michael strogoff-第24章

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and　then　all　that　he　did　for　her　on　that　terrible　night
of　the　storm　in　the　Urals；　when　he　saved　her　life　at　the　peril
of　his　own。

Thus　Nadia　thought　of　Michael。　　She　thanked　God　for　having　given
her　such　a　gallant　protector；　a　friend　so　generous　and　wise。
She　knew　that　she　was　safe　with　him；　under　his　protection。
No　brother　could　have　done　more　than　he。　　All　obstacles
seemed　cleared　away；　the　performance　of　her　journey　was　but　a
matter　of　time。

Michael　remained　buried　in　thought。　　He　also　thanked　God
for　having　brought　about　this　meeting　with　Nadia；　which　at
the　same　time　enabled　him　to　do　a　good　action；　and　afforded
him　additional　means　for　concealing　his　true　character。
He　delighted　in　the　young　girl's　calm　intrepidity。
Was　she　not　indeed　his　sister？　　His　feeling　towards　his　beautiful
and　brave　companion　was　rather　respect　than　affection。
He　felt　that　hers　was　one　of　those　pure　and　rare　hearts　which
are　held　by　all　in　high　esteem。

However；　Michael's　dangers　were　now　beginning；　since　he　had
reached　Siberian　ground。　　If　the　reporters　were　not　mistaken；
if　Ivan　Ogareff　had　really　passed　the　frontier；　all　his　actions
must　be　made　with　extreme　caution。　　Things　were　now　altered；
Tartar　spies　swarmed　in　the　Siberian　provinces。　　His　incognito
once　discovered；　his　character　as　courier　of　the　Czar　known；
there　was　an　end　of　his　journey；　and　probably　of　his　life。
Michael　felt　now　more　than　ever　the　weight　of　his　responsibility。

While　such　were　the　thoughts　of　those　occupying　the　first　carriage；
what　was　happening　in　the　second？　　Nothing　out　of　the　way。
Alcide　spoke　in　sentences；　Blount　replied　by　monosyllables。
Each　looked　at　everything　in　his　own　light；　and　made　notes　of　such
incidents　as　occurred　on　the　journeyfew　and　but　slightly　varied
while　they　crossed　the　provinces　of　Western　Siberia。

At　each　relay　the　reporters　descended　from　their　carriage
and　found　themselves　with　Michael。　　Except　when　meals　were　to　be
taken　at　the　post…houses；　Nadia　did　not　leave　the　tarantass。
When　obliged　to　breakfast　or　dine；　she　sat　at　table；　but　was
always　very　reserved；　and　seldom　joined　in　conversation。

Alcide；　without　going　beyond　the　limits　of　strict　propriety；
showed　that　he　was　greatly　struck　by　the　young　girl。
He　admired　the　silent　energy　which　she　showed　in　bearing　all
the　fatigues　of　so　difficult　a　journey。

The　forced　stoppages　were　anything　but　agreeable　to　Michael；
so　he　hastened　the　departure　at　each　relay；　roused　the　innkeepers；
urged　on　the　iemschiks；　and　expedited　the　harnessing　of　the　tarantass。
Then　the　hurried　meal　overalways　much　too　hurried　to　agree　with　Blount；
who　was　a　methodical　eaterthey　started；　and　were　driven　as　eagles；
for　they　paid　like　princes。

It　need　scarcely　be　said　that　Blount　did　not　trouble　himself
about　the　girl　at　table。　　That　gentleman　was　not　in　the　habit
of　doing　two　things　at　once。　　She　was　also　one　of　the　few
subjects　of　conversation　which　he　did　not　care　to　discuss
with　his　companion。

Alcide　having　asked　him；　on　one　occasion；　how　old　he　thought　the　girl；
〃What　girl？〃　he　replied；　quite　seriously。

〃Why；　Nicholas　Korpanoff's　sister。〃

〃Is　she　his　sister？〃

〃No；　his　grandmother！〃　replied　Alcide；　angry　at　his　indifference。
〃What　age　should　you　consider　her？〃

〃Had　I　been　present　at　her　birth　I　might　have　known。〃

Very　few　of　the　Siberian　peasants　were　to　be　seen　in　the　fields。
These　peasants　are　remarkable　for　their　pale；　grave　faces；
which　a　celebrated　traveler　has　compared　to　those　of　the　Castilians；
without　the　haughtiness　of　the　latter。　　Here　and　there　some　villages
already　deserted　indicated　the　approach　of　the　Tartar　hordes。
The　inhabitants；　having　driven　off　their　flocks　of　sheep；　their　camels；
and　their　horses；　were　taking　refuge　in　the　plains　of　the　north。
Some　tribes　of　the　wandering　Kirghiz；　who　remained　faithful；
had　transported　their　tents　beyond　the　Irtych；　to　escape　the　depredations
of　the　invaders。

Happily；　post　traveling　was　as　yet　uninterrupted；　and　telegraphic
communication　could　still　be　effected　between　places　connected　with
the　wire。　　At　each　relay　horses　were　to　be　had　on　the　usual　conditions。
At　each　telegraphic　station　the　clerks　transmitted　messages　delivered
to　them；　delaying　for　State　dispatches　alone。

Thus　far；　then；　Michael's　journey　had　been　accomplished　satisfactorily。
The　courier　of　the　Czar　had　in　no　way　been　impeded；　and；　if　he　could
only　get　on　to　Krasnoiarsk；　which　seemed　the　farthest　point　attained
by　Feofar…Khan's　Tartars；　he　knew　that　he　could　arrive　at　Irkutsk；
before　them。　　The　day　after　the　two　carriages　had　left　Ekaterenburg　they
reached　the　small　town　of　Toulouguisk　at　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning；
having　covered　two　hundred　and　twenty　versts；　no　event　worthy
of　mention　having　occurred。　　The　same　evening；　the　22d　of　July；
they　arrived　at　Tioumen。

Tioumen；　whose　population　is　usually　ten　thousand　inhabitants；
then　contained　double　that　number。　　This；　the　first　industrial
town　established　by　the　Russians　in　Siberia；　in　which　may
be　seen　a　fine　metal…refining　factory　and　a　bell　foundry；
had　never　before　presented　such　an　animated　appearance。
The　correspondents　immediately　went　off　after　news。
That　brought　by　Siberian　fugitives　from　the　seat　of　war
was　far　from　reassuring。　　They　said；　amongst　other　things；
that　Feofar…Khan's　army　was　rapidly　approaching　the　valley
of　the　Ichim；　and　they　confirmed　the　report　that　the　Tartar
chief　was　soon　to　be　joined　by　Colonel　Ogareff；　if　he　had　not
been　so　already。　　Hence　the　conclusion　was　that　operations
would　be　pushed　in　Eastern　Siberia　with　the　greatest　activity。
However；　the　loyal　Cossacks　of　the　government　of　Tobolsk
were　advancing　by　forced　marches　towards　Tomsk；　in　the　hope
of　cutting　off　the　Tartar　columns。

At　midnight　the　town　of　Novo…Saimsk　was　reached；　and　the　travelers
now　left　behind　them　the　country　broken　by　tree…covered　hills；
the　last　remains　of　the　Urals。

Here　began　the　regular　Siberian　steppe　which　extends　to　the　neighborhood
of　Krasnoiarsk。　　It　is　a　boundless　plain；　a　vast　grassy　desert；
earth　and　sky　here　form　a　circle　as　distinct　as　that　traced
by　a　sweep　of　the　compasses。　　The　steppe　presents　nothing
to　attract　notice　but　the　long　line　of　the　telegraph　posts；
their　wires　vibrating　in　the　breeze　like　the　strings　of　a　harp。
The　road　could　be　distinguished　from　the　rest　of　the　plain　only　by
the　clouds　of　fine　dust　which　rose　under　the　wheels　of　the　tarantass。
Had　it　not　been　for　this　white　riband；　which　stretched　away　as　far
as　the　eye　could　reach；　the　travelers　might　have　thought　themselves
in　a　desert。

Michael　and　his　companions　again　pressed　rapidly　forward。
The　horses；　urged　on　by　the　iemschik；　seemed　to　fly　over　the　ground；
for　there　was　not　the　slightest　obstacle　to　impede　them。
The　tarantass　was　going　straight　for　Ichim；　where　the　two
correspondents　intended　to　stop；　if　nothing　happened　to　make
them　alter　their　plans。

A　hundred　and　twenty　miles　separated　Novo…Saimsk　from　the　town
of　Ichim；　and　before　eight　o'clock　the　next　evening　the　distance
could　and　should　be　accomplished　if　no　time　was　lost。
In　the　opinion　of　the　iemschiks；　should　the　travelers　not　be
great　lords　or　high　functionaries；　they　were　worthy　of　being　so；
if　it　was　only　for　their　generosity　in　the　matter　of　〃na　vodkou。〃

On　the　afternoon　of　the　next　day；　the　23rd　of　July；　the　two　carriages
were　not　more　than　thirty　versts　from　Ichim。　　Suddenly　Michael　caught
sight　of　a　carriagescarcely　visible　among　the　clouds　of　dust
preceding　them　along　the　road。　　As　his　horses　were　evidently　less
fatigued　than　those　of　the　other　traveler；　he　would　not　be　long
in　overtaking　it。　　This　was　neither　a　tarantass　nor　a　telga；
but　a　post…berlin；　which　looked　as　if　it　had　made　a　long　journey。
The　postillion　was　thrashing　his　horses　with　all　his　might；
and　only　kept　them　at　a　gallop　by　dint　of　abuse　and　blows。
The　berlin　had　certainly　not　passed　through　Novo…Saimsk；　and　could
only　have　struck　the　Irkutsk　road　by　some　less　frequented　route
across　the　steppe。

Our　travelers'　first　thought；　on　seeing　this　berlin；　was　to　get　in　front
of　it；　and　arrive　first　at　the　relay；　so　as　to　make　sure　of　fresh　horses