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014 - 14 Chapter 14 The Trial · Daughter of the Commandant

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  Speaker 1: Chapter fourteen 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 trial. I
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  Speaker 1: do not doubt that the cause of my arrest was
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  Speaker 1: my departure from Orenburg without leave. Thus I could easily
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  Speaker 1: exculpate myself, for not only had we not been forbidden
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  Speaker 1: to make sorties against the enemy, but were encouraged in
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  Speaker 1: so doing. Still, my friendly understanding with Pugachov seemed to
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  Speaker 1: be proved by a crowd of witnesses, and must appear
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  Speaker 1: at least suspicious. All the way I pondered the questions
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  Speaker 1: I should be asked and mentally resolved upon my answers,
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  Speaker 1: I determined to tell the judges the whole truth, convinced
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  Speaker 1: that it was at once the simplest and surest way
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  Speaker 1: of justifying myself. I reached Kazan, a miserable town which
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  Speaker 1: I found laid waste and well nigh reduced to ashes.
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  Speaker 1: All along the street. Instead of houses were to be
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  Speaker 1: seen heaps of charred plaster and rubbish, and walls without
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  Speaker 1: windows or roofs. These were the marks Puguchov had left.
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  Speaker 1: I was taken to the fort, which had remained whole,
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  Speaker 1: and the hussars. My escort handed me over to the
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  Speaker 1: officer of the guard. He called a farrier, who coolly
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  Speaker 1: riveted irons on my ankles when I was led to
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  Speaker 1: the prison building, where I was left alone in a narrow,
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  Speaker 1: dark cell, which had but its four walls and a
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  Speaker 1: little skylight with iron bars. Such a beginning augured nothing good.
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  Speaker 1: Still I did not lose either hope or courage. I
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  Speaker 1: had recourse to the consolation of all who suffer, And
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  Speaker 1: after tasting for the first time the sweetness of a
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  Speaker 1: prayer from an innocent heart full of anguish, I peacefully
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  Speaker 1: fell asleep, without giving a thought to what might befall me.
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  Speaker 1: On the morrow, the gooler came to wake me, telling
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  Speaker 1: me I was summoned before the commission. Two soldiers conducted
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  Speaker 1: me across a short to the commandant's house, then remained
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  Speaker 1: in the ante room, left me alone to enter the
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  Speaker 1: inner chamber. I entered a rather large reception room. Behind
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  Speaker 1: the table covered with papers were seated two persons, an
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  Speaker 1: elderly general looking severe and cold, and a young officer
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  Speaker 1: of the guard looking at most about thirty, of easy
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  Speaker 1: and attractive demeanor. Near the window. At another table sat
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  Speaker 1: a secretary with a pen behind his ear, bending over
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  Speaker 1: his paper, ready to take down my evidence. The cross
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  Speaker 1: examination began. They asked me my name and rank. The
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  Speaker 1: general inquired if I were not the son of Andrey
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  Speaker 1: Petrovitch Grineff, and on my affirmative answer, he exclaimed severely,
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  Speaker 1: it is a great pity such an honorable man should
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  Speaker 1: have a son so very unworthy of him. I quietly
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  Speaker 1: made answer that whatever might be the accusations lying heavily
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  Speaker 1: against me, I hoped to be able to explain them
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  Speaker 1: away by a candid avowal of the truth. Wellness displeased him.
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  Speaker 1: You are a bold, bare faced rascal, he said to me, frowning. However,
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  Speaker 1: we have seen many of them. Then the young officer
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  Speaker 1: asked me by what chance and at what time I
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  Speaker 1: had entered Pugachov's service, and on what affairs he had
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  Speaker 1: employed me. I indignantly rejoined that, being an officer and
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  Speaker 1: a gentleman, I had not been able to enter Pugachov's service,
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  Speaker 1: and that he had not employed me on any business whatever.
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  Speaker 1: How then does it happen resumed by Judge that the
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  Speaker 1: officer and gentleman be the only one pardoned by the Usurper,
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  Speaker 1: while all his comrades are massacred in cold blood. How
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  Speaker 1: does it happen, also, that the same officer and gentlemen
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  Speaker 1: could live snugly and pleasantly with the rebels and receive
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  Speaker 1: from the ringleader presence of a police, a horse, and
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  Speaker 1: half a rouble. What is the occasion of so strange
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  Speaker 1: a friendship? And upon what can it be founded if
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  Speaker 1: not on treason, or at least be occasioned by criminal
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  Speaker 1: and unpardonable baseness. The words of the officer wounded me deeply,
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  Speaker 1: and I entered hotly on my vindication. I related how
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  Speaker 1: my acquaintance with Pugatchov had begun on the step in
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  Speaker 1: the midst of a snow storm, how he had recognized
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  Speaker 1: me and granted me my life at the taking of
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  Speaker 1: Fort Belagorsk. I admitted that indeed I had accepted from
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  Speaker 1: the Usurper a tuloup and a horse, but I had
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  Speaker 1: defended Fort Belagorsk against the rascal to the last gasp. Finally,
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  Speaker 1: I appealed to the name of my general, who could
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  Speaker 1: testify to my zeal during the disastrous siege of Orenburg.
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  Speaker 1: The severe old man took from the table an open letter,
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  Speaker 1: which he began to read aloud, in answer to your
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  Speaker 1: excellency on the score of Ensign Grineff, who is said
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  Speaker 1: to have been mixed up in the troubles and to
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  Speaker 1: have entered into communication with the robber, communication contrary to
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  Speaker 1: the rules and regulations of the service, and opposed to
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  Speaker 1: all the duties imposed by his oath, I have the
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  Speaker 1: honor to inform you that the aforesaid Ensign Grineff served
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  Speaker 1: at Orenburg from the month of October seventeen seventy three
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  Speaker 1: until February twenty fourth of the present year, upon which
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  Speaker 1: day he left the town and has not been seen since. Still,
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  Speaker 1: the enemy's deserters have been heard to declare that he
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  Speaker 1: went to Pugatchrov's camp, and that he accompanied him to
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  Speaker 1: Fort Billigorsk, where he was formerly in garrison. On the
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  Speaker 1: other hand, in respect to his conduct, I can here
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  Speaker 1: the general broke off and said to me with harshness, well,
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  Speaker 1: what you have now to say for yourself? I was
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  Speaker 1: about to continue as I had begun and relate my
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  Speaker 1: connection with Marya as openly as the rest. But suddenly
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  Speaker 1: I felt an inconquerable disgust to tell such a story.
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  Speaker 1: It occurred to me that if I mentioned her, the
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  Speaker 1: Commission would oblige her to appear. And the idea of
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  Speaker 1: exposing her name to all the scandalous things said by
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  Speaker 1: the rascals under cross examination, and the thought of even
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  Speaker 1: seeing her in their presence, was so repugnant to me
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  Speaker 1: that I became confused, stammered, and took refuge in silence.
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  Speaker 1: My judges, who appeared to be listening to my answers
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  Speaker 1: with a certain good will, were again prejudiced against me
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  Speaker 1: by the sight of my confusion. The officer of the
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  Speaker 1: guard requested that I should be confronted with the principal accuser.
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  Speaker 1: The General bade him to bring in yesterday's rascal. I
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  Speaker 1: turned eagerly towards the door to look out for my accuser.
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  Speaker 1: A few moments afterwards, the clank of change was heard,
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  Speaker 1: and there entered Shriveling. I was struck by the change
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  Speaker 1: that had come over him. He was pale and thin.
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  Speaker 1: His hair, formerly black as jet, had begun to turn gray.
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  Speaker 1: His long beard was unkempt. He repeated all his accusations
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  Speaker 1: in a feeble but resolute tone. According to him, I
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  Speaker 1: had been sent by Kugachov as a spy to Orenburg.
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  Speaker 1: I went out each day as far as the line
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  Speaker 1: of sharpshooters to transmit written news of all that was
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  Speaker 1: passing within the town. Finally, I had definitely come over
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  Speaker 1: to the Usurper's side, going with him from fort to fort,
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  Speaker 1: and trying by all the means of my power to
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  Speaker 1: do evil to my companions in treason, to supplant them
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  Speaker 1: in their posts and profit more by the favors of
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  Speaker 1: the arch rebel. I heard him to the end in silence,
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  Speaker 1: and felt glad of one thing. He had never pronounced
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  Speaker 1: Madia's name. Was it because his self love was wounded
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  Speaker 1: by the thought of her, who had disdainfully rejected him.
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  Speaker 1: Or was it that still within his heart yet lingered
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  Speaker 1: a spark of the same feeling, which kept me silent.
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  Speaker 1: Whatever it was, the commission did not hear spoken the
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  Speaker 1: name of the daughter of the commandant of Fort Biligorsk.
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  Speaker 1: I was still further confirmed in the resolution I had taken,
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  Speaker 1: And when the judges asked me if I had ought
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  Speaker 1: to answer to Schaubdrin's allegations. I contented myself with saying
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  Speaker 1: that I did abide by my first declaration, and that
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  Speaker 1: I had nothing more to show for my vindication. The
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  Speaker 1: General bid them take us away. We went out together.
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  Speaker 1: I looked calmly at Schrabrin and did not say one
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  Speaker 1: word to him. He smiled a smile of satisfied hatred,
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  Speaker 1: gathered up his fetters, and quickened his pace to pass
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  Speaker 1: before me. I was taken back to prison, and after
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  Speaker 1: that I underwent no further examination. I was not witnessed
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  Speaker 1: to all that I have still to tell my readers.
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  Speaker 1: But I have heard the whole thing related so often
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  Speaker 1: that the least little details have remained graven in my memory,
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  Speaker 1: and it seems to me I was present myself. Maria
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  Speaker 1: was received by my parents with the cordial kindness characteristic
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  Speaker 1: of people in old days. In the opportunity presented to
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  Speaker 1: them of giving a home to a poor orphan, they
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  Speaker 1: saw a favor of God. Very soon they became truly
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  Speaker 1: attached to her, for one could not know her without
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  Speaker 1: loving her. My love no longer appeared a folly, even
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  Speaker 1: to my father, and my mother thought only of the
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  Speaker 1: union of for Patrucia with the commandant's daughter. The news
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  Speaker 1: of my arrest. Electrified with horror, my whole family. Still,
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  Speaker 1: Maria had so simply told my parents the origin of
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  Speaker 1: my strange friendship with Pugatchov, But not only were they
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  Speaker 1: not uneasy, but it even made them laugh heartily. My
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  Speaker 1: father could not believe it possible that I should be
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  Speaker 1: mixed up in a disgraceful revolt of which the object
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  Speaker 1: was the downfall of the throne and the extermination of
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  Speaker 1: the race of Boyars. He cross examined Seville it sharply,
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  Speaker 1: and my retainer confessed that I had been the guest
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  Speaker 1: of Pugachov, and that the robber had certainly behaved generously
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  Speaker 1: towards me. But at the same time he solemnly averred
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  Speaker 1: upon oath that he had never heard me speak of
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  Speaker 1: any treason. My old parents were relieved, and they impatiently
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  Speaker 1: awaited better news. But as to Mariya, she was very uneasy,
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  Speaker 1: and only caution and modesty kept her silent. Several weeks passed,
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  Speaker 1: then all at once my father received from Petersburg a
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  Speaker 1: letter from our kinsman, Prince Benoyek. After the usual compliments,
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  Speaker 1: he announced to him that the suspicions which had arisen
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  Speaker 1: of my participation in the plots of the rebel had
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  Speaker 1: been proved to be but too well founded, adding that
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  Speaker 1: condigned punishment as a deterrent should have overtaken me, but
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  Speaker 1: that the Tsarina, through consideration for the loyal service and
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  Speaker 1: white hairs of my father, had condescended to pardon the
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  Speaker 1: criminal son, and remitting the disgrace fraught execution, had condemned
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  Speaker 1: him to exile for life in the heart of Siberia.
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  Speaker 1: This unexpected blow nearly killed my father. He lost his
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  Speaker 1: habitual firmness, and his sorrow, usually dumb, found vent in
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  Speaker 1: bitter lament what he never ceased, repeating well nigh beside himself,
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  Speaker 1: what my son mixed up in the plots of Pugatchov.
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  Speaker 1: Just God, what have I lived to see? The Sarena
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  Speaker 1: grants him life, But does that make it easier for
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  Speaker 1: me to bear? It is not the execution which is horrible.
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  Speaker 1: My ancestor perished on the scaffold for conscience sake. My
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  Speaker 1: father fell with the martyrs Volinsky and Khrushchov. But that
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  Speaker 1: a boyarge should first where his oath, that he should
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  Speaker 1: join with robbers rascals, convicted felons, revolted slaves, shame forever,
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  Speaker 1: shame on our race. Frightened by his despair, my mother
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  Speaker 1: dared not weep before him, and endeavored to give him
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  Speaker 1: courage by talking of the uncertainty and injustice of the verdict.
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  Speaker 1: But my father was inconsolable. Maritya was more miserable than
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  Speaker 1: any one, Fully persuaded that I could have justified myself
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  Speaker 1: had I chosen. She suspected the motive which had kept
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  Speaker 1: me silent, and deemed herself the sole cause of my misfortune.
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  Speaker 1: She hid from all eyes her tears and her suffering,
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  Speaker 1: but never ceased thinking how she could save me. One evening,
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  Speaker 1: seated on the sofa, my father was turning over the
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  Speaker 1: court calendar, but his thoughts were far away, and the
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  Speaker 1: book did not produce its usual effect on him. He
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  Speaker 1: was whistling an old march. My mother was silently knitting,
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  Speaker 1: and her tears were dropping from time to time on
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  Speaker 1: her work. Marya, who was working in the same room,
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  Speaker 1: all at once informed by parents that she was obliged
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  Speaker 1: to start for Petersburg, and begged them to give her
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  Speaker 1: the means to do so. My mother was much affected
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  Speaker 1: by this declaration, Why said she, do you want to
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  Speaker 1: go to Petersburg? You too, do you wish also to
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  Speaker 1: forsake us? Marya made answer that her fate depended on
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  Speaker 1: the journey, and that she was going to seek help
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  Speaker 1: and countenance from people high in favor as the daughter
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  Speaker 1: of a man who had fallen victim to his fidelity.
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  Speaker 1: My father bowed his head. Each word which reminded him
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  Speaker 1: of the alleged crime of his son was to him
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  Speaker 1: a keen reproach. Go, he said at last, with a sigh,
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  Speaker 1: we do not wish to cast any obstacles between you
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  Speaker 1: and happiness. May God grant you an honest man as
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  Speaker 1: a husband, and not a disgraced and convicted traitor. He
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  Speaker 1: rose and left the room. Left alone with my mother,
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  Speaker 1: Marya confided to her part of her plans. My mother
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  Speaker 1: kissed her with tears and prayed God would grant her success.
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  Speaker 1: A few days afterwards, Marya set forth with Palashka and
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  Speaker 1: her faithful Taviyevitch, who necessarily parted from me, consoled himself
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  Speaker 1: by remembering he was serving my betrothed. Marya arrived safely
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  Speaker 1: at Sophia, and learning that the court at this time
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  Speaker 1: was at the summer palace of Sarskliasello. She resolved to
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  Speaker 1: stop there in the post house. She obtained a little
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  Speaker 1: dressing room behind a partition. The wife of the postmaster
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  Speaker 1: came at once to gossip with her and announced to
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  Speaker 1: her pompously that she was the niece of a stove
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  Speaker 1: warmer attached to the palace, and in a word put
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  Speaker 1: her up to all the mysteries of the palace. She
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  Speaker 1: told her at what hour the Tsarina rose, had her coffee,
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  Speaker 1: went to walk, what high lords there were about her,
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  Speaker 1: what she had deigned to say the evening before at table,
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  Speaker 1: who she received in the evening, And in a word,
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  Speaker 1: the conversationation of Anna Vlasievna might have been a leaf
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  Speaker 1: from any memoir of the day, and would be invaluable.
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  Speaker 1: Now Marya Ivanovna heard her with great attention. They went
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  Speaker 1: together to the Imperial gardens, where Anna Vlasievna told Marya
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  Speaker 1: the history of every walk and each little bridge. Both
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  Speaker 1: of them returned home charmed with one another. On the
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  Speaker 1: morrow very early, Marya dressed herself and went to the
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  Speaker 1: Imperial gardens. The morning was lovely, the sun gilded with
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  Speaker 1: its beams, the tops of the lindens, already yellowed by
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  Speaker 1: the keen breath of autumn. The large lake sparkled unruffled.
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  Speaker 1: The swans, just awake, were gravely quitting the bushes on
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  Speaker 1: the banks. Mariya went to the edge of a beautiful lawn,
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  Speaker 1: where had lately been erected a monument in honor of
• 14:47
  Speaker 1: the recent victories of Count rumyanzev All. At once a
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  Speaker 1: little dog of English breed ran toward her, barking. Mariya
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  Speaker 1: stopped short, alarmed. At this moment, a pleasant woman's voice said,
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  Speaker 1: do not be afraid. He will not hurt you. Maria
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  Speaker 1: saw a lady seated on a little rustic bench opposite
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  Speaker 1: the monument, and she went and seated herself at the
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  Speaker 1: other end of the bench. The lady looked attentively at her,
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  Speaker 1: and Maria, who had stolen one glance at her, could
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  Speaker 1: now see her well. She wore a cap and a
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  Speaker 1: white morning gown and a little light cloak. She appeared
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  Speaker 1: about fifty years old, her face full and high colored,
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  Speaker 1: expressed repose and gravity. Softened by the sweetness of her
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  Speaker 1: blue eyes and charming smile, she was the first to
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  Speaker 1: break the silence. Doubtless you are not of this place,
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  Speaker 1: she asked. You are right, lady, I only arrived yesterday
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  Speaker 1: from the country. You came without your parents, No, lady,
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  Speaker 1: alone alone, But you are very young to travel by yourself.
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  Speaker 1: I have neither father nor mother. You are here on business, Yes, lady,
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  Speaker 1: I came to present a petition to the Tsarina. You
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  Speaker 1: are an orphan. Doubtless you have to complaintive injustice or wrong. No, lady,
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  Speaker 1: I came to ask grace and not justice. Allow me
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  Speaker 1: to ask a question. Who are you? I am the
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  Speaker 1: daughter of Captain Mironov, of Captain Mironov, he who commanded
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  Speaker 1: one of the forts in the Utemburg district. Yes, lady,
• 16:17
  Speaker 1: the lady appeared moved. Forgive me, she resumed, in a
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  Speaker 1: yet softer voice. If I meddle in your affairs, but
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  Speaker 1: I am going to court, explain to me the object
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  Speaker 1: of your request. Perhaps I may be able to help you.
• 16:32
  Speaker 1: Mariya rose and respectfully saluted her. Everything in the unknown
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: lady involuntarily attracted her and inspired trust. Maria took from
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  Speaker 1: her pocket a folded paper. She offered it to her protectress,
• 16:47
  Speaker 1: who ran over it in a low voice. When she
• 16:50
  Speaker 1: began she looked kind and interested, but all at once
• 16:54
  Speaker 1: her face changed, and Maria, who followed with her eyes
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  Speaker 1: her every movement, was a alarmed by the hard expression
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  Speaker 1: of the face. Lately, so calm and gracious, you plead
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  Speaker 1: for griniev said the lady in an icy tone. The
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  Speaker 1: Tsarina cannot grant him grace. He passed over to the usurper,
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  Speaker 1: not as an ignorant and credulous man, but as a
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  Speaker 1: depraved and dangerous good for nothing. It is not true,
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: cried Maria. What it is not true, retorted the lady,
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  Speaker 1: flushing up to her eyes. It is not true. Before God,
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  Speaker 1: it is not true, exclaimed Maria. I know all, I
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  Speaker 1: will tell you all. It is for me only that
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  Speaker 1: he exposed himself to all the misfortunes which have overtaken him.
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  Speaker 1: And if he did not vindicate himself before the judges,
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  Speaker 1: it is because he did not wish me to be
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  Speaker 1: mixed up in the affair. And Maria eagerly related all
• 17:50
  Speaker 1: the reader already knows. The lady listened with deep attention.
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  Speaker 1: Where do you lodge? She asked when the young girl
• 17:58
  Speaker 1: concluded her story, and when she heard that it was
• 18:01
  Speaker 1: with Anna Vlasievna she added with a smile, Ah, I
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  Speaker 1: know good bye. Do not tell any one of our meeting.
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  Speaker 1: I hope you will not have to wait long for
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  Speaker 1: an answer to your letter. Having said these words, she
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  Speaker 1: rose and went away by a covered walk. Maria returned
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  Speaker 1: home full of joyful hope. Her host discolded her for
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  Speaker 1: her early morning walk, bad, she said, in the autumn,
• 18:26
  Speaker 1: for the health of a young girl. She brought the
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: samovar and over a cup of tea. She was about
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  Speaker 1: to resume her endless discussion of the court when a
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: carriage with a coat of arms stopped before the door.
• 18:38
  Speaker 1: A lackey in the Imperial livery entered the room, announcing
• 18:42
  Speaker 1: that the Tsarina deigned to call to her presence. The
• 18:46
  Speaker 1: daughter of Captain mironov Anna Vlasievna, was quite upset by
• 18:50
  Speaker 1: the news. Oh good heavens, cried she that Tsarina summoned
• 18:54
  Speaker 1: you to court. How did she know of your arrival?
• 18:57
  Speaker 1: And how will you acquit yourself before the Tsarina? My
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: little mother, I think you do not even know how
• 19:03
  Speaker 1: to walk court fashion. I ought to take you or stay?
• 19:06
  Speaker 1: Should I not send for the midwife that she might
• 19:09
  Speaker 1: lend you her yellow gown? With flounces. But the lackey
• 19:13
  Speaker 1: declared that the Tsarina wanted Marya Ivanovna to come alone,
• 19:17
  Speaker 1: and in the dress she would happen to be wearing.
• 19:20
  Speaker 1: There was nothing for it but to obey, and Marya
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: Ivanovna started. She foresaw that our fate was in the balance,
• 19:27
  Speaker 1: and her heart beat violently. After a few moments, the
• 19:31
  Speaker 1: coach stopped before the palace, and Marya, after crossing a
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: long suite of empty and sumptuous rooms, was ushered at
• 19:39
  Speaker 1: last into the boudoir of the Tsarina. Some lords who
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: stood around there respectfully opened away for the young girl.
• 19:46
  Speaker 1: The Tsarina, in whom Marya recognized the lady of the garden,
• 19:51
  Speaker 1: said to her graciously, I am delighted to be able
• 19:54
  Speaker 1: to accord you your prayer. I have had it all
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: looked into. I am co convinced of the innocence of
• 20:01
  Speaker 1: your betrothed. Here is a letter which you will give
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: your future father in law, Mariya. In all tears fell
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: at the feet that Tsarina, who raised her and kissed
• 20:11
  Speaker 1: her forehead. I know, she said, you are not rich,
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: but I owe a debt to the daughter of Captain
• 20:18
  Speaker 1: Mironov be easy about your future. After overwhelming the poor
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: orphan with caresses that Tsarina dismissed her, and Maria started
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: the same day for my father's country house, without having
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: even had the curiosity to take a look at Petersburg.
• 20:35
  Speaker 1: Herein the memoirs of Pyotr andrech Grinyev, but family tradition
• 20:40
  Speaker 1: asserts that he was released from captivity at the end
• 20:43
  Speaker 1: of the year seventeen seventy four, that he was present
• 20:46
  Speaker 1: at the execution of Poorgachov, and that the latter, recognizing
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: him in the crowd, made him a farewell sign with
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: the head, which a few moments later was held up
• 20:56
  Speaker 1: to the people, lifeless and bleeding. Soon after, Pyotr Andre
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: became the husband of Marya Ivanovna. Their descendants still live
• 21:04
  Speaker 1: in the district of Simbirsk. In the ancestral home in
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: the village is still shown the autograph letter of Catherine
• 21:11
  Speaker 1: the Second, framed and glazed. It is addressed to the
• 21:15
  Speaker 1: father of Pyotr Andrach and contains with the acquittal of
• 21:18
  Speaker 1: his son, praises of the intellect and good heart of
• 21:22
  Speaker 1: the Commandant's daughter. The end end of chapter fourteen. Recording
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: by Kevin Davidson www dot blog, Orde dot com. End
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: of the Daughter of the Commandant by Alexander Pushkin, translated
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: by Missus Milne Holme