shirts of Holland linen, with cuffs, ten roubles; one case containing
a tea-service, two roubles."

"What nonsense is this?" said Pougatcheff.

"What have I to do with tea-sets and Holland cuffs?"

Saveliitch coughed to clear his voice, and began to explain: "That, my
lord, deign to understand, is the bill of my master's goods carried off
by the thieves."

"What thieves?" asked Pougatcheff, with a terrible air.

"Pardon me," said Saveliitch. "Thieves? No, they were not thieves; my
tongue slipped; yet your boys went through everything and carried off
plenty. That can not be denied. Do not be angry. The horse has four
legs and yet he stumbles. Command that he read to the end."

"Well, read," said Pougatcheff.

"One Persian blanket, one quilt of wadded silk, four roubles; one
pelisse of fox-skin, covered with red ratine, forty roubles; one small
touloup of hare-skin left with your grace, on the steppe, fifteen
roubles."

"What?" cried Pougatcheff, with flashing eyes.

I must say I feared for the old man, who was beginning new explanations,
when the brigand interrupted him: