michael strogoff-第2章

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matter　of　conversation　even　between　members　of　the　corps　diplomatique；
two　guests；　distinguished　by　no　uniform；　no　decoration；
at　this　reception　in　the　New　Palace；　discussed　in　a　low　voice；
and　with　apparently　very　correct　information。

By　what　means；　by　the　exercise　of　what　acuteness　had　these　two　ordinary
mortals　ascertained　that　which　so　many　persons　of　the　highest　rank
and　importance　scarcely　even　suspected？　　It　is　impossible　to　say。
Had　they　the　gifts　of　foreknowledge　and　foresight？　　Did　they
possess　a　supplementary　sense；　which　enabled　them　to　see　beyond
that　limited　horizon　which　bounds　all　human　gaze？　　Had　they　obtained
a　peculiar　power　of　divining　the　most　secret　events？　　Was　it　owing
to　the　habit；　now　become　a　second　nature；　of　living　on　information；
that　their　mental　constitution　had　thus　become　really　transformed？
It　was　difficult　to　escape　from　this　conclusion。

Of　these　two　men；　the　one　was　English；　the　other　French；　both　were　tall
and　thin；　but　the　latter　was　sallow　as　are　the　southern　Provencals；
while　the　former　was　ruddy　like　a　Lancashire　gentleman。
The　Anglo…Norman；　formal；　cold；　grave；　parsimonious　of　gestures
and　words；　appeared　only　to　speak　or　gesticulate　under
the　influence　of　a　spring　operating　at　regular　intervals。
The　Gaul；　on　the　contrary；　lively　and　petulant；　expressed　himself
with　lips；　eyes；　hands；　all　at　once；　having　twenty　different
ways　of　explaining　his　thoughts；　whereas　his　interlocutor　seemed
to　have　only　one；　immutably　stereotyped　on　his　brain。

The　strong　contrast　they　presented　would　at　once　have　struck　the　most
superficial　observer；　but　a　physiognomist；　regarding　them　closely；
would　have　defined　their　particular　characteristics　by　saying；
that　if　the　Frenchman　was　〃all　eyes；〃　the　Englishman　was　〃all　ears。〃

In　fact；　the　visual　apparatus　of　the　one　had　been　singularly
perfected　by　practice。　　The　sensibility　of　its　retina　must
have　been　as　instantaneous　as　that　of　those　conjurors　who
recognize　a　card　merely　by　a　rapid　movement　in　cutting　the　pack
or　by　the　arrangement　only　of　marks　invisible　to　others。
The　Frenchman　indeed　possessed　in　the　highest　degree　what　may
be　called　〃the　memory　of　the　eye。〃

The　Englishman；　on　the　contrary；　appeared　especially　organized
to　listen　and　to　hear。　　When　his　aural　apparatus　had　been　once
struck　by　the　sound　of　a　voice　he　could　not　forget　it；　and　after　ten
or　even　twenty　years　he　would　have　recognized　it　among　a　thousand。
His　ears；　to　be　sure；　had　not　the　power　of　moving　as　freely
as　those　of　animals　who　are　provided　with　large　auditory　flaps；
but；　since　scientific　men　know　that　human　ears　possess；　in　fact；
a　very　limited　power　of　movement；　we　should　not　be　far　wrong
in　affirming　that　those　of　the　said　Englishman　became　erect；
and　turned　in　all　directions　while　endeavoring　to　gather
in　the　sounds；　in　a　manner　apparent　only　to　the　naturalist。
It　must　be　observed　that　this　perfection　of　sight　and　hearing
was　of　wonderful　assistance　to　these　two　men　in　their　vocation；
for　the　Englishman　acted　as　correspondent　of　the　Daily　Telegraph；
and　the　Frenchman；　as　correspondent　of　what　newspaper；
or　of　what　newspapers；　he　did　not　say；　and　when　asked；
he　replied　in　a　jocular　manner　that　he　corresponded　with　〃his
cousin　Madeleine。〃　　This　Frenchman；　however；　neath　his
careless　surface；　was　wonderfully　shrewd　and　sagacious。
Even　while　speaking　at　random；　perhaps　the　better　to　hide　his　desire
to　learn；　he　never　forgot　himself。　　His　loquacity　even　helped　him
to　conceal　his　thoughts；　and　he　was　perhaps　even　more　discreet
than　his　confrere　of　the　Daily　Telegraph。　　Both　were　present
at　this　fete　given　at　the　New　Palace　on　the　night　of　the　15th
of　July　in　their　character　of　reporters。

It　is　needless　to　say　that　these　two　men　were　devoted　to　their　mission
in　the　worldthat　they　delighted　to　throw　themselves　in　the　track
of　the　most　unexpected　intelligencethat　nothing　terrified　or
discouraged　them　from　succeedingthat　they　possessed　the　imperturbable
sang　froid　and　the　genuine　intrepidity　of　men　of　their　calling。
Enthusiastic　jockeys　in　this　steeplechase；　this　hunt　after　information；
they　leaped　hedges；　crossed　rivers；　sprang　over　fences；　with　the　ardor
of　pure…blooded　racers；　who　will　run　〃a　good　first〃　or　die！

Their　journals　did　not　restrict　them　with　regard　to　money
the　surest；　the　most　rapid；　the　most　perfect　element　of　information
known　to　this　day。　　It　must　also　be　added；　to　their　honor；
that　neither　the　one　nor　the　other　ever　looked　over　or　listened
at　the　walls　of　private　life；　and　that　they　only　exercised
their　vocation　when　political　or　social　interests　were　at　stake。
In　a　word；　they　made　what　has　been　for　some　years　called　〃the
great　political　and　military　reports。〃

It　will　be　seen；　in　following　them；　that　they　had　generally　an
independent　mode　of　viewing　events；　and；　above　all；　their　consequences；
each　having　his　own　way　of　observing　and　appreciating。

The　French　correspondent　was　named　Alcide　Jolivet。　　Harry　Blount
was　the　name　of　the　Englishman。　　They　had　just　met　for　the　first　time
at　this　fete　in　the　New　Palace；　of　which　they　had　been　ordered　to　give
an　account　in　their　papers。　　The　dissimilarity　of　their　characters；
added　to　a　certain　amount　of　jealousy；　which　generally　exists
between　rivals　in　the　same　calling；　might　have　rendered　them
but　little　sympathetic。　　However；　they　did　not　avoid　each　other；
but　endeavored　rather　to　exchange　with　each　other　the　chat　of　the　day。
They　were　sportsmen；　after　all；　hunting　on　the　same　ground。
That　which　one　missed　might　be　advantageously　secured　by　the　other；
and　it　was　to　their　interest　to　meet　and　converse。

This　evening　they　were　both　on　the　look　out；　they　felt；　in　fact；
that　there　was　something　in　the　air。

〃Even　should　it　be　only　a　wildgoose　chase；〃　said　Alcide　Jolivet
to　himself；　〃it　may　be　worth　powder　and　shot。〃

The　two　correspondents　therefore　began　by　cautiously　sounding　each　other。

〃Really；　my　dear　sir；　this　little　fete　is　charming！〃
said　Alcide　Jolivet　pleasantly；　thinking　himself　obliged　to　begin
the　conversation　with　this　eminently　French　phrase。

〃I　have　telegraphed　already；　'splendid！'〃　replied　Harry　Blount　calmly；
employing　the　word　specially　devoted　to　expressing　admiration　by　all
subjects　of　the　United　Kingdom。

〃Nevertheless；〃　added　Alcide　Jolivet；　〃I　felt　compelled　to　remark
to　my　cousin〃

〃Your　cousin？〃　repeated　Harry　Blount　in　a　tone　of　surprise；
interrupting　his　brother　of　the　pen。

〃Yes；〃　returned　Alcide　Jolivet；　〃my　cousin　Madeleine。　　It　is　with　her
that　I　correspond；　and　she　likes　to　be　quickly　and　well　informed；
does　my　cousin。　　I　therefore　remarked　to　her　that；　during　this　fete；
a　sort　of　cloud　had　appeared　to　overshadow　the　sovereign's　brow。〃

〃To　me；　it　seemed　radiant；〃　replied　Harry　Blount；　who　perhaps；
wished　to　conceal　his　real　opinion　on　this　topic。

〃And；　naturally；　you　made　it　'radiant；'　in　the　columns　of
the　Daily　Telegraph。〃

〃Exactly。〃

〃Do　you　remember；　Mr。　Blount；　what　occurred　at　Zakret　in　1812？〃

〃I　remember　it　as　well　as　if　I　had　been　there；　sir；〃
replied　the　English　correspondent。

〃Then；〃　continued　Alcide　Jolivet；　〃you　know　that；　in　the　middle　of　a
fete　given　in　his　honor；　it　was　announced　to　the　Emperor　Alexander
that　Napoleon　had　just　crossed　the　Niemen　with　the　vanguard　of
the　French　army。　　Nevertheless　the　Emperor　did　not　leave　the　fete；
and　notwithstanding　the　extreme　gravity　of　intelligence　which　might　cost
him　his　empire；　he　did　not　allow　himself　to　show　more　uneasiness。〃

〃Than　our　host　exhibited　when　General　Kissoff　informed　him
that　the　telegraphic　wires　had　just　been　cut　between　the　frontier
and　the　government　of　Irkutsk。〃

〃Ah！　you　are　aware　of　that？〃

〃I　am！〃

〃As　regards　myself；　it　would　be　difficult　to　avoid　knowing　it；
since　my　last　telegram　reached　Udinsk；〃　observed　Alcide　Jolivet；
with　some　satisfaction。

〃And　mine　only　as　far　as　Krasnoiarsk；〃　answered　Harry　Blount；
in　a　no　less　satisfied　tone。

〃Then　you　know　also　that　orders　have　been　sent　to　the
troops　of　Nikolaevsk？〃

〃I　do；　sir；　and　at　the　same　time　a　telegram　was　sent　to　the　Cossacks
of　the　government　of　Tobolsk　to　concentrate　their　forces。〃

〃Not