“Yes, they had many ways of getting news in and out in the old days,” said Michael, with a smile. “But go on with your story, my friend.”
Peter struck a match to light a fresh cigarette, and the flame showed his face to be flushed by his emotions.
“The year of which I speak,” resumed Peter, “the almanacs from Moscow were late. The mail-sledges came in from Irkutsk one morning. I ran down to the post-house to learn if the almanacs had come. There were Excellencies in the sledge. As I remember, the Governor’s daughter—Katerin was her name, I think, and——”
“Yes, yes,” cried Katerin, striking her hands together. “Katerin Stephanovna! She was the Governor’s daughter—I have heard of her! It is said now that she is dead!” and Katerin turned to her father, as if to verify what she had said.
“It has been said that she is dead this long time,” assented Michael. “Some say that Zorogoff——” He checked himself.
Peter continued with his tale, warmed to it again by the evident interest of his listeners.
“Yes, that was the Governor’s daughter. Her coming was his reason for meeting the sledge that morning. Well, I was eager to be sure that the almanacs had come—and a Cossack knocked me down because I called to the Governor’s daughter for news of the almanacs. And when Michael Alexandrovitch, the Governor, came to the sledge he found my father picking me up. I was bleeding and stunned from the blow. And the Governor was in a rage at us—that my father should be making trouble—and ordered him to be stricken from the free gang and put back in the prison once more—and me with him.”
“But you said your father was killed,” said Katerin.
“Yes, as I say,” replied Peter. “My father”—and Peter inclined his head toward the icon in the corner over Michael’s head—“my father was so broken in spirit at knowing he was no longer of the free gang and that I was to go to prison, that he ran after Kirsakoff. It was then that a Cossack ran my father through with a saber—and swore that my father had struck at the Governor with a knife—a leather knife which he pulled from my father’s pocket.”
“But did the Governor know—could he know—of this terrible happening?” asked Katerin.