked at me as if
he would run me through with his knife. But he said nothing, and we must
be thankful for that."

The drunken shouts of the guests, and the voice of Father Garasim now
resounded together; the brigands wanted more wine, and Accoulina was
needed. "Go back to your house, Peter," said she, "woe to you, if you
fall 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 the
bodies of the dead. I restrained my useless anger. The brigands had been
through 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 what
matter, since they did not take your life. Did you not recognize their
chief, master?"

"No, I did not; who is he?"

"What, my dear boy, have you forgotten the drunkard who cheated you
out of the touloup the day of the snow-drift--a hare-skin touloup?--the
rascal burst all the seams putting it on."

My eyes were opened. The resemblance between the guide and Pougatcheff
was striking. I now understood the pardon accorded me. I recalled with
gratitude the lucky incident. A youth's touloup given to a vagabond had
saved my neck; and this drunkard, capturing fortress, had shaken the
very empire.

"Will you not deign to eat something?" said Saveliitch, true to his
instincts; "there is nothing in the house, it is true, but I will find
something and prepare it for you."

Left alone, I began to refl