No More Learning

In half-an-hour I was in the saddle on my horse, and Saveliitch on a
thin and lame "_garron_," which a townsman had given him for nothing,
having no longer anything wherewith to feed it. We gained the town
gates; the sentries let us pass, and at last we were out of Orenburg.

Night was beginning to fall. The road I had to follow passed before the
little village of Berd, held by Pugatchef. This road was deep in snow,
and nearly hidden; but across the steppe were to be seen tracks of
horses each day renewed.

I was trotting. Saveliitch could hardly keep up with me, and cried to me
every minute--

"Not so fast, sir, in heaven's name not so fast! My confounded
'_garron_' cannot catch up your long-legged devil. Why are you in such a
hurry? Are we bound to a feast? Rather have we our necks under the axe.
Petr' Andrejitch! Oh! my father, Petr' Andrejitch! Oh, Lord!
this
'_boyar's_' child will die, and all for nothing! "

We soon saw twinkling the fires of Berd. We were approaching the deep
ravines which served as natural fortifications to the little settlement.
Saveliitch, though keeping up to me tolerably well, did not give over
his lamentable supplications. I was hoping to pass safely by this
unfriendly place, when all at once I made out in the dark five peasants,
armed with big sticks.

It was an advance guard of Pugatchef's camp. They shouted to us--

"Who goes there? "

Not knowing the pass-word, I wanted to pass them without reply, but in
the same moment they surrounded me, and one of them seized my horse by
the bridle. I drew my sword, and struck the peasant on the head. His
high cap saved his life; still, he staggered, and let go the bridle. The
others were frightened, and jumped aside. Taking advantage of their
scare, I put spurs to my horse, and dashed off at full gallop.

The fast increasing darkness of the night might have saved me from any
more difficulties, when, looking back, I discovered that Saveliitch was
no longer with me. The poor old man with his lame horse had not been
able to shake off the robbers. What was I to do?

After waiting a few minutes and becoming certain he had been stopped, I
turned my horse's head to go to his help.