At this moment up rose the vinous shouts of the guests and the voice of
Father Garasim. The guests wanted more wine, and the pope was calling
his wife.
"Go home, Petr' Andrejitch," she said to me, in great agitation, "I have
something else to do than chatter to you. Some ill will befall you if
you come across any of them now. Good-bye, Petr' Andrejitch. What must
be, must be; and it may be God will not forsake us."
The pope's wife went in; a little relieved, I returned to my quarters.
Crossing the square I saw several Bashkirs crowding round the gallows in
order to tear off the high boots of the hanged men. With difficulty I
forbore showing my anger, which I knew would be wholly useless.
The robbers pervaded the fort, and were plundering the officers'
quarters, and the shouts of the rebels making merry were heard
everywhere. I went home. Saveliitch met me on the threshold.
"Thank heaven!" cried he, upon seeing me, "I thought the villains had
again laid hold on you. Oh! my father, Petr' Andrejitch, would you
believe it, the robbers have taken everything from us: clothes, linen,
crockery and goods; they have left nothing. But what does it matter?
Thank God that they have at least left you your life! But oh! my master,
did you recognize their 'ataman?'"[57] "No, I did not recognize him. Who is he?"
"What, my little father, you have already forgotten the drunkard who
did you out of your 'touloup' the day of the snowstorm, a hareskin
'touloup,' brand new. And he, the rascal, who split all the seams
putting it on."
I was dumbfounded. The likeness of Pugatchef to my guide was indeed
striking. I ended by feeling certain that he and Pugatchef were one and
the same man, and I then understood why he had shown me mercy. I was
filled with astonishment at the extraordinary connection of events. A
boy's "touloup," given to a vagabond, saved my neck from the hangman,
and a drunken frequenter of pothouses besieged forts and shook the
Empire.
"Will you not eat something?" asked Saveliitch, faithful to his old
habits. "There is nothing in the house, it is true; but I shall look
about everywhere, and I will get something ready for you."
Left alone, I began to reflect. What could I do? To stay in the fort,
which was now in the hands of the robber, or to join his band were
courses alike unworthy of an officer. Duty prompted me to go where I
could still be useful to my country in the critical circumstances in
which it was now situated.
But my love urged me no less strongly to stay by Marya Ivanofna, to be
her protector and her champion. Although I foresaw a new and inevitable
change in the state of things, yet I could not help trembling as I
thought of the dangers of her situation.