given you for the defense of your country, and not for the purpose
of fighting a duel with a fool of your own stamp. I shall write
instantly to Andrew Karlovitch to transfer you from the fortress of
Belogorsk to some still more distant place. Upon hearing of your wound
your mother was taken ill, and is still confined to her bed. What will
become of you? I pray God to reform you, but can scarcely hope for so
much from his goodness. Your father, A.G."

The harsh expressions which my father had not spared, wounded me sorely;
the contempt with which he treated Marie seemed to me as unjust as it
was undignified. Then the mere idea of being sent from this fortress
alarmed me; but above all, I grieved for my mother's illness. Saveliitch
came in for a share of my indignation, not doubting but that he informed
my parents of the duel. After having paced up and down my little
chamber, I stopped suddenly before the old man and said: "It seems that
it is not enough that you caused my wound, and brought me almost to the
brink of the grave, but that you want to kill my mother too!"

Saveliitch was as motionless as if lightning had struck him. "Have mercy
on me! my lord," said he, "what do you deign to tell me? I caused your
wound? God sees that I was running to put my breast before you, to
receive the sword of Alexis. This cursed age of mine hindered me. But
what have I done to your mother?"

"What have you done? Who charged you to write an accusation against me?
Were you taken into my service to play the spy on me?"

"I write an accusation?" replied the old man, quite broken down, "O God!
King of heaven! Here, read what the master writes me, and you shall see
if I denounced thee." At the same time he drew from his pocket a letter
which he gave me, and I read what follows:

"Shame upon you, you old dog, that notwithstanding my strict orders
you wrote me nothing regarding my son, leaving to strangers the duty of
telling me of his follies. Is it thus you do your duty and fulfill your
master's will? I shall send you to keep the pigs, for having concealed
the truth, and for your condescension to the young man. Upon receipt of
this letter inform me immediately of the state of his health, which is,
I hear, improving, and tell me precisely the place of his wound, and
whether he has well attended."

Evidently Saveliitch was not in the wrong, and I had offended him by my
suspicions and reproaches. I asked him to forgive me, but the old