"
rejoined
she; "he is not my husband.
Pushkin - Daughter of the Commandant
And you," continued
he, turning towards Chvabrine, "do not swagger; whether she be your wife
or no, I take whomsoever I please to see her. Your lordship, follow me. "
At the door of the room Chvabrine again stopped, and said, in a broken
voice--
"Tzar, I warn you she is feverish, and for three days she has been
delirious. "
"Open! " said Pugatchef.
Chvabrine began to fumble in his pockets, and ended by declaring he had
forgotten the key.
Pugatchef gave a push to the door with his foot, the lock gave way, the
door opened, and we went in. I cast a rapid glance round the room and
nearly fainted. Upon the floor, in a coarse peasant's dress, sat Marya,
pale and thin, with her hair unbound. Before her stood a jug of water
and a bit of bread. At the sight of me she trembled and gave a piercing
cry. I cannot say what I felt. Pugatchef looked sidelong at Chvabrine,
and said to him with a bitter smile--
"Your hospital is well-ordered! " Then, approaching Marya, "Tell me, my
little dove, why your husband punishes you thus? "
"My husband!
" rejoined she; "he is not my husband. Never will I be his
wife. I am resolved rather to die, and I shall die if I be not
delivered. "
Pugatchef cast a furious glance upon Chvabrine.
"You dared deceive me," cried he. "Do you know, villain, what you
deserve? "
Chvabrine dropped on his knees. Then contempt overpowered in me all
feelings of hatred and revenge. I looked with disgust upon a gentleman
at the feet of a Cossack deserter. Pugatchef allowed himself to be
moved.
"I pardon you this time," he said, to Chvabrine; "but next offence I
will remember this one. " Then, addressing Marya, he said to her, gently,
"Come out, pretty one; I give you your liberty. I am the Tzar. "
Marya Ivanofna threw a quick look at him, and divined that the murderer
of her parents was before her eyes. She covered her face with her hands,
and fell unconscious.
I was rushing to help her, when my old acquaintance, Polashka, came very
boldly into the room, and took charge of her mistress.
he, turning towards Chvabrine, "do not swagger; whether she be your wife
or no, I take whomsoever I please to see her. Your lordship, follow me. "
At the door of the room Chvabrine again stopped, and said, in a broken
voice--
"Tzar, I warn you she is feverish, and for three days she has been
delirious. "
"Open! " said Pugatchef.
Chvabrine began to fumble in his pockets, and ended by declaring he had
forgotten the key.
Pugatchef gave a push to the door with his foot, the lock gave way, the
door opened, and we went in. I cast a rapid glance round the room and
nearly fainted. Upon the floor, in a coarse peasant's dress, sat Marya,
pale and thin, with her hair unbound. Before her stood a jug of water
and a bit of bread. At the sight of me she trembled and gave a piercing
cry. I cannot say what I felt. Pugatchef looked sidelong at Chvabrine,
and said to him with a bitter smile--
"Your hospital is well-ordered! " Then, approaching Marya, "Tell me, my
little dove, why your husband punishes you thus? "
"My husband!
" rejoined she; "he is not my husband. Never will I be his
wife. I am resolved rather to die, and I shall die if I be not
delivered. "
Pugatchef cast a furious glance upon Chvabrine.
"You dared deceive me," cried he. "Do you know, villain, what you
deserve? "
Chvabrine dropped on his knees. Then contempt overpowered in me all
feelings of hatred and revenge. I looked with disgust upon a gentleman
at the feet of a Cossack deserter. Pugatchef allowed himself to be
moved.
"I pardon you this time," he said, to Chvabrine; "but next offence I
will remember this one. " Then, addressing Marya, he said to her, gently,
"Come out, pretty one; I give you your liberty. I am the Tzar. "
Marya Ivanofna threw a quick look at him, and divined that the murderer
of her parents was before her eyes. She covered her face with her hands,
and fell unconscious.
I was rushing to help her, when my old acquaintance, Polashka, came very
boldly into the room, and took charge of her mistress.
