The Daughter of the Commandant

All the night I could not sleep, and I did not even take off my clothes.

I had meant in the early morning to gain the gate of the fort, by which

Marya Ivanofna was to leave, to bid her a last good-bye. I felt that a

complete change had come over me. The agitation of my mind seemed less

hard to bear than the dark melancholy in which I had been previously

plunged. Blended with the sorrow of parting, I felt within me vague, but

sweet, hopes, an eager expectation of coming dangers, and a feeling of

noble ambition.

The night passed quickly. I was going out, when my door opened and the

corporal came in to tell me that our Cossacks had left the fort during

the night, taking away with them by force Joulai, and that around our

ramparts unknown people were galloping. The thought that Marya Ivanofna

had not been able to get away terrified me to death. I hastily gave some

orders to the corporal, and I ran to the Commandant's house.

Day was breaking. I was hurrying down the street when I heard myself

called by someone. I stopped.

"Where are you going, if I may presume to ask you?" said Iwan

Ignatiitch, catching me up. "Ivan Kouzmitch is on the ramparts, and has

sent me to seek you. The 'pugatch'[52] has come."

"Is Marya Ivanofna gone?" I asked, with an inward trembling.

"She hasn't had time," rejoined Iwan Ignatiitch. "The road to Orenburg

is blocked, the fort surrounded, and it's a bad look-out, Petr'

Andrejitch."

We went to the ramparts, a little natural height, and fortified by a

palisade. We found the garrison here under arms. The cannon had been

dragged hither the preceding evening. The Commandant was walking up and

down before his little party; the approach of danger had given the old

warrior wonderful activity. Out on the steppe, and not very far from the

fort, could be seen about twenty horsemen, who appeared to be Cossacks;

but amongst them were some Bashkirs, easily distinguished by their high

caps and their quivers. The Commandant passed down the ranks of the

little army, saying to the soldiers-"Now, children, let us do well to-day for our mother, the Empress, and

let us show all the world that we are brave men, and true to our

oaths."

The soldiers by loud shouts expressed their goodwill and assent.

Chvabrine remained near me, attentively watching the enemy. The people

whom we could see on the steppe, noticing doubtless some stir in the

fort, gathered into parties, and consulted together. The Commandant

ordered Iwan Ignatiitch to point the cannon at them, and himself applied

the match. The ball passed whistling over their heads without doing them

any harm. The horsemen at once dispersed at a gallop, and the steppe was

deserted.