The Daughter of the Commandant

very weak indeed. Savéliitch was standing by me, a light in his hand. Someone was unrolling with care the bandages round my shoulder and chest. Little by littl

on?" whispered a voice

liitch, sighing; "always unconscious,

, but I had not

th difficulty. Marya Ivánofna came nea

feel?" she

" I replied in a weak

na; te

véliitch exclaimed, jo

be to heaven! My father Petr' Andréj?tch, have you frightene

ofna inter

oo much, Savéliitch;

shutting the

n displeasure, and soon fell asleep. Upon waking I called Savéliitch, but in his stead I saw before me Marya Ivánofna, who greeted me in her soft voice. I cannot describe the delicious feeling which thrilled through me at this moment, I seized h

I said to her, "be my wife. C

e reasona

ng her hand. "You are still in danger; your wound may r

ent away, leaving me at

life was giv

e mine! She

t filled al

and nature hastened my recovery. All the Commandant's family took the greatest care of me. Marya Ivánofna scarcely ever left me. It is unnecessary to say that I seized the first favourable opportun

to say to me. "Will there be no ob

at he would call it youthful folly. I frankly confessed this to Marya Ivánofna, but in spite of this I resolved to write to my father as eloquently as possible to ask his blessing. I showed m

rine during the early d

d to me, reproachi

unished without that. As to Alexey Iványtch, he is confined by my order, and under strict guard, in the corn magazi

came to see me. He expressed deep regret for all that had occurred, declared it was all his fault, and begged me to forget the past. Not being of a rancorous dispositio

g to stifle sad forebodings that would arise. I had not yet attempted any explanation as regarded Vassilissa Igorofna and her husband. But my courtsh

éliitch came into my room

The address was writt

o wrote, and he only added a few lines at the end. For a long time I coul

réj?tch Grineff, Dist

ogo

At last I resolved to open it, and I did not need to read more than the first few line

on Pe

g or my consent, but I intend to come and punish you well for your follies, like a little boy, in spite of your officer's rank, because you have shown me that you are not fit to wear the sword entrusted to you for the defence of yo

your mother fell ill with sorrow, a

God may correct you, though I sca

r fa

.G

ke use of hurt me deeply; the contempt which he cast on Marya Ivánofna appeared to me as unjust as it was unseemly; while,

de known my duel to my parents. After walking up and down awhile in my li

to you, I've been wounded and at death's door, but

motionless, as it st

am the cause of your wound? But God knows I was only running to stand between you and Alexey

torted. "Who told you t

my service to be

od heavens! Here, be so good as to read what master has

his pocket a letter, wh

as fo

hus you do your duty and act up to your master's wishes? I shall send you to keep the pigs, old rascal, for having hid from me the truth, and for your weak compliance with the lad's whims. On receipt of

it was I who had insulted him by my suspicions and reproac

tion to all this I am the cause of your wound. No, my father, Petr' Andréj?tch, 'tis not I who am to blame, it is rather the confounded 'mossoo;' it was he who taught you to fight with tho

ch had not thought it necessary to report my duel to him. I could not think. My suspicions fell upon Chvabrine; he alone could profit by this betrayal, which mi

?" she said to me.

replied I, handing h

ing the letter she gave it me back, a

s will be done! God knows better than we do what is fit for us. There

your parents' feet. They are honest people, neither proud nor hard; they-they will give us their blessing-we will marry, and

hout their blessing you would not be happy. Let us submit to the will of God. Should you meet with ano

I felt unable to control myself, and I went home. I was seated, deep in

covered with writing, "see if I be a spy on my maste

Savéliitch's reply to the letter he h

now we hear that our mistress, our mother, Avdotia Vassiliéva is ill of fright, and I shall go and pray heaven for her health. Petr' Andréj?tch has been wounded in the chest, beneath the right shoulder, under one rib, to the depth of a verchok[48] and a half, and he has been taken care of in the Commandant's house, whither we brought him from the river bank, and it was the barber here, Stépan Paramonoff, who treated him; and now Petr' Andréj?tc

faithf

P SAVé

letter. I did not feel equal to writing to my father. And to make my

poke to me, and even tried to avoid me. The Commandant's house became unbear

ceived in him a secret enmity, which confirmed all the more my suspicions. Life became a burden to me. I gave myself up, a prey to dark melancholy, which was further fed by loneliness and inaction. My love burnt the more hotly for my enforced quiet, and tormented me mor