Pale and trembling, Marya approached Ivan Kouzmitch and dropped on her
knees, bending before him with reverence.
The old Commandant made the sign of the cross three times over her, then
raised her up, kissed her, and said to her, in a voice husky with
emotion-"Well, Masha, may you be happy. Pray to God, and He will not forsake
you. If an honest man come forward, may God grant you both love and
wisdom. Live together as we have lived, my wife and I. And now farewell,
Masha. Vassilissa Igorofna, take her away quickly."
Marya threw herself upon his neck and began sobbing.
"Kiss me, too," said the Commandant's wife, weeping. "Good-bye, my Ivan
Kouzmitch. Forgive me if I have ever vexed you."
"Good-bye, good-bye, little mother," said the Commandant, embracing his
old companion. "There, now, enough; go away home, and if you have time
put Masha on a 'sarafan.'"[53] The Commandant's wife went away with her daughter. I followed Marya with
my eyes; she turned round and made me a last sign.
Ivan Kouzmitch came back to us, and turned his whole attention to the
enemy. The rebels gathered round their leader, and all at once
dismounted hastily.
"Be ready," the Commandant said to us, "the assault is about to begin."
At the same moment resounded wild war cries. The rebels were racing down
on the fort. Our cannon was loaded with grape. The Commandant allowed
them to approach within a very short distance, and again applied a
match to the touch-hole. The grape struck in the midst of the crowd, and
dispersed it in every direction. The leader alone remained to the fore,
brandishing his sword; he appeared to be exhorting them hotly. The yells
which had ceased for a moment were redoubled anew.
"Now, children," cried the Commandant, "open the door, beat the drum,
and forward! Follow me for a sally!"
The Commandant, Iwan Ignatiitch, and I found ourselves in a moment
beyond the parapet. But the garrison, afraid, had not stirred.
"What are you doing, my children?" shouted Ivan Kouzmitch. "If we must
die, let us die; it is our duty."
At this moment the rebels fell upon us and forced the entrance of the
citadel. The drum ceased, the garrison threw down its arms. I had been
thrown down, but I got up and passed helter-skelter with the crowd into
the fort. I saw the Commandant wounded in the head, and hard pressed by
a little band of robbers clamouring for the keys. I was running to help
him, when several strong Cossacks seized me, and bound me with their
"kuchaks,"[54] shouting-"Wait a bit, you will see what will become of you traitors to the Tzar!"
We were dragged along the streets. The inhabitants came out of their
houses, offering bread and salt. The bells were rung. All at once shouts
announced that the Tzar was in the square waiting to receive the oaths
of the prisoners. All the crowd diverged in that direction, and our
keepers dragged us thither.