michael strogoff-第39章

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followed　by　a　brilliant　escort　of　Usbeck　horsemen；　moved　to　the　front
of　the　camp　to　receive　Ivan　Ogareff。　　Arrived　in　his　presence；
they　paid　him　the　greatest　respect；　and　invited　him　to　accompany　them
to　Feofar…Khan's　tent。

Imperturbable　as　usual；　Ogareff　replied　coldly　to　the　deference　paid
to　him。　　He　was　plainly　dressed；　but；　from　a　sort　of　impudent　bravado；
he　still　wore　the　uniform　of　a　Russian　officer。

As　he　was　about　to　enter　the　camp；　Sangarre；　passing　among
the　officers　approached　and　remained　motionless　before　him。
〃Nothing？〃　asked　Ogareff。

〃Nothing。〃

〃Have　patience。〃

〃Is　the　time　approaching　when　you　will　force　the　old　woman　to　speak？〃

〃It　is　approaching；　Sangarre。〃

〃When　will　the　old　woman　speak？〃

〃When　we　reach　Tomsk。〃

〃And　we　shall　be　there〃

〃In　three　days。〃

A　strange　gleam　shot　from　Sangarre's　great　black　eyes；　and　she
retired　with　a　calm　step。　　Ogareff　pressed　his　spurs　into　his
horse's　flanks；　and；　followed　by　his　staff　of　Tartar　officers；
rode　towards　the　Emir's　tent。

Feofar…Khan　was　expecting　his　lieutenant。　　The　council；
composed　of　the　bearer　of　the　royal　seal；　the　khodja；
and　some　high　officers；　had　taken　their　places　in　the　tent。
Ivan　Ogareff　dismounted　and　entered。

Feofar…Khan　was　a　man　of　forty；　tall；　rather　pale；　of　a　fierce
countenance；　and　evil　eyes。　　A　curly　black　beard　flowed　over　his　chest。
With　his　war　costume；　coat　of　mail　of　gold　and　silver；　cross…belt　and
scabbard　glistening　with　precious　stones；　boots　with　golden　spurs；
helmet　ornamented　with　an　aigrette　of　brilliant　diamonds；　Feofar　presented
an　aspect　rather　strange　than　imposing　for　a　Tartar　Sardana…palus；
an　undisputed　sovereign；　who　directs　at　his　pleasure　the　life　and　fortune
of　his　subjects。

When　Ivan　Ogareff　appeared；　the　great　dignitaries　remained　seated
on　their　gold…embroidered　cushions；　but　Feofar　rose　from　a　rich
divan　which　occupied　the　back　part　of　the　tent；　the　ground　being
hidden　under　the　thick　velvet…pile　of　a　Bokharian　carpet。

The　Emir　approached　Ogareff　and　gave　him　a　kiss；　the　meaning　of　which
he　could　not　mistake。　　This　kiss　made　the　lieutenant　chief　of　the　council；
and　placed　him　temporarily　above　the　khodja。

Then　Feofar　spoke。　　〃I　have　no　need　to　question　you；〃　said　he；
〃speak；　Ivan。　　You　will　find　here　ears　very　ready　to　listen　to　you。〃

〃Takhsir；〃　answered　Ogareff；　〃this　is　what　I　have　to　make
known　to　you。〃　　He　spoke　in　the　Tartar　language；　giving　to　his
phrases　the　emphatic　turn　which　distinguishes　the　languages　of
the　Orientals。　　〃Takhsir；　this　is　not　the　time　for　unnecessary　words。
What　I　have　done　at　the　head　of　your　troops；　you　know。
The　lines　of　the　Ichim　and　the　Irtych　are　now　in　our　power；　and　the
Turcoman　horsemen　can　bathe　their　horses　in　the　now　Tartar　waters。
The　Kirghiz　hordes　rose　at　the　voice　of　Feofar…Khan。　You　can
now　push　your　troops　towards　the　east；　and　where　the　sun　rises；
or　towards　the　west；　where　he　sets。〃

〃And　if　I　march　with　the　sun？〃　asked　the　Emir；　without　his　countenance
betraying　any　of　his　thoughts。

〃To　march　with　the　sun；〃　answered　Ogareff；　〃is　to　throw　yourself
towards　Europe；　it　is　to　conquer　rapidly　the　Siberian　provinces
of　Tobolsk　as　far　as　the　Ural　Mountains。〃

〃And　if　I　go　to　meet　this　luminary　of　the　heavens？〃

〃It　is　to　subdue　to　the　Tartar　dominion；　with　Irkutsk；　the　richest
countries　of　Central　Asia。〃

〃But　the　armies　of　the　Sultan　of　St。　Petersburg？〃　said　Feofar…Khan；
designating　the　Emperor　of　Russia　by　this　strange　title。

〃You　have　nothing　to　fear　from　them；〃　replied　Ivan　Ogareff。
〃The　invasion　has　been　sudden；　and　before　the　Russian　army　can
succor　them；　Irkutsk　or　Tobolsk　will　have　fallen　into　your　power。
The　Czar's　troops　have　been　overwhelmed　at　Kolyvan；　as　they
will　be　everywhere　where　yours　meet　them。〃

〃And　what　advice　does　your　devotion　to　the　Tartar　cause　suggest？〃
asked　the　Emir；　after　a　few　moments'　silence。

〃My　advice；〃　answered　Ivan　Ogareff　quickly；　〃is　to　march　to　meet　the　sun。
It　is　to　give　the　grass　of　the　eastern　steppes　to　the　Turcoman　horses
to　consume。　　It　is　to　take　Irkutsk；　the　capital　of　the　eastern　provinces；
and　with　it　a　hostage；　the　possession　of　whom　is　worth　a　whole　country。
In　the　place　of　the　Czar；　the　Grand　Duke　his　brother　must　fall
into　your　hands。〃

This　was　the　great　result　aimed　at　by　Ivan　Ogareff。　　To　listen
to　him；　one　would　have　taken　him　for　one　of　the　cruel
descendants　of　Stephan　Razine；　the　celebrated　pirate
who　ravaged　Southern　Russia　in　the　eighteenth　century。
To　seize　the　Grand　Duke；　murder　him　pitilessly；　would　fully
satisfy　his　hatred。　　Besides；　with　the　capture　of　Irkutsk；
all　Eastern　Siberia　would　pass　to　the　Tartars。

〃It　shall　be　thus；　Ivan；〃　replied　Feofar。

〃What　are　your　orders；　Takhsir？〃

〃To…day　our　headquarters　shall　be　removed　to　Tomsk。〃

Ogareff　bowed；　and；　followed　by　the　housch…begui；　he　retired
to　execute　the　Emir's　orders。

As　he　was　about　to　mount　his　horse；　to　return　to　the　outposts；
a　tumult　broke　out　at　some　distance；　in　the　part　of　the　camp　reserved
for　the　prisoners。　　Shouts　were　heard；　and　two　or　three　shots　fired。
Perhaps　it　was　an　attempt　at　revolt　or　escape；　which　must
be　summarily　suppressed。

Ivan　Ogareff　and　the　housch…begui　walked　forward　and　almost
immediately　two　men；　whom　the　soldiers　had　not　been　able　to　keep
back　appeared　before　them。

The　housch…begui；　without　more　information；　made　a　sign　which
was　an　order　for　death；　and　the　heads　of　the　two　prisoners
would　have　rolled　on　the　ground　had　not　Ogareff　uttered
a　few　words　which　arrested　the　sword　already　raised　aloft。
The　Russian　had　perceived　that　these　prisoners　were　strangers；
and　he　ordered　them　to　be　brought　to　him。

They　were　Harry　Blount　and　Alcide　jolivet。

On　Ogareff's　arrival　in　the　camp；　they　had　demanded　to　be
conducted　to　his　presence。　　The　soldiers　had　refused。
In　consequence；　a　struggle；　an　attempt　at　flight；　shots　fired
which　happily　missed　the　two　correspondents；　but　their　execution
would　not　have　been　long　delayed；　if　it　had　not　been　for
the　intervention　of　the　Emir's　lieutenant。

The　latter　observed　the　prisoners　for　some　moments；　they　being　absolutely
unknown　to　him。　　They　had　been　present　at　that　scene　in　the　post…house
at　Ichim；　in　which　Michael　Strogoff　had　been　struck　by　Ogareff；
but　the　brutal　traveler　had　paid　no　attention　to　the　persons　then
collected　in　the　common　room。

Blount　and　Jolivet；　on　the　contrary；　recognized　him　at　once；
and　the　latter　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃Hullo！　　It　seems　that　Colonel　Ogareff
and　the　rude　personage　of　Ichim　are　one！〃　　Then　he　added　in　his
companion's　ear；　〃Explain　our　affair；　Blount。　　You　will　do　me　a　service。
This　Russian　colonel　in　the　midst　of　a　Tartar　camp　disgusts　me；
and　although；　thanks　to　him；　my　head　is　still　on　my　shoulders；
my　eyes　would　exhibit　my　feelings　were　I　to　attempt　to　look　him
in　the　face。〃

So　saying；　Alcide　Jolivet　assumed　a　look　of　complete
and　haughty　indifference。

Whether　or　not　Ivan　Ogareff　perceived　that　the　prisoner's
attitude　was　insulting　towards　him；　he　did　not　let　it　appear。
〃Who　are　you；　gentlemen？〃　he　asked　in　Russian；　in　a　cold　tone；
but　free　from　its　usual　rudeness。

〃Two　correspondents　of　English　and　French　newspapers；〃
replied　Blount　laconically。

〃You　have；　doubtless；　papers　which　will　establish　your　identity？〃

〃Here　are　letters　which　accredit　us　in　Russia；　from　the　English
and　French　chancellor's　office。〃

Ivan　Ogareff　took　the　letters　which　Blount　held　out；　and　read
them　attentively。　　〃You　ask；〃　said　he；　〃authorization　to　follow
our　military　operations　in　Siberia？〃

〃We　ask　to　be　free；　that　is　all；〃　answered　the　English
correspondent　dryly。

〃You　are　so；　gentlemen；〃　answered　Ogareff；　〃I　am　curious　to　read
your　articles　in　the　Daily　Telegraph。〃

〃Sir；〃　replied　Blount；　with　the　most　imperturbable　coolness；
〃it　is　sixpence　a　number；　including　postage。〃　　And　thereupon
he　returned　to　his　companion；　who　appeared　to　approve　completely
of　his　replies。

Ivan　Ogareff；　without　frowning；　mounted　his　horse；　and　going　to　the　head
of　his　escort；　soon　disappeared　in　a　cloud　of　dust。

〃Well；　Jolivet；　what　do　you　think　of　Colonel　Ivan　Ogareff；
general…