away. I opened it, and read with trepidation the following lines:—
"It has pleased God to deprive me suddenly of my father and mother: I have no relations nor any protectors on earth. I have recourse to you, knowing that you have always been my well-wisher, and that you are prepared to assist everybody. I pray to God that this letter may reach you. Maksymitch has promised to deliver it to you. Paláshka has heard from Maksymitch that he often sees you at a distance in the sorties, and that you do not take the least care of yourself, and do not think of those who pray with tears for you. I was ill a long time; and when I got well, Aleksey Ivanovitch, who commands here instead of my late father, forced Father Gherassim to deliver me to him, threatening him with Pougatcheff's displeasure. I live in our own house a prisoner. Aleksey Ivanovitch wants to force me to marry him. He says he saved my life by keeping up Akoulina Pamphylovna's deception, who told the wretches that I was her neice. But I would rather die than become the wife of such a man as Aleksey Ivanovitch. He treats me very cruelly, and threatens, should I not change my mind and consent, to take me into the wretches' camp, where, he says, the fate of Elisaveta Harloff awaits me. I have begged of Aleksey Ivanovitch to give me time to think over it, and he has consented to wait three days longer; but if I do not marry him at the end of the three days, I am to expect no pity. My little father, Piotr Ardrevitch, you are my only protector; save me, poor girl. Entreat the general and all the chiefs to send
