it. For instance, Chvabrine, Alexey Iványtch,[35] was transferred to us
four years ago on account of a murder. Heaven knows what ill-luck befel
him. It happened one day he went out of the town with a lieutenant, and
they had taken swords, and they set to pinking one another, and Alexey
Iványtch killed the lieutenant, and before a couple of witnesses. Well,
well, there's no heading ill-luck!"

At this moment the "_ouriadnik_," a young and handsome Cossack, came in.

"Maximitch," the Commandant's wife said to him, "find a quarter for this
officer, and a clean one."

"I obey, Vassilissa Igorofna,"[36] replied the "_ouriadnik_." "Ought not
his excellency to go to Iwán Poléjaïeff?"

"You are doting, Maximitch," retorted the Commandant's wife; "Poléjaïeff
has already little enough room; and, besides, he is my gossip; and then
he does not forget that we are his superiors. Take the gentleman--What
is your name, my little father?"

"Petr' Andréjïtch."

"Take Petr' Andréjïtch to Séméon Kouzoff's. The rascal let his horse get
into my kitchen garden. Is everything in order, Maximitch?"

"Thank heaven! all is quiet," replied the Cossack. "Only Corporal
Prokoroff has been fighting in the bathhouse with the woman Oustinia
Pegoulina for a pail of hot water."

"Iwán Ignatiitch,"[37] said the Commandant's wife to the little one-eyed