5. The Flight

“You know the road well, Maroussia,” he asked her.

“I know it very well. We must go to the right all the time until we reach the little lake; then we turn to the left, and when we have turned, we can see, from the top of a small hill, the roof of Knich’s house. Once there we shall have no difficulty in reaching Tchigurine. I heard very clearly when Knich said to my father: “Unless one is an idiot he can go very easily by this route.’”

“Do you know this Knich?”

“I know him, he often comes to our house.”

“Will he receive you well?”

“I do not know,—I think so.”

“But if he should not?”

“Oh, he will never betray us! It, is not possible! He is a friend. Oh, no! A friend of my father can never be a traitor!”

“Do you know, Maroussia,” continued the Envoy, looking very steadily at the little girl, “do you know that the country is full of strangers, soldiers, men without mercy? Do you know that we shall only meet enemies, saber-cuts, or gun-shots? Do you know that blood is flowing everywhere? Do you know this?”

“Yes,” said Maroussia, “I know all this.”

“Wicked eyes will watch you, they will ask you questions, every word of which will be a trap to catch you, and, if you answer awkwardly, if you allow a little gesture to escape you, a little motion, if you speak, if you blush, if you tremble a little, all will be lost. Do you know it?”

“Oh! I will not answer awkwardly. I will answer well. I am not afraid.”

“It may be, little one, that we are going to our death.”

“No!” said Maroussia, “we shall not die until afterward. You must first reach Tchigurine. When you are once there, I will die, if it is necessary! Then I shall not be afraid to die. But before that, you must be at Tchigurine! Oh, yes!”

The Envoy said nothing, but took the little girl in his arms and pressed her tenderly to his heart, calling her his “ dear little child.” After some moments’ silence, he said:

“Maroussia, we shall surely have some trying encounters, the soldiers may stop you, question you. If they come to the wagon, even with the intention of searching it, you will be calm, you will not be like a little partridge who sees some one approaching her nest hidden nearby. You understand me?”