forting the poor orphan. They soon became truly attached to her, for it was impossible to know and not to love her. My father no longer looked upon my attachment as a piece of folly; and as to my mother, her only wish was that her Petrousha should marry the captain's dear little daughter.
The rumours of my arrest painfully astonished my parents. Maria Ivanovna had narrated to them so innocently my acquaintance with Pougatcheff, that, far from being disquieted, they were frequently induced to laugh heartily. My father would not believe that I was implicated in the despicable rebellion, which had for its object the overthrow of the throne and the abolition of nobility. He examined Savelitch narrowly on this point. The old man did not conceal the fact that his master had visited Emilian Pougatcheff, and that the wretch made a great deal of him; but he at the same time swore that he had never heard of any treason. The old people were reassured, and anxiously awaited favourable news. Maria Ivanovna was much agitated, but said little, for her disposition was in the highest degree a retired one.
Several weeks elapsed . . . . . . . . and my father received a letter concerning myself, from our relative Prince *** at Petersburgh. After the usual preliminaries, he wrote that the suspicion of my share in the schemes of the insurgents had unfortunately proved only too well founded; that my execution had been deemed necessary for the sake of example, but that the empress, in consideration of my father's meritorious services and advanced years, had decided upon extending her pardon to
