I reached my lodging. Saveliitch met me at the threshold. "Thank
God!" he cried. "Ah! master, the rascals have taken everything; but
what matter, since they did not take your life. Did you not recognize
their chief, master?"

"No, I did not; who is he?"

"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. A youth's touloup given to a
vagabond had saved my neck; and this drunkard, capturing fortress,
had shaken the very empire.

"Will you not deign to eat something?" said Saveliitch, true to his
instincts; "there is nothing in the house, it is true, but I will find
something and prepare it for you."

Left alone, I began to reflect that not to leave the fortress, now
subject to the brigand, or to join his troops, would be unworthy of
an officer. Duty required me to go and present myself where I could
still be useful to my country. But love counseled me, with no less
force, to stay near Marie, to be her protector and champion. Although
I foresaw a near and inevitable change in the march of events, still I
could not, without trembling, contemplate the danger of her position.