“Two dressing-gowns, one in percale, the other in striped silk, six roubles.”

“What does this mean?” said Pougatcheff, frowning.

“Command him to read on,” replied Saveliitch, with perfect calmness.

The Secretary continued:  “One uniform in fine green cloth, seven roubles; one pair of white cloth pantaloons, five roubles; twelve shirts of Holland linen, with cuffs, ten roubles; one case containing a tea-service, two roubles.”

“What nonsense is this?” said Pougatcheff.

“What have I to do with tea-sets and Holland cuffs?”

Saveliitch coughed to clear his voice, and began to explain:  “That, my lord, deign to understand, is the bill of my master’s goods carried off by the thieves.”

“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