At this moment the “ouriadnik,” a young and handsome Cossack, came in.

“Maximitch,” the Commandant’s wife said to him, “find a quarter for this officer, and a clean one.”

“I obey, Vassilissa Igorofna,"[36] replied the “ouriadnik.”  “Ought not his excellency to go to Iwan Polejaieff?”

“You are doting, Maximitch,” retorted the Commandant’s wife; “Polejaieff has already little enough room; and, besides, he is my gossip; and then he does not forget that we are his superiors.  Take the gentleman—­What is your name, my little father?”

“Petr’ Andrejitch.”

“Take Petr’ Andrejitch to Semeon Kouzoff’s.  The rascal let his horse get into my kitchen garden.  Is everything in order, Maximitch?”

“Thank heaven! all is quiet,” replied the Cossack.  “Only Corporal Prokoroff has been fighting in the bathhouse with the woman Oustinia Pegoulina for a pail of hot water.”

“Iwan Ignatiitch,"[37] said the Commandant’s wife to the little one-eyed man, “you must decide between Prokoroff and Oustinia which is to blame, and punish both of them; and you, Maximitch, go, in heaven’s name!  Petr’ Andrejitch, Maximitch will take you to your lodging.”

I took leave.  The “ouriadnik" led me to an izba, which stood on the steep bank of the river, quite at the far end of the little fort.  Half the izba was occupied by the family of Semeon Kouzoff, the other half was given over to me.  This half consisted of a tolerably clean room, divided into two by a partition.

Saveliitch began to unpack, and I looked out of the narrow window.  I saw stretching out before me a bare and dull steppe; on one side there stood some huts.  Some fowls were wandering down the street.  An old woman, standing on a doorstep, holding in her hand a trough, was calling to some pigs, the pigs replying by amicable grunts.

And it was in such a country as this I was condemned to pass my youth!

Overcome by bitter grief, I left the window, and went to bed supperless, in spite of Saveliitch’s remonstrances, who continued to repeat, in a miserable tone—­

“Oh, good heavens! he does not deign to eat anything.  What would my mistress say if the child should fall ill?”

On the morrow, I had scarcely begun to dress before the door of my room opened, and a young officer came in.  He was undersized, but, in spite of irregular features, his bronzed face had a remarkably gay and lively expression.

“I beg your pardon,” said he to me in French,[38] “for coming thus unceremoniously to make your acquaintance.  I heard of your arrival yesterday, and the wish to see at last a human being took such possession of me that I could not resist any longer.  You will understand that when you have been here some time!”

I easily guessed that this was the officer sent away from the Guard in consequence of the duel.

We made acquaintance.  Chvabrine was very witty.  His conversation was lively and interesting.  He described to me, with, much raciness and gaiety, the Commandant’s family, the society of the fort, and, in short, all the country where my fate had led me.