michael strogoff-第13章

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serious　were　the　dangers　which　he；　an　energetic　and　vigorous　man；
would　have　personally　to　encounter；　he　could　not　conceal　from　himself
how　infinitely　greater　they　would　prove　to　a　young　unprotected　girl。
As　she　was　going　to　Irkutsk；　she　would　be　obliged　to　follow　the　same
road　as　himself；　she　would　have　to　pass　through　the　bands　of　invaders；
as　he　was　about　to　attempt　doing　himself。　　If；　moreover；　she　had
at　her　disposal　only　the　money　necessary　for　a　journey　taken　under
ordinary　circumstances；　how　could　she　manage　to　accomplish　it　under
conditions　which　made　it　not　only　perilous　but　expensive？

〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃if　she　takes　the　route　to　Perm；
it　is　nearly　impossible　but　that　I　shall　fall　in　with　her。
Then；　I　will　watch　over　her　without　her　suspecting　it；
and　as　she　appears　to　me　as　anxious　as　myself　to　reach　Irkutsk；
she　will　cause　me　no　delay。〃

But　one　thought　leads　to　another。　　Michael　Strogoff　had　till　now　thought
only　of　doing　a　kind　action；　but　now　another　idea　flashed　into　his　brain；
the　question　presented　itself　under　quite　a　new　aspect。

〃The　fact　is；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃that　I　have　much　more　need　of　her
than　she　can　have　of　me。　　Her　presence　will　be　useful　in　drawing
off　suspicion　from　me。　　A　man　traveling　alone　across　the　steppe；
may　be　easily　guessed　to　be　a　courier　of　the　Czar。　　If；　on　the　contrary；
this　young　girl　accompanies　me；　I　shall　appear；　in　the　eyes　of　all；
the　Nicholas　Korpanoff　of　my　podorojna。　　Therefore；　she　must
accompany　me。　　Therefore；　I　must　find　her　again　at　any　cost。
It　is　not　probable　that　since　yesterday　evening　she　has　been　able
to　get　a　carriage　and　leave　Nijni…Novgorod。　I　must　look　for　her。
And　may　God　guide　me！〃

Michael　left　the　great　square　of　Nijni…Novgorod；　where　the　tumult
produced　by　the　carrying　out　of　the　prescribed　measures　had　now
reached　its　height。　　Recriminations　from　the　banished　strangers；
shouts　from　the　agents　and　Cossacks　who　were　using　them　so　brutally；
together　made　an　indescribable　uproar。　　The　girl　for　whom　he　searched
could　not　be　there。　　It　was　now　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning。
The　steamboat　did　not　start　till　twelve。　　Michael　Strogoff　had
therefore　nearly　two　hours　to　employ　in　searching　for　her　whom
he　wished　to　make　his　traveling　companion。

He　crossed　the　Volga　again　and　hunted　through　the　quarters
on　the　other　side；　where　the　crowd　was　much　less　considerable。
He　entered　the　churches；　the　natural　refuge　for　all　who　weep；
for　all　who　suffer。　　Nowhere　did　he　meet　with　the　young　Livonian。

〃And　yet；〃　he　repeated；　〃she　could　not　have　left　Nijni…Novgorod　yet。
We'll　have　another　look。〃　　He　wandered　about　thus　for　two　hours。
He　went　on　without　stopping；　feeling　no　fatigue；　obeying　a　potent
instinct　which　allowed　no　room　for　thought。　　All　was　in　vain。

It　then　occurred　to　him　that　perhaps　the　girl　had　not　heard
of　the　orderthough　this　was　improbable　enough；　for　such　a
thunder…clap　could　not　have　burst　without　being　heard　by　all。
Evidently　interested　in　knowing　the　smallest　news　from　Siberia；
how　could　she　be　ignorant　of　the　measures　taken　by　the　governor；
measures　which　concerned　her　so　directly？

But；　if　she　was　ignorant　of　it；　she　would　come　in　an　hour　to　the　quay；
and　there　some　merciless　agent　would　refuse　her　a　passage！
At　any　cost；　he　must　see　her　beforehand；　and　enable　her　to　avoid
such　a　repulse。

But　all　his　endeavors　were　in　vain；　and　he　at　length　almost　despaired
of　finding　her　again。　　It　was　eleven　o'clock；　and　Michael　thought
of　presenting　his　podorojna　at　the　office　of　the　head　of　police。
The　proclamation　evidently　did　not　concern　him；　since　the　emergency
had　been　foreseen　for　him；　but　he　wished　to　make　sure　that　nothing
would　hinder　his　departure　from　the　town。

Michael　then　returned　to　the　other　side　of　the　Volga；
to　the　quarter　in　which　was　the　office　of　the　head　of　police。
An　immense　crowd　was　collected　there；　for　though　all　foreigners
were　ordered　to　quit　the　province；　they　had　notwithstanding
to　go　through　certain　forms　before　they　could　depart。

Without　this　precaution；　some　Russian　more　or　less　implicated
in　the　Tartar　movement　would　have　been　able；　in　a　disguise；　to　pass
the　frontierjust　those　whom　the　order　wished　to　prevent　going。
The　strangers　were　sent　away；　but　still　had　to　gain　permission　to　go。

Mountebanks；　gypsies；　Tsiganes；　Zingaris；　mingled　with　merchants
from　Persia；　Turkey；　India；　Turkestan；　China；　filled　the　court
and　offices　of　the　police　station。

Everyone　was　in　a　hurry；　for　the　means　of　transport　would　be　much
sought　after　among　this　crowd　of　banished　people；　and　those　who　did
not　set　about　it　soon　ran　a　great　risk　of　not　being　able　to　leave
the　town　in　the　prescribed　time；　which　would　expose　them　to　some
brutal　treatment　from　the　governor's　agents。

Owing　to　the　strength　of　his　elbows　Michael　was　able　to　cross　the　court。
But　to　get　into　the　office　and　up　to　the　clerk's　little　window　was　a　much
more　difficult　business。　　However；　a　word　into　an　inspector's　ear　and　a
few　judiciously　given　roubles　were　powerful　enough　to　gain　him　a　passage。
The　man；　after　taking　him　into　the　waiting…room；　went　to　call　an
upper　clerk。　　Michael　Strogoff　would　not　be　long　in　making　everything
right　with　the　police　and　being　free　in　his　movements。

Whilst　waiting；　he　looked　about　him；　and　what　did　he　see？
There；　fallen；　rather　than　seated；　on　a　bench；　was　a　girl；
prey　to　a　silent　despair；　although　her　face　could　scarcely
be　seen；　the　profile　alone　being　visible　against　the　wall。
Michael　Strogoff　could　not　be　mistaken。　　He　instantly　recognized
the　young　Livonian。

Not　knowing　the　governor's　orders；　she　had　come　to　the　police　office
to　get　her　pass　signed。　　They　had　refused　to　sign　it。　　No　doubt
she　was　authorized　to　go　to　Irkutsk；　but　the　order　was　peremptory
it　annulled　all　previous　au…thorizations；　and　the　routes　to　Siberia
were　closed　to　her。　　Michael；　delighted　at　having　found　her　again；
approached　the　girl。

She　looked　up　for　a　moment　and　her　face　brightened　on　recognizing
her　traveling　companion。　　She　instinctively　rose　and；　like　a　drowning
man　who　clutches　at　a　spar；　she　was　about　to　ask　his　help。

At　that　moment　the　agent　touched　Michael　on　the　shoulder；
〃The　head　of　police　will　see　you；〃　he　said。

〃Good；〃　returned　Michael。　　And　without　saying　a　word　to　her　for　whom
he　had　been　searching　all　day；　without　reassuring　her　by　even　a　gesture；
which　might　compromise　either　her　or　himself；　he　followed　the　man。

The　young　Livonian；　seeing　the　only　being　to　whom　she　could　look
for　help　disappear；　fell　back　again　on　her　bench。

Three　minutes　had　not　passed　before　Michael　Strogoff　reappeared；
accompanied　by　the　agent。　　In　his　hand　he　held　his　podorojna；
which　threw　open　the　roads　to　Siberia　for　him。　　He　again
approached　the　young　Livonian；　and　holding　out　his　hand：
〃Sister；〃　said　he。

She　understood。　　She　rose　as　if　some　sudden　inspiration　prevented
her　from　hesitating　a　moment。

〃Sister；〃　repeated　Michael　Strogoff；　〃we　are　authorized　to　continue
our　journey　to　Irkutsk。　　Will　you　come　with　me？〃

〃I　will　follow　you；　brother；〃　replied　the　girl；　putting　her　hand　into
that　of　Michael　Strogoff。　　And　together　they　left　the　police　station。


CHAPTER　VII　GOING　DOWN　THE　VOLGA

A　LITTLE　before　midday；　the　steamboat's　bell　drew　to　the　wharf
on　the　Volga　an　unusually　large　concourse　of　people；
for　not　only　were　those　about　to　embark　who　had　intended　to　go；
but　the　many　who　were　compelled　to　go　contrary　to　their　wishes。
The　boilers　of　the　Caucasus　were　under　full　pressure；　a　slight
smoke　issued　from　its　funnel；　whilst　the　end　of　the　escape…pipe
and　the　lids　of　the　valves　were　crowned　with　white　vapor。
It　is　needless　to　say　that　the　police　kept　a　close　watch　over
the　departure　of　the　Caucasus；　and　showed　themselves　pitiless　to
those　travelers　who　did　not　satisfactorily　answer　their　questions。

Numerous　Cossacks　came　and　went　on　the　quay；　ready　to　assist
the　agents；　but　they　had　not　to　interfere；　as　no　one
ventured　to　offer　the　slightest　resistance　to　their　orders。
Exactly　at　the　hour　the　last　clang　of　the　bell　sounded；
the　powerful　wheels　of　the　steamboat　began　to　beat　the　water；
and　the　Caucasus　passed　rapidly　betwe