michael strogoff-第46章

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He　had　taken　his　place　behind　Michael；　holding　in　his　hand　a　broad
curved　saber；　one　of　those　Damascene　blades　which　are　forged
by　the　celebrated　armorers　of　Karschi　or　Hissar。

Behind　him　guards　were　carrying　a　tripod　supporting　a　chafing…dish
filled　with　live　coals。　　No　smoke　arose　from　this；　but　a　light
vapor　surrounded　it；　due　to　the　incineration　of　a　certain　aromatic
and　resinous　substance　which　he　had　thrown　on　the　surface。

The　Persians　were　succeeded　by　another　party　of　dancers；
whom　Michael　recognized。　　The　journalists　also　appeared　to
recognize　them；　for　Blount　said　to　his　companion；　〃These　are
the　Tsiganes　of　Nijni…Novgorod。〃

〃No　doubt　of　it；〃　cried　Alcide。　　〃Their　eyes；　I　imagine；
bring　more　money　to　these　spies　than　their　legs。〃

In　putting　them　down　as　agents　in　the　Emir's　service；　Alcide　Jolivet　was；
by　all　accounts；　not　mistaken。

In　the　first　rank　of　the　Tsiganes；　Sangarre　appeared；
superb　in　her　strange　and　picturesque　costume；　which　set　off
still　further　her　remarkable　beauty。

Sangarre　did　not　dance；　but　she　stood　as　a　statue　in　the　midst
of　the　performers；　whose　style　of　dancing　was　a　combination
of　that　of　all　those　countries　through　which　their　race
had　passedTurkey；　Bohemia；　Egypt；　Italy；　and　Spain。　　They　were
enlivened　by　the　sound　of　cymbals；　which　clashed　on　their　arms；
and　by　the　hollow　sounds　of　the　〃daires〃a　sort　of　tambourine
played　with　the　fingers。

Sangarre；　holding　one　of　those　daires；　which　she　played　between
her　hands；　encouraged　this　troupe　of　veritable　corybantes。
A　young　Tsigane；　of　about　fifteen　years　of　age；　then　advanced。
He　held　in　his　hand　a　〃doutare；〃　strings　of　which　he　made
to　vibrate　by　a　simple　movement　of　the　nails。　　He　sung。
During　the　singing　of　each　couplet；　of　very　peculiar　rhythm；
a　dancer　took　her　position　by　him　and　remained　there　immovable；
listening　to　him；　but　each　time　that　the　burden　came　from　the　lips
of　the　young　singer；　she　resumed　her　dance；　dinning　in　his　ears
with　her　daire；　and　deafening　him　with　the　clashing　of　her　cymbals。
Then；　after　the　last　chorus；　the　remainder　surrounded　the　Tsigane
in　the　windings　of　their　dance。

At　that　moment　a　shower　of　gold　fell　from　the　hands　of　the　Emir　and
his　train；　and　from　the　hands　of　his　officers　of　all　ranks；　to　the　noise
which　the　pieces　made　as　they　struck　the　cymbals　of　the　dancers；
being　added　the　last　murmurs　of　the　doutares　and　tambourines。

〃Lavish　as　robbers；〃　said　Alcide　in　the　ear　of　his　companion。
And　in　fact　it　was　the　result　of　plunder　which　was　falling；
for；　with　the　Tartar　tomans　and　sequins；　rained　also　Russian
ducats　and　roubles。

Then　silence　followed　for　an　instant；　and　the　voice　of　the　executioner；
who　laid　his　hand　on　Michael's　shoulder；　once　more　pronounced　the　words；
which　this　repetition　rendered　more　and　more　sinister：

〃Look　while　you　may〃

But　this　time　Alcide　observed　that　the　executioner　no　longer　held
the　saber　bare　in　his　hand。

Meanwhile　the　sun　had　sunk　behind　the　horizon。　　A　semi…obscurity　began
to　envelop　the　plain。　　The　mass　of　cedars　and　pines　became　blacker
and　blacker；　and　the　waters　of　the　Tom；　totally　obscured　in　the　distance；
mingled　with　the　approaching　shadows。

But　at　that　instant　several　hundreds　of　slaves；　bearing　lighted
torches；　entered　the　square。　　Led　by　Sangarre；　Tsiganes　and
Persians　reappeared　before　the　Emir's　throne；　and　showed　off；
by　the　contrast；　their　dances　of　styles　so　different。
The　instruments　of　the　Tartar　orchestra　sounded　forth　in　harmony
still　more　savage；　accompanied　by　the　guttural　cries　of　the　singers。
The　kites；　which　had　fallen　to　the　ground；　once　more　winged
their　way　into　the　sky；　each　bearing　a　parti…colored　lantern；
and　under　a　fresher　breeze　their　harps　vibrated　with　intenser
sound　in　the　midst　of　the　aerial　illumination。

Then　a　squadron　of　Tartars；　in　their　brilliant　uniforms；
mingled　in　the　dances；　whose　wild　fury　was　increasing　rapidly；
and　then　began　a　performance　which　produced　a　very　strange　effect。
Soldiers　came　on　the　ground；　armed　with　bare　sabers　and
long　pistols；　and；　as　they　executed　dances；　they　made　the　air
re…echo　with　the　sudden　detonations　of　their　firearms；
which　immediately　set　going　the　rumbling　of　the　tambourines；
and　grumblings　of　the　daires；　and　the　gnashing　of　doutares。

Their　arms；　covered　with　a　colored　powder　of　some　metallic　ingredient；
after　the　Chinese　fashion；　threw　long　jetsred；　green；　and　blue
so　that　the　groups　of　dancers　seemed　to　be　in　the　midst　of　fireworks。
In　some　respects；　this　performance　recalled　the　military　dance
of　the　ancients；　in　the　midst　of　naked　swords；　but　this　Tartar　dance
was　rendered　yet　more　fantastic　by　the　colored　fire；　which　wound；
serpent…like；　above　the　dancers；　whose　dresses　seemed　to　be　embroidered
with　fiery　hems。　　It　was　like　a　kaleidoscope　of　sparks；　whose　infinite
combinations　varied　at　each　movement　of　the　dancers。

Though　it　may　be　thought　that　a　Parisian　reporter　would　be　perfectly
hardened　to　any　scenic　effect；　which　our　modern　ideas　have　carried　so　far；
yet　Alcide　Jolivet　could　not　restrain　a　slight　movement　of　the　head；
which　at　home；　between　the　Boulevard　Montmartre　and　La　Madeleine　would
have　said〃Very　fair；　very　fair。〃

Then；　suddenly；　at　a　signal；　all　the　lights　of　the　fantasia
were　extinguished；　the　dances　ceased；　and　the　performers　disappeared。
The　ceremony　was　over；　and　the　torches　alone　lighted　up　the　plateau；
which　a　few　instants　before　had　been　so　brilliantly　illuminated。

On　a　sign　from　the　Emir；　Michael　was　led　into　the　middle　of　the　square。

〃Blount；〃　said　Alcide　to　his　companion；　〃are　you　going　to　see
the　end　of　all　this？〃

〃No；　that　I　am　not；〃　replied　Blount。

〃The　readers　of　the　Daily　Telegraph　are；　I　hope；　not　very　eager
for　the　details　of　an　execution　a　la　mode　Tartare？〃

〃No　more　than　your　cousin！〃

〃Poor　fellow！〃　added　Alcide；　as　he　watched　Michael。　　〃That　valiant
soldier　should　have　fallen　on　the　field　of　battle！〃

〃Can　we　do　nothing　to　save　him？〃　said　Blount。

〃Nothing！〃

The　reporters　recalled　Michael's　generous　conduct　towards　them；
they　knew　now　through　what　trials　he　must　have　passed；
ever　obedient　to　his　duty；　and　in　the　midst　of　these　Tartars；
to　whom　pity　is　unknown；　they　could　do　nothing　for　him。
Having　little　desire　to　be　present　at　the　torture　reserved
for　the　unfortunate　man；　they　returned　to　the　town。
An　hour　later；　they　were　on　the　road　to　Irkutsk；　for　it　was　among
the　Russians　that　they　intended　to　follow　what　Alcide　called；
by　anticipation；　〃the　campaign　of　revenge。〃

Meantime；　Michael　was　standing　ready；　his　eyes　returning　the　Emir's
haughty　glance；　while　his　countenance　assumed　an　expression　of　intense
scorn　whenever　he　cast　his　looks　on　Ivan　Ogareff。　　He　was　prepared　to　die；
yet　not　a　single　sign　of　weakness　escaped　him。

The　spectators；　waiting　around　the　square；　as　well　as　Feofar…Khan's
body…guard；　to　whom　this　execution　was　only　one　of　the　attractions；
were　eagerly　expecting　it。　　Then；　their　curiosity　satisfied；
they　would　rush　off　to　enjoy　the　pleasures　of　intoxication。

The　Emir　made　a　sign。　　Michael　was　thrust　forward　by　his
guards　to　the　foot　of　the　terrace；　and　Feofar　said　to　him；
〃You　came　to　see　our　goings　out　and　comings　in；　Russian　spy。
You　have　seen　for　the　last　time。　　In　an　instant　your　eyes
will　be　forever　shut　to　the　day。〃

Michael's　fate　was　to　be　not　death；　but　blindness；
loss　of　sight；　more　terrible　perhaps　than　loss　of　life。
The　unhappy　man　was　condemned　to　be　blinded。

However；　on　hearing　the　Emir's　sentence　Michael's　heart　did　not
grow　faint。　　He　remained　unmoved；　his　eyes　wide　open；　as　though
he　wished　to　concentrate　his　whole　life　into　one　last　look。
To　entreat　pity　from　these　savage　men　would　be　useless；　besides；
it　would　be　unworthy　of　him。　　He　did　not　even　think　of　it。
His　thoughts　were　condensed　on　his　mission；　which　had　apparently
so　completely　failed；　on　his　mother；　on　Nadia；　whom　he　should　never
more　see！　　But　he　let　no　sign　appear　of　the　emotion　he　felt。
Then；　a　feeling　of　vengeance　to　be　accomplished　came　over　him。
〃Ivan；〃　said　he；　in　a　stern　voice；　〃Ivan　the　Traitor；　the　last
menace　of　my　eyes　shall　be　for　you！〃

Ivan　Ogareff　shrugged　his