michael strogoff-第28章

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But　driven　back；　little　by　little；　from　the　mercantile　portion
of　the　place；　they　were　compelled　to　take　refuge　in　the　upper　town。

It　was　there　that　the　Governor…General；　his　officers；　and　soldiers
had　entrenched　themselves。　　They　had　made　the　upper　quarter　of　Omsk
a　kind　of　citadel；　and　hitherto　they　held　out　well　in　this　species
of　improvised　〃kreml；〃　but　without　much　hope　of　the　promised　succor。
The　Tartar　troops；　who　were　descending　the　Irtych；　received　every
day　fresh　reinforcements；　and；　what　was　more　serious；
they　were　led　by　an　officer；　a　traitor　to　his　country；　but　a　man
of　much　note；　and　of　an　audacity　equal　to　any　emergency。
This　man　was　Colonel　Ivan　Ogareff。

Ivan　Ogareff；　terrible　as　any　of　the　most　savage　Tartar　chieftains；
was　an　educated　soldier。　　Possessing　on　his　mother's　side　some
Mongolian　blood；　he　delighted　in　deceptive　strategy　and　ambuscades；
stopping　short　of　nothing　when　he　desired　to　fathom　some　secret
or　to　set　some　trap。　　Deceitful　by　nature；　he　willingly　had　recourse
to　the　vilest　trickery；　lying　when　occasion　demanded；　excelling　in
the　adoption　of　all　disguises　and　in　every　species　of　deception。
Further；　he　was　cruel；　and　had　even　acted　as　an　executioner。
Feofar…Khan　possessed　in　him　a　lieutenant　well　capable　of　seconding
his　designs　in　this　savage　war。

When　Michael　Strogoff　arrived　on　the　banks　of　the　Irtych；　Ivan　Ogareff
was　already　master　of　Omsk；　and　was　pressing　the　siege　of　the　upper
quarter　of　the　town　all　the　more　eagerly　because　he　must　hasten　to　Tomsk；
where　the　main　body　of　the　Tartar　army　was　concentrated。

Tomsk；　in　fact；　had　been　taken　by　Feofar…Khan　some　days　previously；
and　it　was　thence　that　the　invaders；　masters　of　Central　Siberia；
were　to　march　upon　Irkutsk。

Irkutsk　was　the　real　object　of　Ivan　Ogareff。　　The　plan　of　the　traitor
was　to　reach　the　Grand　Duke　under　a　false　name；　to　gain　his　confidence；
and　to　deliver　into　Tartar　hands　the　town　and　the　Grand　Duke　himself。
With　such　a　town；　and　such　a　hostage；　all　Asiatic　Siberia　must　necessarily
fall　into　the　hands　of　the　invaders。　　Now　it　was　known　that　the　Czar
was　acquainted　with　this　conspiracy；　and　that　it　was　for　the　purpose　of
baffling　it　that　a　courier　had　been　intrusted　with　the　important　warning。
Hence；　therefore；　the　very　stringent　instructions　which　had　been　given
to　the　young　courier　to　pass　incognito　through　the　invaded　district。

This　mission　he　had　so　far　faithfully　performed；　but　now　could
he　carry　it　to　a　successful　completion？

The　blow　which　had　struck　Michael　Strogoff　was　not　mortal。
By　swimming　in　a　manner　by　which　he　had　effectually　concealed　himself；
he　had　reached　the　right　bank；　where　he　fell　exhausted　among　the　bushes。

When　he　recovered　his　senses；　he　found　himself　in　the　cabin　of　a　mujik；
who　had　picked　him　up　and　cared　for　him。　　For　how　long　a　time　had
he　been　the　guest　of　this　brave　Siberian？　　He　could　not　guess。
But　when　he　opened　his　eyes　he　saw　the　handsome　bearded　face
bending　over　him；　and　regarding　him　with　pitying　eyes。
〃Do　not　speak；　little　father；〃　said　the　mujik；　〃Do　not　speak！
Thou　art　still　too　weak。　　I　will　tell　thee　where　thou　art
and　everything　that　has　passed。〃

And　the　mujik　related　to　Michael　Strogoff　the　different　incidents
of　the　struggle　which　he　had　witnessedthe　attack　upon　the　ferry
by　the　Tartar　boats；　the　pillage　of　the　tarantass；　and　the　massacre
of　the　boatmen。

But　Michael　Strogoff　listened　no　longer；　and　slipping　his　hand　under
his　garment　he　felt　the　imperial　letter　still　secured　in　his　breast。
He　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief。

But　that　was　not　all。　　〃A　young　girl　accompanied　me；〃　said　he。

〃They　have　not　killed　her；〃　replied　the　mujik；　anticipating　the　anxiety
which　he　read　in　the　eyes　of　his　guest。　　〃They　have　carried　her　off
in　their　boat；　and　have　continued　the　descent　of　Irtych。　　It　is　only
one　prisoner　more　to　join　the　many　they　are　taking　to　Tomsk！〃

Michael　Strogoff　was　unable　to　reply。　　He　pressed　his　hand　upon
his　heart　to　restrain　its　beating。　　But；　notwithstanding　these
many　trials；　the　sentiment　of　duty　mastered　his　whole　soul。
〃Where　am　I？〃　asked　he。

〃Upon　the　right　bank　of　the　Irtych；　only　five　versts　from　Omsk；〃
replied　the　mujik。

〃What　wound　can　I　have　received　which　could　have　thus　prostrated　me？
It　was　not　a　gunshot　wound？〃

〃No；　a　lance…thrust　in　the　head；　now　healing；〃　replied　the　mujik。
〃After　a　few　days'　rest；　little　father；　thou　wilt　be　able　to　proceed。
Thou　didst　fall　into　the　river；　but　the　Tartars　neither　touched　nor
searched　thee；　and　thy　purse　is　still　in　thy　pocket。〃

Michael　Strogoff　gripped　the　mujik's　hand。　　Then；　recovering　himself
with　a　sudden　effort；　〃Friend；〃　said　he；　〃how　long　have　I　been
in　thy　hut？〃

〃Three　days。〃

〃Three　days　lost！〃

〃Three　days　hast　thou　lain　unconscious。〃

〃Hast　thou　a　horse　to　sell　me？〃

〃Thou　wishest　to　go？〃

〃At　once。〃

〃I　have　neither　horse　nor　carriage；　little　father。
Where　the　Tartar　has　passed　there　remains　nothing！〃

〃Well；　I　will　go　on　foot　to　Omsk　to　find　a　horse。〃

〃A　few　more　hours　of　rest；　and　thou　wilt　be　in　a　better　condition
to　pursue　thy　journey。〃

〃Not　an　hour！〃

〃Come　now；〃　replied　the　mujik；　recognizing　the　fact　that　it　was　useless
to　struggle　against　the　will　of　his　guest；　〃I　will　guide　thee　myself。
Besides；〃　he　added；　〃the　Russians　are　still　in　great　force　at　Omsk；
and　thou　couldst；　perhaps；　pass　unperceived。〃

〃Friend；〃　replied　Michael　Strogoff；　〃Heaven　reward　thee　for　all　thou
hast　done　for　me！〃

〃Only　fools　expect　reward　on　earth；〃　replied　the　mujik。

Michael　Strogoff　went　out　of　the　hut。　　When　he　tried　to　walk　he　was
seized　with　such　faintness　that；　without　the　assistance　of　the　mujik；
he　would　have　fallen；　but　the　fresh　air　quickly　revived　him。
He　then　felt　the　wound　in　his　head；　the　violence　of　which　his
fur　cap　had　lessened。　　With　the　energy　which　he　possessed；
he　was　not　a　man　to　succumb　under　such　a　trifle。　　Before　his　eyes
lay　a　single　goalfar…distant　Irkutsk。　　He　must　reach　it！
But　he　must　pass　through　Omsk　without　stopping　there。

〃God　protect　my　mother　and　Nadia！〃　he　murmured。　　〃I　have　no　longer
the　right　to　think　of　them！〃

Michael　Strogoff　and　the　mujik　soon　arrived　in　the　mercantile
quarter　of　the　lower　town。　　The　surrounding　earthwork　had　been
destroyed　in　many　places；　and　there　were　the　breaches　through　which
the　marauders　who　followed　the　armies　of　Feofar…Khan　had　penetrated。
Within　Omsk；　in　its　streets　and　squares；　the　Tartar　soldiers　swarmed
like　ants；　but　it　was　easy　to　see　that　a　hand　of　iron　imposed
upon　them　a　discipline　to　which　they　were　little　accustomed。
They　walked　nowhere　alone；　but　in　armed　groups；　to　defend
themselves　against　surprise。

In　the　chief　square；　transformed　into　a　camp；　guarded　by　many　sentries；
2；000　Tartars　bivouacked。　　The　horses；　picketed　but　still　saddled；
were　ready　to　start　at　the　first　order。　　Omsk　could　only　be　a　temporary
halting…place　for　this　Tartar　cavalry；　which　preferred　the　rich　plains
of　Eastern　Siberia；　where　the　towns　were　more　wealthy；　and；　consequently；
pillage　more　profitable。

Above　the　mercantile　town　rose　the　upper　quarter；　which　Ivan　Ogareff；
notwithstanding　several　assaults　vigorously　made　but　bravely　repelled；
had　not　yet　been　able　to　reduce。　　Upon　its　embattled　walls　floated
the　national　colors　of　Russia。

It　was　not　without　a　legitimate　pride　that　Michael　Strogoff　and　his　guide；
vowing　fidelity；　saluted　them。

Michael　Strogoff　was　perfectly　acquainted　with　the　town　of　Omsk；
and　he　took　care　to　avoid　those　streets　which　were　much　frequented。
This　was　not　from　any　fear　of　being　recognized。　　In　the　town　his　old
mother　only　could　have　called　him　by　name；　but　he　had　sworn　not　to
see　her；　and　he　did　not。　　Besidesand　he　wished　it　with　his　whole　heart
she　might　have　fled　into　some　quiet　portion　of　the　steppe。

The　mujik　very　fortunately　knew　a　postmaster　who；　if　well　paid；　would　not
refuse　at　his　request　either　to　let　or　to　sell　a　carriage　or　horses。
There　remained　the　difficulty　of　leaving　the　town；　but　the　breaches
in　the　fortifications　would；　of　course；　facilitate　his　departure。

The　mujik　was　accordingly　conducting　his　guest　straight　to
the　posting…house；