michael strogoff-第14章

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the　powerful　wheels　of　the　steamboat　began　to　beat　the　water；
and　the　Caucasus　passed　rapidly　between　the　two　towns　of　which
Nijni…Novgorod　is　composed。

Michael　Strogoff　and　the　young　Livonian　had　taken　a　passage　on　board
the　Caucasus。　　Their　embarkation　was　made　without　any　difficulty。
As　is　known；　the　podorojna；　drawn　up　in　the　name　of　Nicholas　Korpanoff；
authorized　this　merchant　to　be　accompanied　on　his　journey
to　Siberia。　　They　appeared；　therefore；　to　be　a　brother　and
sister　traveling　under　the　protection　of　the　imperial　police。
Both；　seated　together　at　the　stern；　gazed　at　the　receding　town；
so　disturbed　by　the　governor's　order。　　Michael　had　as　yet
said　nothing　to　the　girl；　he　had　not　even　questioned　her。
He　waited　until　she　should　speak　to　him；　when　that　was　necessary。
She　had　been　anxious　to　leave　that　town；　in　which；　but　for
the　providential　intervention　of　this　unexpected　protector；
she　would　have　remained　imprisoned。　　She　said　nothing；
but　her　looks　spoke　her　thanks。

The　Volga；　the　Rha　of　the　ancients；　the　largest　river
in　all　Europe；　is　almost　three　thousand　miles　in　length。
Its　waters；　rather　unwholesome　in　its　upper　part；　are　improved
at　Nijni…Novgorod　by　those　of　the　Oka；　a　rapid　affluent；
issuing　from　the　central　provinces　of　Russia。　　The　system　of
Russian　canals　and　rivers　has　been　justly　compared　to　a　gigantic
tree　whose　branches　spread　over　every　part　of　the　empire。
The　Volga　forms　the　trunk　of　this　tree；　and　it　has　for　roots
seventy　mouths　opening　into　the　Caspian　Sea。　　It　is　navigable
as　far　as　Rjef；　a　town　in　the　government　of　Tver；　that　is；
along　the　greater　part　of　its　course。

The　steamboats　plying　between　Perm　and　Nijni…Novgorod　rapidly　perform
the　two　hundred　and　fifty　miles　which　separate　this　town　from　the　town
of　Kasan。　　It　is　true　that　these　boats　have　only　to　descend　the　Volga；
which　adds　nearly　two　miles　of　current　per　hour　to　their　own　speed；
but　on　arriving　at　the　confluence　of　the　Kama；　a　little　below　Kasan；
they　are　obliged　to　quit　the　Volga　for　the　smaller　river；　up　which
they　ascend　to　Perm。　　Powerful　as　were　her　machines；　the　Caucasus
could　not　thus；　after　entering　the　Kama；　make　against　the　current
more　than　ten　miles　an　hour。　　Including　an　hour's　stoppage　at　Kasan；
the　voyage　from　Nijni…Novgorod　to　Perm　would　take　from　between　sixty
to　sixty…two　hours。

The　steamer　was　very　well　arranged；　and　the　passengers；　according　to
their　condition　or　resources；　occupied　three　distinct　classes　on　board。
Michael　Strogoff　had　taken　care　to　engage　two　first…class　cabins；
so　that　his　young　companion　might　retire　into　hers　whenever　she　liked。

The　Caucasus　was　loaded　with　passengers　of　every　description。
A　number　of　Asiatic　traders　had　thought　it　best　to　leave
Nijni…Novgorod　immediately。　　In　that　part　of　the　steamer　reserved
for　the　first…class　might　be　seen　Armenians　in　long　robes　and　a　sort
of　miter　on　their　heads；　Jews；　known　by　their　conical　caps；　rich　Chinese
in　their　traditional　costume；　a　very　wide　blue；　violet；　or　black　robe；
Turks；　wearing　the　national　turban；　Hindoos；　with　square　caps；
and　a　simple　string　for　a　girdle；　some　of　whom；　hold　in　their　hands
all　the　traffic　of　Central　Asia；　and；　lastly；　Tartars；　wearing　boots；
ornamented　with　many…colored　braid；　and　the　breast　a　mass　of　embroidery。
All　these　merchants　had　been　obliged　to　pile　up　their　numerous　bales
and　chests　in　the　hold　and　on　the　deck；　and　the　transport　of　their
baggage　would　cost　them　dear；　for；　according　to　the　regulations；
each　person　had　only　a　right　to　twenty　pounds'　weight。

In　the　bows　of　the　Caucasus　were　more　numerous　groups　of　passengers；
not　only　foreigners；　but　also　Russians；　who　were　not　forbidden
by　the　order　to　go　back　to　their　towns　in　the　province。
There　were　mujiks　with　caps　on　their　heads；　and　wearing
checked　shirts　under　their　wide　pelisses；　peasants　of
the　Volga；　with　blue　trousers　stuffed　into　their　boots；
rose…colored　cotton　shirts；　drawn　in　by　a　cord；　felt　caps；
a　few　women；　habited　in　flowery…patterned　cotton　dresses；
gay…colored　aprons；　and　bright　handkerchiefs　on　their　heads。
These　were　principally　third…class　passengers；　who　were；
happily；　not　troubled　by　the　prospect　of　a　long　return　voyage。
The　Caucasus　passed　numerous　boats　being　towed　up　the　stream；
carrying　all　sorts　of　merchandise　to　Nijni…Novgorod。　Then　passed
rafts　of　wood　interminably　long；　and　barges　loaded　to　the　gunwale；
and　nearly　sinking　under　water。　　A　bootless　voyage　they　were　making；
since　the　fair　had　been　abruptly　broken　up　at　its　outset。

The　waves　caused　by　the　steamer　splashed　on　the　banks；　covered　with
flocks　of　wild　duck；　who　flew　away　uttering　deafening　cries。
A　little　farther；　on　the　dry　fields；　bordered　with　willows；
and　aspens；　were　scattered　a　few　cows；　sheep；　and　herds　of　pigs。
Fields；　sown　with　thin　buckwheat　and　rye；　stretched　away　to　a
background　of　half…cultivated　hills；　offering　no　remarkable　prospect。
The　pencil　of　an　artist　in　quest　of　the　picturesque　would　have　found
nothing　to　reproduce　in　this　monotonous　landscape。

The　Caucasus　had　been　steaming　on　for　almost　two　hours；
when　the　young　Livonian；　addressing　herself　to　Michael；　said；
〃Are　you　going　to　Irkutsk；　brother？〃

〃Yes；　sister；〃　answered　the　young　man。　　〃We　are　going　the　same　way。
Consequently；　where　I　go；　you　shall　go。〃

〃To…morrow；　brother；　you　shall　know　why　I　left　the　shores　of　the　Baltic
to　go　beyond　the　Ural　Mountains。〃

〃I　ask　you　nothing；　sister。〃

〃You　shall　know　all；〃　replied　the　girl；　with　a　faint　smile。
〃A　sister　should　hide　nothing　from　her　brother。　　But　I　cannot
to…day。　Fatigue　and　sorrow　have　broken　me。〃

〃Will　you　go　and　rest　in　your　cabin？〃　asked　Michael　Strogoff。

〃Yesyes；　and　to…morrow〃

〃Come　then〃

He　hesitated　to　finish　his　sentence；　as　if　he　had　wished　to　end　it
by　the　name　of　his　companion；　of　which　he　was　still　ignorant。

〃Nadia；〃　said　she；　holding　out　her　hand。

〃Come；　Nadia；〃　answered　Michael；　〃and　make　what　use　you　like　of　your
brother　Nicholas　Korpanoff。〃　　And　he　led　the　girl　to　the　cabin　engaged
for　her　off　the　saloon。

Michael　Strogoff　returned　on　deck；　and　eager　for　any　news
which　might　bear　on　his　journey；　he　mingled　in　the　groups
of　passengers；　though　without　taking　any　part　in　the　conversation。
Should　he　by　any　chance　be　questioned；　and　obliged　to　reply；
he　would　announce　himself　as　the　merchant　Nicholas　Korpanoff；
going　back　to　the　frontier；　for　he　did　not　wish　it　to　be　suspected
that　a　special　permission　authorized　him　to　travel　to　Siberia。

The　foreigners　in　the　steamer　could　evidently　speak　of　nothing
but　the　occurrences　of　the　day；　of　the　order　and　its　consequences。
These　poor　people；　scarcely　recovered　from　the　fatigue　of　a　journey
across　Central　Asia；　found　themselves　obliged　to　return；　and　if　they
did　not　give　loud　vent　to　their　anger　and　despair；　it　was　because
they　dared　not。　　Fear；　mingled　with　respect；　restrained　them。
It　was　possible　that　inspectors　of　police；　charged　with　watching
the　passengers；　had　secretly　embarked　on　board　the　Caucasus；
and　it　was　just　as　well　to　keep　silence；　expulsion；　after　all；
was　a　good　deal　preferable　to　imprisonment　in　a　fortress。
Therefore　the　men　were　either　silent；　or　spoke　with　so　much　caution
that　it　was　scarcely　possible　to　get　any　useful　information。

Michael　Strogoff　thus　could　learn　nothing　here；　but　if　mouths
were　often　shut　at　his　approachfor　they　did　not　know　him
his　ears　were　soon　struck　by　the　sound　of　one　voice；　which　cared
little　whether　it　was　heard　or　not。

The　man　with　the　hearty　voice　spoke　Russian；　but　with　a　French　accent；
and　another　speaker　answered　him　more　reservedly。　　〃What；〃　said
the　first；　〃are　you　on　board　this　boat；　too；　my　dear　fellow；
you　whom　I　met　at　the　imperial　fete　in　Moscow；　and　just　caught
a　glimpse　of　at　Nijni…Novgorod？〃

〃Yes；　it's　I；〃　answered　the　second　drily。

〃Really；　I　didn't　expect　to　be　so　closely　followed。〃

〃I　am　not　following　you　sir；　I　am　preceding　you。〃

〃Precede！　precede！　　Let　us　march　abreast；　keeping　step；
like　two　soldiers　on　parade；　and　for　the　time；　at　least；
let　us　agree；　if　you　will；　that　one　shall　not　pass　the　other。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　shall　pass　you。〃

〃We　shall