michael strogoff-第11章

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of　a　Bohemian；　such　as　are　met　at　fairs；　and　with　whom　contact；
either　physical　or　moral；　is　unpleasant。　　Then；　as　he　looked
more　attentively　through　the　dusk；　he　perceived；　near　the　cottage；
a　large　caravan；　the　usual　traveling　dwelling　of　the　Zingaris　or　gypsies；
who　swarm　in　Russia　wherever　a　few　copecks　can　be　obtained。

As　the　gypsy　took　two　or　three　steps　forward；　and　was　about　to　interrogate
Michael　Strogoff　more　closely；　the　door　of　the　cottage　opened。
He　could　just　see　a　woman；　who　spoke　quickly　in　a　language　which
Michael　Strogoff　knew　to　be　a　mixture　of　Mongol　and　Siberian。

〃Another　spy！　　Let　him　alone；　and　come　to　supper。
The　papluka　is　waiting　for　you。〃

Michael　Strogoff　could　not　help　smiling　at　the　epithet　bestowed　on　him；
dreading　spies　as　he　did　above　all　else。

In　the　same　dialect；　although　his　accent　was　very　different；
the　Bohemian　replied　in　words　which　signify；　〃You　are
right；　Sangarre！　　Besides；　we　start　to…morrow。〃

〃To…morrow？〃　repeated　the　woman　in　surprise。

〃Yes；　Sangarre；〃　replied　the　Bohemian；　〃to…morrow；　and　the　Father
himself　sends　uswhere　we　are　going！〃

Thereupon　the　man　and　woman　entered　the　cottage；　and　carefully
closed　the　door。

〃Good！〃　said　Michael　Strogoff；　to　himself；　〃if　these　gipsies
do　not　wish　to　be　understood　when　they　speak　before　me；
they　had　better　use　some　other　language。〃

From　his　Siberian　origin；　and　because　he　had　passed　his　childhood　in
the　Steppes；　Michael　Strogoff；　it　has　been　said；　understood　almost　all
the　languages　in　usage　from　Tartary　to　the　Sea　of　Ice。　　As　to　the　exact
signification　of　the　words　he　had　heard；　he　did　not　trouble　his　head。
For　why　should　it　interest　him？

It　was　already　late　when　he　thought　of　returning　to　his　inn　to　take
some　repose。　　He　followed；　as　he　did　so；　the　course　of　the　Volga；
whose　waters　were　almost　hidden　under　the　countless　number　of　boats
floating　on　its　bosom。

An　hour　after；　Michael　Strogoff　was　sleeping　soundly　on　one
of　those　Russian　beds　which　always　seem　so　hard　to　strangers；
and　on　the　morrow；　the　17th　of　July；　he　awoke　at　break　of　day。

He　had　still　five　hours　to　pass　in　Nijni…Novgorod；　it　seemed　to　him
an　age。　　How　was　he　to　spend　the　morning　unless　in　wandering；
as　he　had　done　the　evening　before；　through　the　streets？
By　the　time　he　had　finished　his　breakfast；　strapped　up　his　bag；
had　his　podorojna　inspected　at　the　police　office；　he　would　have
nothing　to　do　but　start。　　But　he　was　not　a　man　to　lie　in　bed　after
the　sun　had　risen；　so　he　rose；　dressed　himself；　placed　the　letter
with　the　imperial　arms　on　it　carefully　at　the　bottom　of　its　usual
pocket　within　the　lining　of　his　coat；　over　which　he　fastened
his　belt；　he　then　closed　his　bag　and　threw　it　over　his　shoulder。
This　done；　he　had　no　wish　to　return　to　the　City　of　Constantinople；
and　intending　to　breakfast　on　the　bank　of　the　Volga　near　the　wharf；
he　settled　his　bill　and　left　the　inn。　　By　way　of　precaution；
Michael　Strogoff　went　first　to　the　office　of　the　steam…packet　company；
and　there　made　sure　that　the　Caucasus　would　start　at　the　appointed　hour。
As　he　did　so；　the　thought　for　the　first　time　struck　him　that；
since　the　young　Livonian　girl　was　going　to　Perm；　it　was　very
possible　that　her　intention　was　also　to　embark　in　the　Caucasus；
in　which　case　he　should　accompany　her。

The　town　above　with　its　kremlin；　whose　circumference　measures　two　versts；
and　which　resembles　that　of　Moscow；　was　altogether　abandoned。
Even　the　governor　did　not　reside　there。　　But　if　the　town　above　was
like　a　city　of　the　dead；　the　town　below；　at　all　events；　was　alive。

Michael　Strogoff；　having　crossed　the　Volga　on　a　bridge　of　boats；
guarded　by　mounted　Cossacks；　reached　the　square　where　the　evening
before　he　had　fallen　in　with　the　gipsy　camp。　　This　was　somewhat
outside　the　town；　where　the　fair　of　Nijni…Novgorod　was　held。
In　a　vast　plain　rose　the　temporary　palace　of　the　governor…general；
where　by　imperial　orders　that　great　functionary　resided　during
the　whole　of　the　fair；　which；　thanks　to　the　people　who　composed　it；
required　an　ever…watchful　surveillance。

This　plain　was　now　covered　with　booths　symmetrically　arranged
in　such　a　manner　as　to　leave　avenues　broad　enough　to　allow
the　crowd　to　pass　without　a　crush。

Each　group　of　these　booths；　of　all　sizes　and　shapes；　formed　a　separate
quarter　particularly　dedicated　to　some　special　branch　of　commerce。
There　was　the　iron　quarter；　the　furriers'　quarter；　the　woolen　quarter；
the　quarter　of　the　wood　merchants；　the　weavers'　quarter；　the　dried
fish　quarter；　etc。　　Some　booths　were　even　built　of　fancy　materials；
some　of　bricks　of　tea；　others　of　masses　of　salt　meatthat　is　to　say；
of　samples　of　the　goods　which　the　owners　thus　announced　were　there　to
the　purchasersa　singular；　and　somewhat　American；　mode　of　advertisement。

In　the　avenues　and　long　alleys　there　was　already　a　large　assemblage
of　peoplethe　sun；　which　had　risen　at　four　o'clock；　being
well　above　the　horizonan　extraordinary　mixture　of　Europeans
and　Asiatics；　talking；　wrangling；　haranguing；　and　bargaining。
Everything　which　can　be　bought　or　sold　seemed　to　be　heaped　up
in　this　square。　　Furs；　precious　stones；　silks；　Cashmere　shawls；
Turkey　carpets；　weapons　from　the　Caucasus；　gauzes　from　Smyrna
and　Ispahan。　　Tiflis　armor；　caravan　teas。　　European　bronzes；
Swiss　clocks；　velvets　and　silks　from　Lyons；　English　cottons；
harness；　fruits；　vegetables；　minerals　from　the　Ural；
malachite；　lapis…lazuli；　spices；　perfumes；　medicinal　herbs；
wood；　tar；　rope；　horn；　pumpkins；　water…melons；　etc
all　the　products　of　India；　China；　Persia；　from　the　shores
of　the　Caspian　and　the　Black　Sea；　from　America　and　Europe；
were　united　at　this　corner　of　the　globe。

It　is　scarcely　possible　truly　to　portray　the　moving　mass　of　human
beings　surging　here　and　there；　the　excitement；　the　confusion；
the　hubbub；　demonstrative　as　were　the　natives　and　the　inferior　classes；
they　were　completely　outdone　by　their　visitors。　　There　were
merchants　from　Central　Asia；　who　had　occupied　a　year　in　escorting
their　merchandise　across　its　vast　plains；　and　who　would　not　again
see　their　shops　and　counting…houses　for　another　year　to　come。
In　short；　of　such　importance　is　this　fair　of　Nijni…Novgorod；
that　the　sum　total　of　its　transactions　amounts　yearly　to　nearly
a　hundred　million　dollars。

On　one　of　the　open　spaces　between　the　quarters　of　this　temporary
city　were　numbers　of　mountebanks　of　every　description；
gypsies　from　the　mountains；　telling　fortunes　to　the　credulous　fools
who　are　ever　to　be　found　in　such　assemblies；　Zingaris　or　Tsiganes
a　name　which　the　Russians　give　to　the　gypsies　who　are　the　descendants
of　the　ancient　Coptssinging　their　wildest　melodies　and　dancing
their　most　original　dances；　comedians　of　foreign　theaters；
acting　Shakespeare；　adapted　to　the　taste　of　spectators　who　crowded
to　witness　them。　　In　the　long　avenues　the　bear　showmen　accompanied
their　four…footed　dancers；　menageries　resounded　with　the　hoarse
cries　of　animals　under　the　influence　of　the　stinging　whip　or　red…hot
irons　of　the　tamer；　and；　besides　all　these　numberless　performers；
in　the　middle　of　the　central　square；　surrounded　by　a　circle　four　deep
of　enthusiastic　amateurs；　was　a　band　of　〃mariners　of　the　Volga；〃
sitting　on　the　ground；　as　on　the　deck　of　their　vessel；
imitating　the　action　of　rowing；　guided　by　the　stick　of　the　master
of　the　orchestra；　the　veritable　helmsman　of　this　imaginary　vessel！
A　whimsical　and　pleasing　custom！

Suddenly；　according　to　a　time…honored　observance　in　the　fair
of　Nijni…Novgorod；　above　the　heads　of　the　vast　concourse　a　flock
of　birds　was　allowed　to　escape　from　the　cages　in　which　they
had　been　brought　to　the　spot。　　In　return　for　a　few　copecks
charitably　offered　by　some　good　people；　the　bird…fanciers　opened
the　prison　doors　of　their　captives；　who　flew　out　in　hundreds；
uttering　their　joyous　notes。

It　should　be　mentioned　that　England　and　France；　at　all　events；　were　this
year　represented　at　the　great　fair　of　Nijni…Novgorod　by　two　of　the　most
distinguished　products　of　modern　civilization；　Messrs。　　Harry　Blount
and　Alcide　Jolivet。　　Jolivet；　an　optimist　by　nature；　found　everything
agreeable；　and　as　by　chance　both　lodging　and　food　were　to　his　taste；
he