The Daughter of the Commandant

Ch. 6 - Pugatch*

Before beginning to relate those strange events to which I was witness,

I must say a few words about the state of affairs in the district of

Orenburg about the end of the year 1773. This rich and large province

was peopled by a crowd of half-savage tribes, who had lately

acknowledged the sovereignty of the Russian Tzars. Their perpetual

revolts, their impatience of all rule and civilized life, their

treachery and cruelty, obliged the authorities to keep a sharp watch

upon them in order to reduce them to submission.

Forts had been placed at suitable points, and in most of them troops

had been permanently established, composed of Cossacks, formerly

possessors of the banks of the River Yak. But even these Cossacks, who

should have been a guarantee for the peace and quiet of the country, had

for some time shown a dangerous and unruly spirit towards the Imperial

Government. In 1772 a riot took place in the principal settlement. This

riot was occasioned by the severe measures taken by General Traubenberg,

in order to quell the insubordination of the army. The only result was

the barbarous murder of Traubenberg, the substitution of new chiefs, and

at last the suppression of the revolt by volleys of grape and harsh

penalties.

All this befell shortly before my coming to Fort Blogorsk. Then all

was, or seemed, quiet. But the authorities had too lightly lent faith

to the pretended repentance of the rebels, who were silently brooding

over their hatred, and only awaiting a favourable opportunity to reopen

the struggle.

One evening (it was early in October, 1773) I was alone in my quarters,

listening to the whistling of the autumn wind and watching the clouds

passing rapidly over the moon. A message came from the Commandant that

he wished to see me at once at his house. I found there Chvabrine, Iwn

Ignatiitch, and the "_ouriadnik_" of the Cossacks. Neither the wife nor

daughter of the Commandant was in the room. He greeted me in an absent

manner. Then, closing the door, he made everybody sit down, except the

"_ouriadnik_," who remained standing, drew a letter from his pocket, and

said to us--

"Gentlemen, important news. Listen to what the General writes."

He put on his spectacles and read as follows:--

"_To the Commandant of Fort Blogorsk,

"Captain Mironoff, these. (Secret.)_

"I hereby inform you that the fugitive and schismatic Don Cossack,

Emelian Pugatchf, after being guilty of the unpardonable insolence of

usurping the name of our late Emperor, Peter III.,[49] has assembled a

gang of robbers, excited risings in villages on the Yak, and taken and

oven destroyed several forts, while committing everywhere robberies and

murders. In consequence, when you shall receive this, it will be your

duty to take such measures as may be necessary against the aforesaid

rascally usurper, and, if possible, crush him completely should he

venture to attack the fort confided to your care."

"Take such measures as may be necessary," said the Commandant, taking

off his spectacles and folding up the paper. "You know it is very easy

to say that. The scoundrel seems in force, and we have but a hundred and

thirty men, even counting the Cossacks, on whom we must not count too

much, be it said, without any reproach to you, Maximitch." The

"_ouriadnik_" smiled. "Nevertheless, let us do our duty, gentlemen. Be

ready, place sentries, let there be night patrols in case of attack,

shut the gates, and turn out the troops. You, Maximitch, keep a sharp

eye on the Cossacks; look to the cannon, and let it be well cleansed;

and, above all, let everything be kept secret. Let no one in the fort

know anything until the time comes."

After thus giving his orders, Ivn Kouzmitch dismissed us. I went out

with Chvabrine, speculating upon what we had just heard.

"What do you think of it? How will it all end?" I asked him.

"God knows," said he; "we shall see. As yet there is evidently nothing

serious. If, however--"

Then he fell into a brown study while whistling absently a French air.

In spite of all our precautions the news of Pugatchf's appearance

spread all over the fort. Whatever was the respect in which Ivn

Kouzmitch held his wife, he would not have revealed to her for the world

a secret confided to him on military business.

After receiving the General's letter he had rather cleverly got rid of

Vassilissa Igorofna by telling her that Father Garasim had heard most

extraordinary news from Orenburg, which he was keeping most profoundly

dark.

Vassilissa Igorofna instantly had a great wish to go and see the Pope's

wife, and, by the advice of Ivn Kouzmitch, she took Masha, lest she

should be dull all alone.

Left master of the field, Ivn Kouzmitch sent to fetch us at once, and

took care to shut up Polashka in the kitchen so that she might not spy

upon us.

Vassilissa Igorofna came home without having been able to worm anything

out of the Pope's wife; she learnt upon coming in that during her

absence Ivn Kouzmitch had held a council of war, and that Palashka had

been locked up. She suspected that her husband had deceived her, and she

immediately began overwhelming him with questions. But Ivn Kouzmitch

was ready for this onset; he did not care in the least, and he boldly

answered his curious better-half--

"Look here, little mother, the country-women have taken it into their

heads to light fires with straw, and as that might be the cause of a

misfortune, I assembled my officers, and I ordered them to watch that

the women do not make fires with straw, but rather with faggots and

brambles."

"And why were you obliged to shut up Polashka?" his wife asked him. "Why

was the poor girl obliged to stay in the kitchen till we came back?"

Ivn Kouzmitch was not prepared for such a question; he stammered some

incoherent words.

Vassilissa Igorofna instantly understood that her husband had deceived

her, but as she could not at that moment get anything out of him, she

forebore questioning him, and spoke of some pickled cucumbers which

Akoulina Pamphilovna knew how to prepare in a superlative manner. All

night long Vassilissa Igorofna lay awake trying to think what her

husband could have in his head that she was not permitted to know.

The morrow, on her return from mass, she saw Iwn Ignatiitch busy

clearing the cannon of the rags, small stones, bits of wood,

knuckle-bones, and all kinds of rubbish that the little boys had crammed

it with.

"What can these warlike preparations mean?" thought the Commandant's

wife. "Can it be that they are afraid of an attack by the Kirghiz; but

then is it likely that Ivn Kouzmitch would hide from me such a trifle?"

She called Iwn Ignatiitch, determined to have out of him the secret

which was provoking her feminine curiosity.

Vassilissa Igorofna began by making to him some remarks on household

matters, like a judge who begins a cross-examination by questions

irrelevant to the subject in hand, in order to reassure and lull the

watchfulness of the accused. Then, after a few minutes' silence, she

gave a deep sigh, and said, shaking her head--

"Oh! good Lord! Just think what news! What will come of all this?"

"Eh! my little mother," replied Iwn Ignatiitch; "the Lord is merciful.

We have soldiers enough, and much, powder; I have cleared the cannon.

Perhaps we may be able to defeat this Pugatchf. If God do not forsake

us, the wolf will eat none of us here."

"And what manner of man is this Pugatchf?" questioned the Commandant's

wife.

Iwn Ignatiitch saw plainly that he had said too much, and bit his

tongue; but it was too late. Vassilissa Igorofna obliged him to tell her

all, after giving her word that she would tell no one.

She kept her promise, and did not breathe a word indeed to anyone, save

only to the Pope's wife, and that for the very good reason that the good

lady's cow, being still out on the steppe, might be "lifted" by the

robbers.

Soon everybody was talking of Pugatchf. The rumours abroad about him

were very diverse. The Commandant sent the "_ouriadnik_" on a mission to

look well into all in the neighbouring village and little forts. The

"_ouriadnik_" came back after an absence of two days, and reported that

he had seen in the steppe, about sixty versts from the fort, many fires,

and that he had heard the Bashkirs say that an innumerable force was

approaching. He had nothing of a more detailed or accurate nature to

relate, having been afraid of going too far.

We soon began to notice a certain stir among the Cossacks in the

garrison. They gathered in all the streets in little groups, spoke among

themselves in low voices, and dispersed directly they caught sight of a

dragoon or any other Russian soldier. They were watched. Joula, a

baptized Kalmuck, revealed to the Commandant something very serious.

According to him the "_ouriadnik_" had made a false report. On his

return the perfidious Cossack had told his comrades that he had advanced

upon the rebels, and that he had been presented to their chief, and that

this chief gave him his hand to kiss and had had a long interview with

him. At once the Commandant put the "_ouriadnik_" in arrest, and

declared Joula his substitute. This change was received by the Cossacks

with manifest discontent. They grumbled aloud, and Iwn Ignatiitch, who

executed the Commandant's orders, heard them with his own ears say

pretty clearly--

"Only wait a bit, you garrison rat!"

The Commandant had intended to cross-examine his prisoner that same day,

but the "_ouriadnik_" had escaped, doubtless with the connivance of his

accomplices.

Another thing occurred to augment the Commandant's disquiet; a Bashkir

was taken bearing seditious letters. Upon this occasion the Commandant

decided upon assembling his officers anew, and in order to do that he

wished again to get rid of his wife under some plausible pretext. But as

Ivn Kouzmitch was one of the most upright and sincere of men he could

not think of any other way than that which he had already employed on a

previous occasion.

"Do you know, Vassilissa Igorofna," said he to her, while clearing his

throat once or twice, "it is said that Father Garosim has received from

the town--"

"Hold your tongue," interrupted his wife; "you want again to call a

council of war, and talk without me about Emelian Pugatchf; but you

will not deceive me this time."

Ivn Kouzmitch opened his eyes wide.

"Well, little mother," said he, "if you know all, stay; there is nothing

more to be done, we will talk before you."

"Yes, you are quite right, my little father," rejoined she; "it is of

no use your trying to play the sly fox. Send for the officers."

We again met. Ivn Kouzmitch read to us, before his wife, Pugatchf's

proclamation, drawn up by some illiterate Cossack. The robber proclaimed

his intention of marching directly upon our fort, inviting the Cossacks

and the soldiers to join him, and counselling the chiefs not to

withstand him, threatening them, should they do so, with the utmost

torture.

The proclamation was written in coarse but emphatic terms, and was

likely to produce a great impression on the minds of simple people.

"What a rascal," cried the Commandant's wife. "Just look what he dares

to propose to us! To go out to meet him and lay our colours at his feet!

Oh! the son of a dog! He doesn't then know that we have been forty

years in the service, and that, thank heaven, we have had a taste of all

sorts! Is it possible that there can have been commandants base and

cowardly enough to obey this robber?"

"Such a thing should not be possible," rejoined Ivn Kouzmitch;

"nevertheless, they say the scoundrel has already got possession of

several forts."

"It appears that he is in strength, indeed," observed Chvabrine.

"We shall know directly the amount of his strength," resumed the

Commandant. "Vassilissa Igorofna, give me the key of the barn. Ivn

Ignatiitch, bring up the Bashkir and tell Joula to fetch the rods."[50]

"Wait a bit, Ivn Kouzmitch," said the Commandant's wife, rising; "let

me take Masha out of the house. Without I do so she would hear the

cries, and they would frighten her. And as for me, to tell the truth, I

am not over curious about such matters. So hoping to see you again--"

Torture was then so rooted in the practice of justice that the

beneficial ukase[51] ordaining its abolition remained a long time of

none effect. It was thought that the confession of the accused was

indispensable to condemnation, an idea not merely unreasonable, but

contrary to the dictates of the simplest good sense in legal matters,

for, if the denial of the accused be not accepted as proof of his

innocence, the extorted confession should still less serve as proof of

his guilt. Yet even now I still hear old judges sometimes regret the

abolition of this barbarous custom.

But in those days no one ever doubted of the necessity for torture,

neither the judges nor the accused themselves. That is why the

Commandant's order did not arouse any surprise or emotion among us. Iwn

Ignatiitch went off to seek the Bashkir, who was under lock and key in

the Commandant's barn, and a few minutes later he was brought into the

ante-room. The Commandant ordered him to be brought before him.

The Bashkir crossed the sill with difficulty, owing to the wooden

shackles he had on his feet. I glanced at him and involuntarily

shuddered.

He lifted his high cap and remained near the door. I shall never forget

that man; he seemed to be at least seventy years old, and he had neither

nose nor ears. His head was shaven, and his beard consisted of a few

grey hairs. He was little of stature, thin and bent; but his Tartar eyes

still sparkled.

"Eh! eh!" said the Commandant, who recognized by these terrible marks

one of the rebels punished in 1741, "you are an old wolf, by what I see.

You have already been caught in our traps. 'Tis not the first time you

have rebelled, since you have been so well cropped. Come near and tell

me who sent you."

The old Bashkir remained silent, and looked at the Commandant with a

look of complete idiocy.

"Well, why don't you speak?" continued Ivn Kouzmitch. "Don't you

understand Russ? Joula, ask him in your language who sent him to our

fort."

Joula repeated Ivn Kouzmitch's question in the Tartar language. But

the Bashkir looked at him with the same expression, and spoke never a

word.

"Jachki!" the Commandant rapped out a Tartar oath, "I'll make you speak.

Here, Joula, strip him of his striped dressing-gown, his i***t's dress,

and stripe his shoulders. Now then, Joula, touch him up properly."

Two pensioners began undressing the Bashkir. Great uneasiness then

overspread the countenance of the unhappy man. He began looking all

round like a poor little animal in the hands of children. But when one

of the pensioners seized his hands in order to twine them round his

neck, and, stooping, upraised the old man on his shoulders, when Joula

took the rods and lifted his hands to strike, then the Bashkir gave a

long, deep moan, and, throwing back his head, opened his mouth, wherein,

instead of a tongue, was moving a short stump.

We were all horrified.

"Well," said the Commandant, "I see we can get nothing out of him.

Joula, take the Bashkir back to the barn; and as for us, gentlemen, we

have still to deliberate."

We were continuing to discuss our situation, when Vassilissa Igorofna

burst into the room, breathless, and looking affrighted.

"What has happened to you?" asked the Commandant, surprised.

"Misery! misery!" replied Vassilissa Igorofna. "Fort Nijnosern was

taken this morning. Father Garasim's boy has just come back. He saw how

it was taken. The Commandant and all the officers have been hanged, all

the soldiers are prisoners. The rascals are coming here."

This unexpected news made a great impression upon me. The Commandant of

Fort Nijnosern, a gentle and quiet young man, was known to me. Two

months previously he had passed on his way from Orenburg with his young

wife, and he had stayed with Ivn Kouzmitch.

The Nijnosernaia was only twenty-five versts away from our fort. From

hour to hour we might expect to be attacked by Pugatchf. The probable

fate of Marya Ivnofna rose vividly before my imagination, and my heart

failed me as I thought of it.

"Listen, Ivn Kouzmitch," I said to the Commandant, "it is our duty to

defend the fort to the last gasp, that is understood. But we must think

of the women's safety. Send them to Orenburg, if the road be still open,

or to some fort further off and safer, which the rascals have not yet

had time to reach."

Ivn Kouzmitch turned to his wife.

"Look here, mother, really, had we not better send you away to some more

distant place till the rebels be put down?"

"What nonsense!" replied his wife.

"Show me the fortress that bullets cannot reach. In what respect is

Blogorskaia not safe? Thank heaven, we have now lived here more than

twenty-one years. We have seen the Bashkirs and the Kirghiz; perhaps we

may weary out Pugatchf here."

"Well, little mother," rejoined Ivn Kouzmitch, "stay if you like, since

you reckon so much on our fort. But what are we to do with Masha? It is

all right if we weary him out or if we be succoured. But if the robbers

take the fort?"

"Well, then--"

But here Vassilissa Igorofna could only stammer and become silent,

choked by emotion.

"No, Vassilissa Igorofna," resumed the Commandant, who remarked that his

words had made a great impression on his wife, perhaps for the first

time in her life; "it is not proper for Masha to stay here. Let us send

her to Orenburg to her godmother. There are enough soldiers and cannons

there, and the walls are stone. And I should even advise you to go away

thither, for though you be old yet think on what will befall you if the

fort be taken by assault."

"Well! well!" said the wife, "we will send away Masha; but don't ask me

to go away, and don't think to persuade me, for I will do no such thing.

It will not suit me either in my old age to part from you and go to seek

a lonely grave in a strange land. We have lived together; we will die

together."

"And you are right," said the Commandant. "Let us see, there is no time

to lose. Go and get Masha ready for her journey; to-morrow we will start

her off at daybreak, and we will even give her an escort, though, to

tell the truth, we have none too many people here. But where is she?"

"At Akoulina Pamphilovna's," answered his wife. "She turned sick when

she heard of the taking of Nijnosern; 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 Ivnofna 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' Andrjtch," 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.