His face
expressed calm, good-humour and health.
He seemed very pleased to see me, and began to question me on the
terrible events which I had witnessed. I related them.
The old man heard me with attention, and, while listening, cut the dead
branches.
"Poor Mironoff!" said he, when I had done my sad story; "'tis a pity! he
was a goot officer! And Matame Mironoff, she was a goot lady and
first-rate at pickled mushrooms. And what became of Masha, the Captain's
daughter?"
I replied that she had stayed in the fort, at the pope's house.
"Aie! aie! aie!" said the General. "That's bad! very bad; it is quite
impossible to count on the discipline of robbers."
I drew his attention to the fact that Fort Belogorsk was not very far
away, and that probably his excellency would not delay dispatching a
detachment of troops to deliver the poor inhabitants.
The General shook his head with an air of indecision--
"We shall see! we shall see!" said he, "we have plenty of time to talk
about it. I beg you will come and take tea with me. This evening there
will be a council of war; you can give us exact information about that
rascal Pugatchef and his army. Now in the meantime go and rest."
I went away to the lodging that had been assigned me, and where
Saveliitch was already installed.
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