Pougatcheff. If the Lord is with us, the wolf will eat no one here."

"Who is Pougatcheff?" asked the Commandant's wife.

Ignatius saw that he had gone too far, and he bit his tongue. But it
was too late. Basilia constrained him to tell her all, having given
her word to keep the secret. She kept her word, and indeed told no
one except Accoulina, whose cow was still on the steppe and might be
carried off by the brigands. Soon every one talked of Pougatcheff, the
current reports being very different. The Commandant sent out the
Corporal to pick up information about him in all the neighboring
villages and little forts. The Corporal returned after an absence of
two days, and declared that he had seen on the steppe, sixty versts
from the fortress, a great many fires, and that he had heard the
Bashkirs say that an innumerable force was advancing. He could not
tell anything definitely, having been afraid to venture farther.

Great agitation was soon after this observed amongst the Cossacks of
our garrison. They assembled in groups in the streets, speaking in a
low tone amongst themselves, and dispersing as soon as they perceived
a dragoon or other Russian soldier. Orders were given to watch them.
Zoulac, a baptized Kalmouk, made a very grave revelation to the
Commandant. According to the Kalmouk, the Cossack made a false report;
for to his comrades the perfidious Corporal said that he had advanced
to the rebel camp, had been presented to their rebel chief, had kissed
his hand and conversed with him. The Commandant ordered the Corporal
under arrest, and replaced him by the Kalmouk. This change was
received by the Cossacks with visible discontent. They openly murmured
and Ignatius, when executing the Commandant's order, heard them say,
with his own ears, "wait, garrison rat, wait!"