"How? What! what! Clear out Fort Bélogorsk!" he said at last.

"I'll answer for success!" I rejoined, hotly. "Only let me go."

"No, young man," he said, shaking his head; "it is so far away. The
enemy would easily block all communication with the principal strategic
point, which would quickly enable him to defeat you utterly and
decisively. A blocked communication, do you see?"

* * * * *

I took fright when I saw he was getting involved in a military
dissertation, and I made haste to interrupt him.

"The daughter of Captain Mironoff," I said, "has just written me a
letter asking for help. Chvabrine is obliging her to become his wife."

"Indeed! Oh! this Chvabrine is a great rascal. If he falls into my hands
I'll have him tried in twenty-four hours, and we will shoot him on the
glacis of the fort. But in the meantime we must have patience."

"Have patience!" I cried, beside myself. "Between this and then he will
ill-treat Marya."

"Oh!" replied the General. "Still that would not be such a terrible
misfortune for her. It would be better for her to be the wife of
Chvabrine, who can now protect her. And when we shall have shot him,
then, with heaven's help, the betrothed will come together again. Pretty
little widows do not long remain single; I mean to say a widow more
easily finds a husband."