"What thieves?" asked Pougatcheff, with a terrible air.
"Pardon me," said Saveliitch. "Thieves? No, they were not thieves; my tongue slipped; yet your boys went through everything and carried off plenty. That can not be denied. Do not be angry. The horse has four legs and yet he stumbles. Command that he read to the end."
"Well, read," said Pougatcheff.
"One Persian blanket, one quilt of wadded silk, four roubles; one pelisse of fox-skin, covered with red ratine, forty roubles; one small touloup of hare-skin left with your grace, on the steppe, fifteen roubles."
"What?" cried Pougatcheff, with flashing eyes.
I must say I feared for the old man, who was beginning new explanations, when the brigand interrupted him: "How dare you annoy me with these trifles?" said he, snatching the paper from the Secretary and throwing it in the old man's face. "You have been despoiled! old fool! great harm! You ought to thank God that you are not hanging up there, with the other rebels, both you and your master. I'll give you a hare-skin touloup! Do you know that I will have you flayed alive, that touloups may be made of you?"
"As you please," replied Saveliitch; "but I am not a free man, and I am responsible for my master's goods."
Pougatcheff, who was evidently playing the magnanimous, turned his head and set off without a word. Alexis and the other chiefs followed him. The whole army left the fortress in good order, the people forming an escort. I stayed alone on the square with Saveliitch, who held in his hand the bill and considered it with deep regret. I could not help laughing.
"Laugh, my lord, laugh, but when the household is to be furnished again, we shall see if it be a laughing matter."
I went to learn of Marie Mironoff. Accoulina met me and told me a sad piece of news. During the night a burning fever had seized the poor girl. Accoulina took me into her chamber. The invalid was delirious and did not recognize me. I was shocked by the change in her countenance. The position of this sorrowing orphan, without defenders, alarmed me as much as my inability to protect grieved me. Alexis, above all, was to be feared. Chief, invested with the usurper's authority, in the fortress with this unhappy girl, he was capable of any crime. What ought I to do to deliver her? To set out at once for Orenbourg, to hasten the deliverance of Belogorsk, and to co-operate in it, if possible. I took leave of Father Garasim and Accoulina, recommending to them Marie, who I already looked upon as my wife. I kissed the young girl's hand, and left the room.