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Updated: May 8, 2025
"Don't you see, your lordship," said the old man, "that it was not in vain that I presented my petition to the robber? The robber was ashamed of himself, although this long and lean Bashkir hoss and this peasant's 'touloup' be not worth half what those rascals stole from us, nor what you deigned to give him as a present, still they may be useful to us.
I had a touloup, but I left it yesterday in pledge with the liquor-seller; then the cold did not seem so great." At this moment our host entered with the portable furnace and boiler, the Russian Somovar. I offered our guide a cup of tea. Down he came at once. As he stood in the glare of the pine torch his appearance was remarkable.
"I beg you will not play the wit," I said to my follower. "Get the cloak quickly." "Oh! good heavens!" exclaimed Savéliitch, bemoaning himself. "A touloup of hareskin, and still quite new! And to whom is it given? to a drunkard in rags." However, the touloup was brought. The vagabond began trying it on directly.
It was useless to argue with him; my money, according to my promise, was entirely at his discretion. But it was very unpleasant not to be able to reward a man who had extricated me from danger, perhaps death. "Well," said I, coolly, "if you will not give him half a rouble, give one of my coats he is too thinly clad; give him the hare-skin touloup." "Have mercy on me!
I had forgotten to thank you for your horse and 'touloup. Had it not been for you, I should never have reached the town, for I should have died of cold on the journey." My stratagem succeeded. Pugatchéf became good-humoured. "The beauty of a debt is the payment!" said he, with his usual wink. "Now, tell me the whole story. What have you to do with this young girl whom Chvabrine is persecuting?
I ended by feeling certain that he and Pugatchéf were one and the same man, and I then understood why he had shown me mercy. I was filled with astonishment at the extraordinary connection of events. A boy's "touloup," given to a vagabond, saved my neck from the hangman, and a drunken frequenter of pothouses besieged forts and shook the Empire.
As for the vagabond, he was well pleased with my present. He re-conducted me to my kibitka, and said, with a profound bow: "Thanks, my lord, may god reward you. I shall never forget your goodness." He went his way, I set out on mine, paying no attention to the sullenness of Saveliitch. I soon forgot the hurricane and the guide, as well as the touloup of hare-skin.
"You have not the fear of God, brigand that you are," said Saveliitch, angrily; "you see that the child has not yet attained to full reason, and there you are, glad to pillage him, thanks to his kind heart. You can not even wear the pelisse on your great, cursed shoulders." "Come," said I, "do not play the logician; bring the touloup quickly."
"What, my dear boy, have you forgotten the drunkard who cheated you out of the touloup the day of the snow-drift a hare-skin touloup? the rascal burst all the seams putting it on." My eyes were opened. The resemblance between the guide and Pougatcheff was striking. I now understood the pardon accorded me. I recalled with gratitude the lucky incident.
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.
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