already about to leave the house, when my door was opened, and a corporal appeared, who reported that our Cossacks had fled during the night, carrying away Youlaï by force, and that strange people were seen riding around the fortress. The idea that Maria Ivanovna would not have time to leave, filled me with dread; I hurriedly gave the corporal some directions and hastened to the commandant's house.
It was already dawn. I was rapidly going down the street when I heard my name called out. I stopped.
"Where are you going to?" asked Ivan Ignatitch, overtaking me; "Ivan Kouzmitch is on the ramparts, and has sent me for you. Pougatch[1] is come."
"Is Maria Ivanovna gone?" I asked, with heartfelt trepidation.
"She has not had time," answered Ivan Ignatitch; "the road to Orenburg is cut off; the fortress is surrounded. It is a bad business, Piotr Andrevitch!"
We mounted the rampart, an eminence of natural formation, and defended by a palisade. All the inhabitants of the fortress had already assembled there. The garrison stood under arms. The gun had been removed thither the previous day. The commandant was pacing in front of his small force. The approach of danger seemed to inspire the old warrior with extraordinary bravery. About twenty horsemen were scattered over the steppe within a short distance of the fortress. They appeared to be Cossacks, but there were also some Bash-
- ↑ Pougatch, s. a fright; a play upon the name of Pougatcheff.—Tr.
