michael strogoff-第43章

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brought　from　Moscow　reaches　Irkutsk；　if　it　is　given　to　the　Grand　Duke；
the　Grand　Duke　will　be　on　his　guard；　and　I　shall　not　be　able
to　get　at　him。　　I　must　have　that　letter　at　any　price。
Now　you　come　to　tell　me　that　the　bearer　of　this　letter　is　in　my　power。
I　repeat；　Sangarre；　are　you　not　mistaken？〃

Ogareff　spoke　with　great　animation。　　His　emotion　showed　the　extreme
importance　he　attached　to　the　possession　of　this　letter。　　Sangarre　was　not
at　all　put　out　by　the　urgency　with　which　Ogareff　repeated　his　question。
〃I　am　not　mistaken；　Ivan；〃　she　said。

〃But；　Sangarre；　there　are　thousands　of　prisoners；　and　you　say
that　you　do　not　know　Michael　Strogoff。〃

〃No；〃　answered　the　Tsigane；　with　a　look　of　savage　joy；　〃I　do　not　know　him；
but　his　mother　knows　him。　　Ivan；　we　must　make　his　mother　speak。〃

〃To…morrow　she　shall　speak！〃　cried　Ogareff。　　So　saying；
he　extended　his　hand　to　the　Tsigane；　who　kissed　it；　for　there
is　nothing　servile　in　this　act　of　respect；　it　being　usual　among
the　Northern　races。

Sangarre　returned　to　the　camp。　　She　found　out　Nadia　and
Marfa　Strogoff；　and　passed　the　night　in　watching　them。
Although　worn　out　with　fatigue；　the　old　woman　and　the　girl
did　not　sleep。　　Their　great　anxiety　kept　them　awake。
Michael　was　living；　but　a　prisoner。　　Did　Ogareff　know　him；
or　would　he　not　soon　find　him　out？　　Nadia　was　occupied　by
the　one　thought　that　he　whom　she　had　thought　dead　still　lived。
But　Marfa　saw　further　into　the　future：　　and；　although　she　did
not　care　what　became　of　herself；　she　had　every　reason　to　fear
for　her　son。

Sangarre；　under　cover　of　the　night；　had　crept　near　the　two　women；
and　remained　there　several　hours　listening。　　She　heard　nothing。
From　an　instinctive　feeling　of　prudence　not　a　word　was　exchanged　between
Nadia　and　Marfa　Strogoff。　　The　next　day；　the　16th　of　August；　about　ten
in　the　morning；　trumpet…calls　resounded　throughout　the　encampment。
The　Tartar　soldiers　were　almost　immediately　under　arms。

Ivan　Ogareff　arrived；　surrounded　by　a　large　staff　of　Tartar　officers。
His　face　was　more　clouded　than　usual；　and　his　knitted　brow　gave　signs
of　latent　wrath　which　was　waiting　for　an　occasion　to　break　forth。

Michael　Strogoff；　hidden　in　a　group　of　prisoners；　saw　this　man　pass。
He　had　a　presentiment　that　some　catastrophe　was　imminent：
for　Ivan　Ogareff　knew　now　that　Marfa　was　the　mother　of　Michael　Strogoff。

Ogareff　dismounted；　and　his　escort　cleared　a　large　circle　round　him。
Just　then　Sangarre　approached　him；　and　said；　〃I　have　no　news。〃

Ivan　Ogareff's　only　reply　was　to　give　an　order　to　one　of　his　officers。
Then　the　ranks　of　prisoners　were　brutally　hurried　up　by　the　soldiers。
The　unfortunate　people；　driven　on　with　whips；　or　pushed　on　with　lances；
arranged　themselves　round　the　camp。　　A　strong　guard　of　soldiers　drawn
up　behind；　rendered　escape　impossible。

Silence　then　ensued；　and；　on　a　sign　from　Ivan　Ogareff；　Sangarre　advanced
towards　the　group；　in　the　midst　of　which　stood　Marfa。

The　old　Siberian　saw　her；　and　knew　what　was　going　to　happen。
A　scornful　smile　passed　over　her　face。　　Then　leaning　towards　Nadia；
she　said　in　a　low　tone；　〃You　know　me　no　longer；　my　daughter。
Whatever　may　happen；　and　however　hard　this　trial　may　be；　not　a　word；
not　a　sign。　　It　concerns　him；　and　not　me。〃

At　that　moment　Sangarre；　having　regarded　her　for　an　instant；
put　her　hand　on　her　shoulder。

〃What　do　you　want　with　me？〃　said　Marfa。

〃Come！〃　replied　Sangarre；　and　pushing　the　old　Siberian　before　her；
she　took　her　to　Ivan　Ogareff；　in　the　middle　of　the　cleared　ground。
Michael　cast　down　his　eyes　that　their　angry　flashings　might　not　appear。

Marfa；　standing　before　Ivan　Ogareff；　drew　herself　up；　crossed　her　arms
on　her　breast；　and　waited。

〃You　are　Marfa　Strogoff？〃　asked　Ogareff。

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　old　Siberian　calmly。

〃Do　you　retract　what　you　said　to　me　when；　three　days　ago；
I　interrogated　you　at　Omsk？〃

〃No！〃

〃Then　you　do　not　know　that　your　son；　Michael　Strogoff；
courier　of　the　Czar；　has　passed　through　Omsk？〃

〃I　do　not　know　it。〃

〃And　the　man　in　whom　you　thought　you　recognized　your　son；
was　not　he　your　son？〃

〃He　was　not　my　son。〃

〃And　since　then　you　have　not　seen　him　amongst　the　prisoners？〃

〃No。〃

〃If　he　were　pointed　out；　would　you　recognize　him？〃

〃No。〃

On　this　reply；　which　showed　such　determined　resolution；
a　murmur　was　heard　amongst　the　crowd。

Ogareff　could　not　restrain　a　threatening　gesture。

〃Listen；〃　said　he　to　Marfa；　〃your　son　is　here；　and　you　shall
immediately　point　him　out　to　me。〃

〃No。〃

〃All　these　men；　taken　at　Omsk　and　Kolyvan；　will　defile　before　you；
and　if　you　do　not　show　me　Michael　Strogoff；　you　shall　receive
as　many　blows　of　the　knout　as　men　shall　have　passed　before　you。〃

Ivan　Ogareff　saw　that；　whatever　might　be　his　threats；
whatever　might　be　the　tortures　to　which　he　submitted　her；
the　indomitable　Siberian　would　not　speak。　　To　discover　the　courier
of　the　Czar；　he　counted；　then；　not　on　her；　but　on　Michael　himself。
He　did　not　believe　it　possible　that；　when　mother　and　son　were　in　each
other's　presence；　some　involuntary　movement　would　not　betray　him。
Of　course；　had　he　wished　to　seize　the　imperial　letter；
he　would　simply　have　given　orders　to　search　all　the　prisoners；
but　Michael　might　have　destroyed　the　letter；　having　learnt
its　contents；　and　if　he　were　not　recognized；　if　he　were　to
reach　Irkutsk；　all　Ivan　Ogareff's　plans　would　be　baffled。
It　was　thus　not　only　the　letter　which　the　traitor　must　have；
but　the　bearer　himself。

Nadia　had　heard　all；　and　she　now　knew　who　was　Michael　Strogoff；
and　why　he　had　wished　to　cross；　without　being　recognized；
the　invaded　provinces　of　Siberia。

On　an　order　from　Ivan　Ogareff　the　prisoners　defiled；　one　by　one；
past　Marfa；　who　remained　immovable　as　a　statue；　and　whose　face
expressed　only　perfect　indifference。

Her　son　was　among　the　last。　　When　in　his　turn　he　passed　before
his　mother；　Nadia　shut　her　eyes　that　she　might　not　see　him。
Michael　was　to　all　appearance　unmoved；　but　the　palm　of　his　hand
bled　under　his　nails；　which　were　pressed　into　them。

Ivan　Ogareff　was　baffled　by　mother　and　son。

Sangarre；　close　to　him；　said　one　word；　〃The　knout！〃

〃Yes；〃　cried　Ogareff；　who　could　no　longer　restrain　himself；
〃the　knout　for　this　wretched　old　womanthe　knout　to　the　death！〃

A　Tartar　soldier　bearing　this　terrible　instrument　of　torture
approached　Marfa。　　The　knout　is　composed　of　a　certain　number　of　leathern
thongs；　at　the　end　of　which　are　attached　pieces　of　twisted　iron　wire。
It　is　reckoned　that　a　sentence　to　one　hundred　and　twenty　blows　of　this
whip　is　equivalent　to　a　sentence　of　death。

Marfa　knew　it；　but　she　knew　also　that　no　torture　would　make　her　speak。
She　was　sacrificing　her　life。

Marfa；　seized　by　two　soldiers；　was　forced　on　her　knees
on　the　ground。　　Her　dress　torn　off　left　her　back　bare。
A　saber　was　placed　before　her　breast；　at　a　few　inches'　distance　only。
Directly　she　bent　beneath　her　suffering；　her　breast　would
be　pierced　by　the　sharp　steel。

The　Tartar　drew　himself　up。　　He　waited。　　〃Begin！〃　said　Ogareff。　　The　whip
whistled　in　the　air。

But　before　it　fell　a　powerful　hand　stopped　the　Tartar's　arm。
Michael　was　there。　　He　had　leapt　forward　at　this　horrible　scene。
If　at　the　relay　at　Ichim　he　had　restrained　himself　when　Ogareff's　whip
had　struck　him；　here　before　his　mother；　who　was　about　to　be　struck；
he　could　not　do　so。　　Ivan　Ogareff　had　succeeded。

〃Michael　Strogoff！〃　cried　he。　　Then　advancing；　〃Ah；　the　man　of　Ichim？〃

〃Himself！〃　said　Michael。　　And　raising　the　knout　he　struck　Ogareff
a　sharp　blow　across　the　face。　　〃Blow　for　blow！〃　said　he。

〃Well　repaid！〃　cried　a　voice　concealed　by　the　tumult。

Twenty　soldiers　threw　themselves　on　Michael；　and　in　another　instant
he　would　have　been　slain。

But　Ogareff；　who　on　being　struck　had　uttered　a　cry　of　rage　and　pain；
stopped　them。　　〃This　man　is　reserved　for　the　Emir's　judgment；〃
said　he。　　〃Search　him！〃

The　letter　with　the　imperial　arms　was　found　in　Michael's　bosom；
he　had　not　had　time　to　destroy　it；　it　was　handed　to　Ogareff。

The　voice　which　had　pronounced　the　words；　〃Well　repaid！〃
was　that　of　no　other　than　Alcide　Jolivet。　　〃Par…dieu！〃　said
he　to　Blount；　〃they　are　rough；　these　people。
Ack