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Updated: May 12, 2025
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. I was laughing heartily when the same pensioner whom I had seen patching his uniform in the Commandant's ante-room, came in with an invitation to dinner for me from Vassilissa Igorofna. Chvabrine said he should accompany me.
"You were too hasty in giving Chvabrine command of the fort, and now you are too hasty in hanging him. You have already offended the Cossacks by giving them a gentleman as leader do not, therefore, now affront the gentlemen by executing them on the first accusation." "They need neither be overwhelmed with favours nor be pitied," the little old man with the blue ribbon now said, in his turn.
"As you see, Alexey Iványtch is a man of wit, and of good family, to be sure, well off, too; but only to think of being obliged to kiss him before everybody under the marriage crown! No, no; nothing in the world would induce me." The words of Marya Ivánofna enlightened me, and made many things clear to me. I understood now why Chvabrine so persistently followed her up.
"Oh! oh! a vain poet and a discreet lover," continued Chvabrine, irritating me more and more. "Listen to a little friendly advice: if you wish to succeed, I advise you not to stick at songs." "What do you mean, sir?" I exclaimed; "explain yourself if you please." "With pleasure," rejoined he.
"Well, your lordship," Pugatchéf said to me, laughing, "we have delivered the pretty girl; what do you say to it? Ought we not to send for the pope and get him to marry his niece? If you like I will be your marriage godfather, Chvabrine best man; then we will set to and drink with closed doors." What I feared came to pass. No sooner had he heard Pugatchéf's proposal than Chvabrine lost his head.
He turned aside his head, and went off without another word. Chvabrine and the chiefs followed him. All the band left the fort in order. The people escorted it. I remained alone in the square with Savéliitch. My follower held in his hand the memorandum, and was contemplating it with an air of deep regret. Seeing my friendly understanding with Pugatchéf, he had thought to turn it to some account.
It is well-known that under colour of asking advice, authors willingly seek a benevolent listener; I copied out my little song, and took it to Chvabrine, the only person in the fort who could appreciate a poetical work. After a short preface, I drew my manuscript from my pocket, and read to him the following verses:
"Tzar," said he, furiously, "I am guilty, I have lied to you; but Grineff also deceives you. This young girl is not the pope's niece; she is the daughter of Iván Mironoff, who was executed when the fort was taken." Pugatchéf turned his flashing eyes on me. "What does all this mean?" cried he, with indignant surprise. But I made answer boldly "Chvabrine has told you the truth."
My suspicions fell upon Chvabrine; he alone could profit by this betrayal, which might end in my banishment from the fort and my separation from the Commandant's family. I was going to tell all to Marya Ivánofna when she met me on the doorstep. "What has happened?" she said to me. "How pale you are!" "All is at an end," replied I, handing her my father's letter. In her turn she grew pale.
Chvabrine came to meet the usurper; he was dressed as a Cossack, and had allowed his beard to grow. The traitor helped Pugatchéf to get out of the carriage, expressing by obsequious words his zeal and joy. Seeing me he became uneasy, but soon recovered himself. "You are one of us," said he; "it should have been long ago." I turned away my head without answering him.
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