michael strogoff-第21章

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descend　now；　with　the　road　torn　up　by　a　thousand　mountain　torrents；
in　these　eddies　of　wind　and　rain；　was　utter　madness。

〃To　wait　is　indeed　serious；〃　said　Michael；　〃but　it　must　certainly
be　done；　to　avoid　still　longer　detentions。　　The　very　violence
of　the　storm　makes　me　hope　that　it　will　not　last　long。
About　three　o'clock　the　day　will　begin　to　break；　and　the　descent；
which　we　cannot　risk　in　the　dark；　we　shall　be　able；　if　not　with　ease；
at　least　without　such　danger；　to　attempt　after　sunrise。〃

〃Let　us　wait；　brother；〃　replied　Nadia；　〃but　if　you　delay；
let　it　not　be　to　spare　me　fatigue　or　danger。〃

〃Nadia；　I　know　that　you　are　ready　to　brave　everything；　but；
in　exposing　both　of　us；　I　risk　more　than　my　life；　more　than　yours；
I　am　not　fulfilling　my　task；　that　duty　which　before　everything
else　I　must　accomplish。〃

〃A　duty！〃　murmured　Nadia。

Just　then　a　bright　flash　lit　up　the　sky；　a　loud　clap　followed。
The　air　was　filled　with　sulphurous　suffocating　vapor；　and　a　clump
of　huge　pines；　struck　by　the　electric　fluid；　scarcely　twenty　feet
from　the　tarantass；　flared　up　like　a　gigantic　torch。

The　iemschik　was　struck　to　the　ground　by　a　counter…shock；　but；
regaining　his　feet；　found　himself　happily　unhurt。

Just　as　the　last　growlings　of　the　thunder　were　lost
in　the　recesses　of　the　mountain；　Michael　felt　Nadia's　hand
pressing　his；　and　he　heard　her　whisper　these　words　in　his　ear：
〃Cries；　brother！　　Listen！〃


CHAPTER　XI　TRAVELERS　IN　DISTRESS

DURING　the　momentary　lull　which　followed；　shouts　could　be　distinctly
heard　from　farther　on；　at　no　great　distance　from　the　tarantass。
It　was　an　earnest　appeal；　evidently　from　some　traveler　in　distress。

Michael　listened　attentively。　　The　iemschik　also　listened；
but　shook　his　head；　as　though　it　was　impossible　to　help。

〃They　are　travelers　calling　for　aid；〃　cried　Nadia。

〃They　can　expect　nothing；〃　replied　the　iemschik。

〃Why　not？〃　cried　Michael。　　〃Ought　not　we　do　for　them　what　they
would　for　us　under　similar　circumstances？〃

〃Surely　you　will　not　risk　the　carriage　and　horses！〃

〃I　will　go　on　foot；〃　replied　Michael；　interrupting　the　iemschik。

〃I　will　go；　too；　brother；〃　said　the　young　girl。

〃No；　remain　here；　Nadia。　　The　iemschik　will　stay　with　you。
I　do　not　wish　to　leave　him　alone。〃

〃I　will　stay；〃　replied　Nadia。

〃Whatever　happens；　do　not　leave　this　spot。〃

〃You　will　find　me　where　I　now　am。〃

Michael　pressed　her　hand；　and；　turning　the　corner　of　the　slope；
disappeared　in　the　darkness。

〃Your　brother　is　wrong；〃　said　the　iemschik。

〃He　is　right；〃　replied　Nadia　simply。

Meanwhile　Strogoff　strode　rapidly　on。　　If　he　was　in　a　great　hurry
to　aid　the　travelers；　he　was　also　very　anxious　to　know　who　it
was　that　had　not　been　hindered　from　starting　by　the　storm；
for　he　had　no　doubt　that　the　cries　came　from　the　telga；
which　had　so　long　preceded　him。

The　rain　had　stopped；　but　the　storm　was　raging　with　redoubled　fury。
The　shouts；　borne　on　the　air；　became　more　distinct。
Nothing　was　to　be　seen　of　the　pass　in　which　Nadia　remained。
The　road　wound　along；　and　the　squalls；　checked　by　the　corners；
formed　eddies　highly　dangerous；　to　pass　which；　without　being
taken　off　his　legs；　Michael　had　to　use　his　utmost　strength。

He　soon　perceived　that　the　travelers　whose　shouts　he　had　heard
were　at　no　great　distance。　　Even　then；　on　account　of　the　darkness；
Michael　could　not　see　them；　yet　he　heard　distinctly　their　words。

This　is　what　he　heard；　and　what　caused　him　some　surprise：
〃Are　you　coming　back；　blockhead？〃

〃You　shall　have　a　taste　of　the　knout　at　the　next　stage。〃

〃Do　you　hear；　you　devil's　postillion！　　Hullo！　　Below！〃

〃This　is　how　a　carriage　takes　you　in　this　country！〃

〃Yes；　this　is　what　you　call　a　telga！〃

〃Oh；　that　abominable　driver！　　He　goes　on　and　does　not　appear
to　have　discovered　that　he　has　left　us　behind！〃

〃To　deceive　me；　too！　　Me；　an　honorable　Englishman！　　I　will　make
a　complaint　at　the　chancellor's　office　and　have　the　fellow　hanged。〃

This　was　said　in　a　very　angry　tone；　but　was　suddenly　interrupted
by　a　burst　of　laughter　from　his　companion；　who　exclaimed；
〃Well！　this　is　a　good　joke；　I　must　say。〃

〃You　venture　to　laugh！〃　said　the　Briton　angrily。

〃Certainly；　my　dear　confrere；　and　that　most　heartily。
'Pon　my　word　I　never　saw　anything　to　come　up　to　it。〃

Just　then　a　crashing　clap　of　thunder　re…echoed　through　the　defile；
and　then　died　away　among　the　distant　peaks。　　When　the　sound
of　the　last　growl　had　ceased；　the　merry　voice　went　on：
〃Yes；　it　undoubtedly　is　a　good　joke。　　This　machine　certainly
never　came　from　France。〃

〃Nor　from　England；〃　replied　the　other。

On　the　road；　by　the　light　of　the　flashes；　Michael　saw；　twenty　yards
from　him；　two　travelers；　seated　side　by　side　in　a　most　peculiar　vehicle；
the　wheels　of　which　were　deeply　imbedded　in　the　ruts　formed　in　the　road。

He　approached　them；　the　one　grinning　from　ear　to　ear；　and　the　other
gloomily　contemplating　his　situation；　and　recognized　them　as　the　two
reporters　who　had　been　his　companions　on　board　the　Caucasus。

〃Good…morning　to　you；　sir；〃　cried　the　Frenchman。　　〃Delighted　to　see
you　here。　　Let　me　introduce　you　to　my　intimate　enemy；　Mr。　Blount。〃

The　English　reporter　bowed；　and　was　about　to　introduce　in　his　turn
his　companion；　Alcide　Jolivet；　in　accordance　with　the　rules　of　society；
when　Michael　interrupted　him。

〃Perfectly　unnecessary；　sir；　we　already　know　each　other；
for　we　traveled　together　on　the　Volga。〃

〃Ah；　yes！　exactly　so！　　Mr。〃

〃Nicholas　Korpanoff；　merchant；　of　Irkutsk。　　But　may　I　know
what　has　happened　which；　though　a　misfortune　to　your　companion；
amuses　you　so　much？〃

〃Certainly；　Mr。　Korpanoff；〃　replied　Alcide。　　〃Fancy！　our　driver
has　gone　off　with　the　front　part　of　this　confounded　carriage；
and　left　us　quietly　seated　in　the　back　part！　　So　here　we
are　in　the　worse　half　of　a　telga；　no　driver；　no　horses。
Is　it　not　a　joke？〃

〃No　joke　at　all；〃　said　the　Englishman。

〃Indeed　it　is；　my　dear　fellow。　　You　do　not　know　how　to　look
at　the　bright　side　of　things。〃

〃How；　pray；　are　we　to　go　on？〃　asked　Blount。

〃That　is　the　easiest　thing　in　the　world；〃　replied　Alcide。　　〃Go　and
harness　yourself　to　what　remains　of　our　cart；　I　will　take　the　reins；
and　call　you　my　little　pigeon；　like　a　true　iemschik；　and　you　will　trot
off　like　a　real　post…horse。〃

〃Mr。　Jolivet；〃　replied　the　Englishman；　〃this　joking　is　going　too　far；
it　passes　all　limits　and〃

〃Now　do　be　quiet；　my　dear　sir。　　When　you　are　done　up；　I　will　take
your　place；　and　call　me　a　broken…winded　snail　and　faint…hearted
tortoise　if　I　don't　take　you　over　the　ground　at　a　rattling　pace。〃

Alcide　said　all　this　with　such　perfect　good…humor　that　Michael　could
not　help　smiling。　　〃Gentlemen；〃　said　he；　〃here　is　a　better　plan。
We　have　now　reached　the　highest　ridge　of　the　Ural　chain；
and　thus　have　merely　to　descend　the　slopes　of　the　mountain。
My　carriage　is　close　by；　only　two　hundred　yards　behind。
I　will　lend　you　one　of　my　horses；　harness　it　to　the　remains
of　the　telga；　and　to…mor…how；　if　no　accident　befalls　us；
we　will　arrive　together　at　Ekaterenburg。〃

〃That；　Mr。　Korpanoff；〃　said　Alcide；　〃is　indeed　a　generous　proposal。〃

〃Indeed；　sir；〃　replied　Michael；　〃I　would　willingly　offer　you　places
in　my　tarantass；　but　it　will　only　hold　two；　and　my　sister　and　I
already　fill　it。〃

〃Really；　sir；〃　answered　Alcide；　〃with　your　horse　and　our　demi…telga
we　will　go　to　the　world's　end。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　Harry　Blount；　〃we　most　willingly　accept　your　kind　offer。
And；　as　to　that　iemschik〃

〃Oh！　　I　assure　you　that　you　are　not　the　first　travelers　who　have　met
with　a　similar　misfortune；〃　replied　Michael。

〃But　why　should　not　our　driver　come　back？　　He　knows　perfectly
well　that　he　has　left　us　behind；　wretch　that　he　is！〃

〃He！　　He　never　suspected　such　a　thing。〃

〃What！　the　fellow　not　know　that　he　was　leaving　the　better　half
of　his　telga　behind？〃

〃Not　a　bit；　and　in　all　good　faith　is　driving　the　fore
part　into　Ekaterenburg。〃

〃Did　I　not　tell　you　that　it　was　a　good　joke；　confrere？〃　cried　Alcide。

〃Then；　gentlemen；　if　you　will　follow　me；〃　said　Michael；
〃we　will　return　to　my　carriage；　and〃

〃But　the　telga；〃　observed　the　Englishman。

〃There　is　not　the　slightest　fear　that　it　will　fly