michael strogoff-第37章

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whose　great　business　is　to　consult　the　stars　every　time　the　Khan
thinks　of　changing　his　quarters。

When　the　prisoners　were　brought　into　the　camp；　the　Emir　was　in　his　tent。
He　did　not　show　himself。　　This　was　fortunate；　no　doubt。　　A　sign；
a　word　from　him　might　have　been　the　signal　for　some　bloody　execution。
But　he　intrenched　himself　in　that　isolation　which　constitutes
in　part　the　majesty　of　Eastern　kings。　　He　who　does　not　show　himself
is　admired；　and；　above　all；　feared。

As　to　the　prisoners；　they　were　to　be　penned　up　in　some　enclosure；
where；　ill…treated；　poorly　fed；　and　exposed　to　all　the　inclemencies
of　the　weather；　they　would　await　Feofar's　pleasure。

The　most　docile　and　patient　of　them　all　was　undoubtedly
Michael　Strogoff。　　He　allowed　himself　to　be　led；　for　they　were
leading　him　where　he　wished　to　go；　and　under　conditions　of　safety
which　free　he　could　not　have　found　on　the　road　from　Kolyvan
to　Tomsk。　　To　escape　before　reaching　that　town　was　to　risk
again　falling　into　the　hands　of　the　scouts；　who　were　scouring
the　steppe。　　The　most　eastern　line　occupied　by　the　Tartar
columns　was　not　situated　beyond　the　eighty…fifth　meridian；
which　passes　through　Tomsk。　　This　meridian　once　passed；
Michael　considered　that　he　should　be　beyond　the　hostile　zones；
that　he　could　traverse　Genisci　without　danger；　and　gain
Krasnoiarsk　before　Feofar…Khan　had　invaded　the　province。

〃Once　at　Tomsk；〃　he　repeated　to　himself；　to　repress　some　feelings
of　impatience　which　he　could　not　entirely　master；　〃in　a　few　minutes
I　should　be　beyond　the　outposts；　and　twelve　hours　gained　on　Feofar；
twelve　hours　on　Ogareff；　that　surely　would　be　enough　to　give　me
a　start　of　them　to　Irkutsk。〃

The　thing　that　Michael　dreaded　more　than　everything　else　was
the　presence　of　Ivan　Ogareff　in　the　Tartar　camp。　　Besides　the　danger
of　being　recognized；　he　felt；　by　a　sort　of　instinct；　that　this
was　the　traitor　whom　it　was　especially　necessary　to　precede。
He　understood；　too；　that　the　union　of　Ogareff's　troops　with　those
of　Feofar　would　complete　the　invading　army；　and　that　the　junction
once　effected；　the　army　would　march　en　masse　on　the　capital
of　Eastern　Siberia。　　All　his　apprehensions　came　from　this　quarter；
and　he　dreaded　every　instant　to　hear　some　flourish　of　trumpets；
announcing　the　arrival　of　the　lieutenant　of　the　Emir。

To　this　was　added　the　thought　of　his　mother；　of　Nadia；
the　one　a　prisoner　at　Omsk；　the　other　dragged　on　board
the　Irtych　boats；　and　no　doubt　a　captive；　as　Marfa　Strogoff　was。
He　could　do　nothing　for　them。　　Should　he　ever　see　them　again？
At　this　question；　to　which　he　dared　not　reply；　his　heart
sank　very　low。

At　the　same　time　with　Michael　Strogoff　and　so　many　other　prisoners
Harry　Blount　and　Alcide　Jolivet　had　also　been　taken　to　the　Tartar　camp。
Their　former　traveling　companion；　captured　like　them　at　the　telegraph
office；　knew　that　they　were　penned　up　with　him　in　the　enclosure；
guarded　by　numerous　sentinels；　but　he　did　not　wish　to　accost　them。
It　mattered　little　to　him；　at　this　time　especially；　what　they　might　think
of　him　since　the　affair　at　Ichim。　　Besides；　he　desired　to　be　alone；
that　he　might　act　alone；　if　necessary。　　He　therefore　held　himself　aloof
from　his　former　acquaintances。

From　the　moment　that　Harry　Blount　had　fallen　by　his　side；　Jolivet　had
not　ceased　his　attentions　to　him。　　During　the　journey　from　Kolyvan
to　the　campthat　is　to　say；　for　several　hoursBlount；　by　leaning　on　his
companion's　arm；　had　been　enabled　to　follow　the　rest　of　the　prisoners。
He　tried　to　make　known　that　he　was　a　British　subject；　but　it　had　no　effect
on　the　barbarians；　who　only　replied　by　prods　with　a　lance　or　sword。
The　correspondent　of　the　Daily　Telegraph　was；　therefore；　obliged　to　submit
to　the　common　lot；　resolving　to　protest　later；　and　obtain　satisfaction
for　such　treatment。　　But　the　journey　was　not　the　less　disagreeable　to　him；
for　his　wound　caused　him　much　pain；　and　without　Alcide　Jolivet's
assistance　he　might　never　have　reached　the　camp。

Jolivet；　whose　practical　philosophy　never　abandoned　him；　had　physically
and　morally　strengthened　his　companion　by　every　means　in　his　power。
His　first　care；　when　they　found　themselves　definitely　established
in　the　enclosure；　was　to　examine　Blount's　wound。　　Having　managed
carefully　to　draw　off　his　coat；　he　found　that　the　shoulder　had　been
only　grazed　by　the　shot。

〃This　is　nothing；〃　he　said。　　〃A　mere　scratch！　　After　two　or　three
dressings　you　will　be　all　to　rights。〃

〃But　these　dressings？〃　asked　Blount。

〃I　will　make　them　for　you　myself。〃

〃Then　you　are　something　of　a　doctor？〃

〃All　Frenchmen　are　something　of　doctors。〃

And　on　this　affirmation　Alcide；　tearing　his　handkerchief；
made　lint　of　one　piece；　bandages　of　the　other；　took　some　water
from　a　well　dug　in　the　middle　of　the　enclosure；　bathed　the　wound；
and　skillfully　placed　the　wet　rag　on　Harry　Blount's　shoulder。

〃I　treat　you　with　water；〃　he　said。　　〃This　liquid　is　the　most　efficacious
sedative　known　for　the　treatment　of　wounds；　and　is　the　most　employed　now。
Doctors　have　taken　six　thousand　years　to　discover　that！　　Yes；　six　thousand
years　in　round　numbers！〃

〃I　thank　you；　M。　Jolivet；〃　answered　Harry；　stretching　himself　on　a　bed
of　dry　leaves；　which　his　companion　had　arranged　for　him　in　the　shade
of　a　birch　tree。

〃Bah！　it's　nothing！　　You　would　do　as　much　for　me。〃

〃I　am　not　quite　so　sure；〃　said　Blount　candidly。

〃Nonsense；　stupid！　　All　English　are　generous。〃

〃Doubtless；　but　the　French？〃

〃Well；　the　Frenchthey　are　brutes；　if　you　like！
But　what　redeems　them　is　that　they　are　French。　　Say　nothing
more　about　that；　or　rather；　say　nothing　more　at　all。
Rest　is　absolutely　necessary　for　you。〃

But　Harry　Blount　had　no　wish　to　be　silent。　　If　the　wound；　in　prudence；
required　rest；　the　correspondent　of　the　Daily　Telegraph　was　not　a　man
to　indulge　himself。

〃M。　Jolivet；〃　he　asked；　〃do　you　think　that　our　last　dispatches
have　been　able　to　pass　the　Russian　frontier？〃

〃Why　not？〃　answered　Alcide。　　〃By　this　time　you　may　be　sure
that　my　beloved　cousin　knows　all　about　the　affair　at　Kolyvan。〃

〃How　many　copies　does　your　cousin　work　off　of　her　dispatches？〃
asked　Blount；　for　the　first　time　putting　his　question　direct
to　his　companion。

〃Well；〃　answered　Alcide；　laughing；　〃my　cousin　is　a　very　discreet　person；
who　does　not　like　to　be　talked　about；　and　who　would　be　in　despair　if　she
troubled　the　sleep　of　which　you　are　in　need。〃

〃I　don't　wish　to　sleep；〃　replied　the　Englishman。　　〃What　will　your　cousin
think　of　the　affairs　of　Russia？〃

〃That　they　seem　for　the　time　in　a　bad　way。　　But；　bah！　the
Muscovite　government　is　powerful；　it　cannot　be　really　uneasy
at　an　invasion　of　barbarians。〃

〃Too　much　ambition　has　lost　the　greatest　empires；〃　answered　Blount；
who　was　not　exempt　from　a　certain　English　jealousy　with　regard
to　Russian　pretensions　in　Central　Asia。

〃Oh；　do　not　let　us　talk　politics；〃　cried　Jolivet。　　〃It　is　forbidden
by　the　faculty。　　Nothing　can　be　worse　for　wounds　in　the　shoulder
unless　it　was　to　put　you　to　sleep。〃

〃Let　us；　then；　talk　of　what　we　ought　to　do；〃　replied　Blount。
〃M。　Jolivet；　I　have　no　intention　at　all　of　remaining　a　prisoner
to　these　Tartars　for　an　indefinite　time。〃

〃Nor　I；　either；　by　Jove！〃

〃We　will　escape　on　the　first　opportunity？〃

〃Yes；　if　there　is　no　other　way　of　regaining　our　liberty。〃

〃Do　you　know　of　any　other？〃　asked　Blount；　looking　at　his　companion。

〃Certainly。　　We　are　not　belligerents；　we　are　neutral；　and　we
will　claim　our　freedom。〃

〃From　that　brute　of　a　Feofar…Khan？〃

〃No；　he　would　not　understand；〃　answered　Jolivet；　〃but　from
his　lieutenant；　Ivan　Ogareff。〃

〃He　is　a　villain。〃

〃　No　doubt；　but　the　villain　is　a　Russian。　　He　knows　that　it　does　not　do
to　trifle　with　the　rights　of　men；　and　he　has　no　interest　to　retain　us；
on　the　contrary。　　But　to　ask　a　favor　of　that　gentleman　does　not　quite
suit　my　taste。〃

〃But　that　gentleman　is　not　in　the　camp；　or　at　least　I　have　not　seen
him　here；〃　observed　Blount。

〃He　will　come。　　He　will　not　fail　to　do　that。　　He　must　join
the　Emir。　　Siberia　is　cut　in　two　now；　and　very　certainly　Feofar's
army　is　only　waiting　for　him　to　advance　on　Irkutsk。〃

〃And　once　free；　what　shall　we　do？〃

〃Once　free