"I never believed that they would kill me," she said to Léon.
Who would have wished to destroy such a fine illusion? Not I, for a truth, when every Frenchman in the farm was now dead or a prisoner of the Tartars, who caroused where yesterday we had made merry.
VII
We did not return to the farm, nor have any further word with the Russians. Petrovka had recovered all her wits by this time, and she made it plain to us that such a course might be dangerous.
"I will do what I can for your friends," she said, "and afterwards I shall return to my father's house. You, meanwhile, go at once to Wilna, and say nothing of what you have seen. That must be a point of honour between us, messieurs. I give you your lives, and you pay me by your silence. God speed; and do not forget little Petrovka."
We swore that we would never do so. She led us to the stables thereafter, and so we found our horses. A word to the Cossack at the gate made everything easy for us; and be sure that Petrovka took good care to see that food and wine for the journey were found for us. It must have been ten of the day when we quitted the farm at last and waved a long farewell to the mistress of this singular adventure.
"A wonderful little woman," said Léon, as we turned our heads at length. "To think that she knew all the time who burned us out!"
"She did know!" I cried, looking at him with astonishment.
"Certainly; she has just told me. It was Anna, the farmer's daughter. Petrovka meant to save her. Can you beat that for loyalty?"
I could make no reply. Woman's courage is always very wonderful. What man will pretend to understand it?