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012 - 12 Chapter 12 The Orphan · Daughter of the Commandant

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  Speaker 1: Chapter twelve of the Daughter of the Commandant by Alexander Pushkin,
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  Speaker 1: translated by Missus Milner Home. This LibriVox recording is in
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  Speaker 1: the public domain recording by Kevin Davidson. The Orphan the
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  Speaker 1: Kibitka stopped before the door of the Commandant's house. The
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  Speaker 1: inhabitants had recognized the little bell of Pugachov's team and
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  Speaker 1: had assembled in a crowd. Schabling came to meet the usurper.
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  Speaker 1: He was dressed as a Cossack and had allowed his
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  Speaker 1: beard to grow. The trader helped Pugatchov to get out
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  Speaker 1: of the carriage, expressing by obsequious words his zeal and
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  Speaker 1: joy seeing me. He became uneasy, but soon recovered himself.
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  Speaker 1: You are one of us, he said. It should have
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  Speaker 1: been long ago. I turned away my head without answering him.
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  Speaker 1: My heart failed me. When we entered the little room
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  Speaker 1: I knew so well, where could be seen on the
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  Speaker 1: wall the commission of the late deceased Commandant as a
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  Speaker 1: sad memorial. Pugatchov sat down on the same sofa where
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  Speaker 1: ofttimes Ivan Kuzmitch had dozed to the sound of his
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  Speaker 1: wife's scolding. Schabrin himself brought brandy to his chief. Pugachov
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  Speaker 1: drank a glass of it and said to him, pointing
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  Speaker 1: to me, offer one to his lordship. Schabrin approached me
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  Speaker 1: with his tray. I turned away my head for the
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  Speaker 1: second time. He seemed beside himself. With his usual sharpness,
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  Speaker 1: he had doubtless guessed that Pugachov was not pleased with me.
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  Speaker 1: He regarded him with alarm and me with mistrust. Pugachov
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  Speaker 1: asked him some questions on the condition of the fort,
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  Speaker 1: on what was said concerning that t Sarina's troops and
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  Speaker 1: other similar subjects. Then suddenly, in an unexpected manner, tell
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  Speaker 1: me brother, ask he who is this young girl you
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  Speaker 1: are keeping under watch and ward? Show me her. Schabrin
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  Speaker 1: became pale as death. Tsar, he said in a trembling Sar,
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  Speaker 1: she is not under restraint. She is in bed in
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  Speaker 1: her room. Take me to her, said the usurper, rising
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  Speaker 1: it was impossible to hesitate. Chauvelin led Pugachov to mary
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  Speaker 1: Ifanuvnov's room. I followed them. Chauvelin stopped on the stairs. Tsarre,
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  Speaker 1: he said, you can constrain me to do as you list,
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  Speaker 1: but do not permit a stranger to enter my wife's room.
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  Speaker 1: You are married, cried I ready to tear him to pieces. Hush,
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  Speaker 1: interrupted Puguchov. It is my concern, and you, continued, he
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  Speaker 1: turning towards Schablin. Do not swagger, whether she be your
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  Speaker 1: wife or no. I take whomsoever I please to see her,
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  Speaker 1: Your lordship follow me at the door of the room.
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  Speaker 1: Chablin again stopped and said, in a broken voice, t Sar,
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  Speaker 1: I warn you, she is feverish, and for three days
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  Speaker 1: she has been delirious. Open, said Pugatchov. Schaublin began to
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  Speaker 1: fumble in his pockets and ended by declaring that he
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  Speaker 1: had forgotten the key. Pugatchov gave a push to the
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  Speaker 1: door with his foot. The lock gave way, the door opened,
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  Speaker 1: and we went in. I cast a rapid glance round
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  Speaker 1: the room, and nearly fainted upon the floor. In a
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  Speaker 1: coarse peasant's dress, sat marya pale and thin, with her
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  Speaker 1: hair unbound. Before her stood a jug of water and
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  Speaker 1: a bit of bread. At the sight of me, she
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  Speaker 1: trembled and gave a piercing cry. I cannot say what
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  Speaker 1: I felt. Pugachov looked sidelong at Schrablin and said to
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  Speaker 1: him with a bitter smile, your hospital is well ordered. Then,
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  Speaker 1: approaching Marya, tell me, my little dove, why your husband
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  Speaker 1: punishes you. Thus my husband rejoined her. He is not
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  Speaker 1: my husband. Never will I be his wife. I am
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  Speaker 1: resolved rather to die, and I shall die if I
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  Speaker 1: be not delivered. Pugatchov cast a furious glance upon Shrablin.
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  Speaker 1: You dare deceive me, cried he. Do you know, villain,
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  Speaker 1: what you deserve? Schraublin drops on his knees. Then contempt
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  Speaker 1: overpowered in me all feelings of hatred and revenge. I
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  Speaker 1: looked with disgust upon a gentleman at the feet of
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  Speaker 1: a Kazakh deserter. Pugatchov allowed himself to be moved. I
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  Speaker 1: pardon you this time, he said to Shchvabriin. But next
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  Speaker 1: offense I will remember this one. Then, addressing Marya, he
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  Speaker 1: said to her gently, come out, pretty one. I give
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  Speaker 1: you your liberty. I am the Tsar. Marya Ivanovna threw
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  Speaker 1: a quick look at him and divine that the murderer
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  Speaker 1: of her parents was before her eyes. She covered her
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  Speaker 1: face with her hands and fell unconscious. I was rushing
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  Speaker 1: to help her. When my old acquaintance Palashka came very
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  Speaker 1: boldly into the room and took charge of her mistress,
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  Speaker 1: Pugachov withdrew, and we all three returned to the parlor well.
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  Speaker 1: Your lordship, Pugatchov said to me, laughing, we have delivered
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  Speaker 1: the pretty girl. What do you say to it? Ought
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  Speaker 1: we not to send for the pope and get him
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  Speaker 1: to marry his niece. If, if you like, I will
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  Speaker 1: be your marriage godfather, Schabrin best man, then we will
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  Speaker 1: set to and drink with closed doors. What I feared
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  Speaker 1: came to pass. No sooner had he heard Pugatchov's proposal
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  Speaker 1: than Schabin lost his head. Sorry, he said furiously, I
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  Speaker 1: am guilty. I have lied to you, But Grinief also
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  Speaker 1: deceives you. This young girl is not the Pope's niece.
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  Speaker 1: She is the daughter of Ivan Mironov, who was executed
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  Speaker 1: when the fort was taken. Pugachov turned his flashing eyes
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  Speaker 1: on me. What does all this mean? Cried he with
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  Speaker 1: indignant surprise. But I made to answer boldly, Schaubin has
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  Speaker 1: told you the truth you had not told me. That,
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  Speaker 1: rejoined Pugachov, whose brow had suddenly darkened. But judge yourself,
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  Speaker 1: replied I could I declare before all your people that
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  Speaker 1: she was Moronov's daughter, They would have torn her in pieces.
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  Speaker 1: Nothing could have saved her. Well, you are right, said Pugachrov.
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  Speaker 1: My drunkards would not have spared the poor girl. My
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  Speaker 1: God up. The Pope's wife did right to deceive them. Listen,
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  Speaker 1: I resume seeing how well disposed he was towards me.
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  Speaker 1: I do not know what to call you, nor do
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  Speaker 1: I seek to know, but God knows. I stand ready
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  Speaker 1: to give my life for what you have done for me.
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  Speaker 1: Only do not ask of me anything opposed to my
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  Speaker 1: honor and my conscience is a Christian. You are my benefactor,
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  Speaker 1: And as you have begun, let me go with the
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  Speaker 1: poor orphan whither God shall direct, and whatever befall and
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  Speaker 1: wherever you be, we will pray God every day that
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  Speaker 1: he watch over the safety of your soul. I seem
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  Speaker 1: to have touched Pugachov's fierce heart. Be it even as
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  Speaker 1: you wish, said, he either entirely punish or entirely pardon.
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  Speaker 1: That is my motto. Take your pretty one, take her
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  Speaker 1: away wherever you like, and may God grant you love
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  Speaker 1: and wisdom. He turned towards Schabrin and bid him write
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  Speaker 1: me a safe conduct pass for all the gates and
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  Speaker 1: forts under his command. And Chauvelin remained still and as
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  Speaker 1: if petrified, Pogatchov went to inspect the fort. Schaublin followed
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  Speaker 1: him and I stayed behind. Under the pretext of packing up.
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  Speaker 1: I ran to Marya's room. The door was shut. I knocked.
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  Speaker 1: Who is there, asked Palashka. I gave my name. Marya's
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  Speaker 1: gentle voice was then heard through the door. Wait, Pyotranrovitch said, she,
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  Speaker 1: I am changing my dress. Go to Akulina Pampfilovna's I
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  Speaker 1: shall be there in a minute. I bade and went
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  Speaker 1: to Father Gharasim's house. The Pope and his wife hastened
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  Speaker 1: to meet me. T Saviyevitch had already told them all
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  Speaker 1: that had happened. Good day, pyotr Androvitch. The Pope's wife
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  Speaker 1: said to me, here has God so ruled that we
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  Speaker 1: meet again? How are you? We have talked about you
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  Speaker 1: every day, and Marya Ivanovna, what has she not suffered?
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  Speaker 1: Anent you, my pigeon? But tell me, my father, how
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  Speaker 1: did you get out of the difficulty with Pugachyov. How
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  Speaker 1: was it that he did not kill you? Well for that,
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  Speaker 1: thanks be to the villain. Ere hush, old woman interrupted
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  Speaker 1: Fala gharasim, don't gossip about all you know too much
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  Speaker 1: talk no salvation. Come in pyotrandreetch and welcome. It is
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  Speaker 1: long since we have seen each other. The Pope's wife
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  Speaker 1: did me honor with everything she had at hand, without
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  Speaker 1: ceasing a moment to talk. She told me how Schvabrin
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  Speaker 1: had obliged them to deliver up Marya Ivanovna to him,
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  Speaker 1: how the poor girl cried and would not be parted
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  Speaker 1: from them, How she had continual intercourse with them through
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  Speaker 1: the medium of palashka, a resolute, sharp girl who made
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  Speaker 1: the Yuryadhnik himself dance, as they say, to the sound
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  Speaker 1: of her flagelet. How she had counseled Marya Ivanovna to
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  Speaker 1: write me a letter, et cetera. As for me, in
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  Speaker 1: a few words, I told my story. The Pope and
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  Speaker 1: his wife crossed themselves when they heard that Pugatchov was
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  Speaker 1: aware they had deceived him. May the power of the
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  Speaker 1: cross be with us, Akuliina Panfylovna said, May God turn
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  Speaker 1: aside this cloud very well, Alexey Ivanitch, we shall see
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  Speaker 1: all the sly fox. At this moment the door opened,
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  Speaker 1: and Marya Ivanovna appeared, with a smile on her pale face.
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  Speaker 1: She had changed her peasant dress, and she was dressed
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  Speaker 1: as usual, simply and suitably. I seized her hand and
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  Speaker 1: could not, for a while say a single word. We
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  Speaker 1: were both silent. Our hearts were too full. Our host
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  Speaker 1: felt we had other things to do than talk to them.
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  Speaker 1: They left us. We remained alone. Marya told me all
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  Speaker 1: that had befallen her since the taking of the fort,
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  Speaker 1: painted me the horrors of her position, all the torment
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  Speaker 1: the infamous Schwablin had made her suffer. We recalled to
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  Speaker 1: each other the happy past, both of us shedding tears
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  Speaker 1: the while. At last I could tell her my plans.
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  Speaker 1: It was impossible for her to stay in a fort
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  Speaker 1: which had submitted to Pugatchov and where Schablin was in command.
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  Speaker 1: Either could I dream of taking refuge with her in Orenburg,
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  Speaker 1: where at this juncture all the miseries of a siege
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  Speaker 1: were being undergone. Maria had no longer a single relation
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  Speaker 1: in the world. Therefore, I proposed to her that she
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  Speaker 1: should go to my parents country house. She was very
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  Speaker 1: much surprised at such a proposal. The displeasure my father
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  Speaker 1: had shown on her account frightened her, but I soothed her.
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  Speaker 1: I knew my father would deem it a duty and
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  Speaker 1: an honor to shelter in his house the daughter of
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  Speaker 1: a veteran who had died for his country. Dear Marya,
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  Speaker 1: I said, at last, I look upon you as my wife.
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  Speaker 1: These strange events have irrevocably united us. Nothing in the
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  Speaker 1: world can part us any more. Maria heard me in
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  Speaker 1: dignified silence, without misplaced affection. She felt, as I did,
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  Speaker 1: that her destiny was irrevocably linked with mine. Still, she
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  Speaker 1: repeated that she would only be my wife with my
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  Speaker 1: parent's consent. I had nothing to answer. We fell in
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  Speaker 1: each other's arms, and my project became our mutual decision.
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  Speaker 1: An hour afterwards, the Uryadnik brought me my safe conduct
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  Speaker 1: pass with the scrawl which did duty as Pugachov's signature,
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  Speaker 1: and told me that Tsar awaited me in his house.
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  Speaker 1: I found him ready to start. How express what I
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  Speaker 1: felt in the presence of this man, awful and cruel
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  Speaker 1: for all myself only excepted, and why not tell the
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  Speaker 1: whole truth. At this moment I felt a strong sympathy
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  Speaker 1: with him. I wished earnestly to draw him from the
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  Speaker 1: band of robbers of which he was the chief and
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  Speaker 1: save his head. Ere it should be too late. The
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  Speaker 1: presence of Schwabriin and of the crowd around us prevented
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  Speaker 1: me from expressing to him all the feelings which filled
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  Speaker 1: my heart. We parted friends. Pugachyov saw in the crowd
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  Speaker 1: Akuliina Pamphilovna and amicably threatened her with his finger with
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  Speaker 1: a meaning wink. Then he seated himself in his kibitka
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  Speaker 1: and gave gave the word to return to Baird. When
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  Speaker 1: the horses started, he leaned out of his carriage and
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  Speaker 1: shouted to me, farewell, your lordship. It may be we
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  Speaker 1: shall yet meet again. We did indeed see one another
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  Speaker 1: once again, but under what circumstances. Puguchov was gone. I
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  Speaker 1: long watched the step over which his kibitka was rapidly gliding.
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  Speaker 1: The crowd dwindled away, Shrabdin disappeared. I went back to
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  Speaker 1: the Pope's house, where all was being made ready for
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  Speaker 1: our departure. Our little luggage had been put in the
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  Speaker 1: old vehicle of the Commandant. In a moment, the horses
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  Speaker 1: were harnessed. Marya went to bid a last farewell to
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  Speaker 1: the tomb of her parents, buried behind the church. I
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  Speaker 1: wished to escort her there, but she begged me to
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  Speaker 1: let her go alone, and soon came back weeping quiet tears.
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  Speaker 1: Father Ghasim and his wife came to the door to
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  Speaker 1: see us off. We took our seats three abreast inside
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  Speaker 1: the kibitka, and Savielitch again perched in front. Goodbye Marya Ifanovna,
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  Speaker 1: our dear dove. Goodbye Piotr Andreitch, our gay goshawk. The
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  Speaker 1: Pope's wife cried to us, A lucky journey to you,
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  Speaker 1: and may God give you abundant happiness. We started at
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  Speaker 1: the Commandant's window. I saw Schabrin standing with a face
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  Speaker 1: of dark hatred. I did not wish to triumph meanly
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  Speaker 1: over a humbled enemy, and looked away from him. At
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  Speaker 1: last we passed the principal gate and forever left Fort Belagorsk.
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  Speaker 1: End of Chapter twelve. Recording by Kevin Davidson w w
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  Speaker 1: W dot blog or die dot com.