michael strogoff-第47章
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menace of my eyes shall be for you！〃
Ivan Ogareff shrugged his shoulders。
But Michael was not to be looking at Ivan when his eyes were put out。
Marfa Strogoff stood before him。
〃My mother！〃 cried he。 〃Yes！ yes！ my last glance shall be
for you； and not for this wretch！ Stay there； before me！
Now I see once more your well…beloved face！ Now shall my eyes
close as they rest upon it 。 。 。 ！〃
The old woman； without uttering a word； advanced。
〃Take that woman away！〃 said Ivan。
Two soldiers were about to seize her； but she stepped back and remained
standing a few paces from Michael。
The executioner appeared。 This time； he held his saber
bare in his hand； and this saber he had just drawn from
the chafing…dish； where he had brought it to a white heat。
Michael was going to be blinded in the Tartar fashion；
with a hot blade passed before his eyes！
Michael did not attempt to resist。 Nothing existed before
his eyes but his mother； whom his eyes seemed to devour。
All his life was in that last look。
Marfa Strogoff； her eyes open wide； her arms extended towards
where he stood； was gazing at him。 The incandescent blade passed
before Michael's eyes。
A despairing cry was heard。 His aged mother fell senseless
to the ground。 Michael Strogoff was blind。
His orders executed； the Emir retired with his train。
There remained in the square only Ivan Ogareff and the torch bearers。
Did the wretch intend to insult his victim yet further；
and yet to give him a parting blow？
Ivan Ogareff slowly approached Michael； who； feeling him coming；
drew himself up。 Ivan drew from his pocket the Imperial letter；
he opened it； and with supreme irony he held it up before
the sightless eyes of the Czar's courier； saying； 〃Read； now；
Michael Strogoff； read； and go and repeat at Irkutsk what you have read。
The true Courier of the Czar is Ivan Ogareff。〃
This said； the traitor thrust the letter into his breast。
Then； without looking round he left the square； followed
by the torch…bearers。
Michael was left alone； at a few paces from his mother； lying lifeless；
perhaps dead。 He heard in the distance cries and songs； the varied
noises of a wild debauch。 Tomsk； illuminated； glittered and gleamed。
Michael listened。 The square was silent and deserted。 He went；
groping his way； towards the place where his mother had fallen。
He found her with his hand； he bent over her； he put his face
close to hers； he listened for the beating of her heart。
Then he murmured a few words。
Did Marfa still live； and did she hear her son's words？
Whether she did so or not； she made not the slightest movement。
Michael kissed her forehead and her white locks。 He then
raised himself； and； groping with his foot； trying to stretch
out his hand to guide himself； he walked by degrees to the edge
of the square。
Suddenly Nadia appeared。 She walked straight to her companion。
A knife in her hand cut the cords which bound Michael's arms。
The blind man knew not who had freed him； for Nadia had not
spoken a word。
But this done： 〃Brother！〃 said she。
〃Nadia！〃 murmured Michael； 〃Nadia！〃
〃Come； brother；〃 replied Nadia； 〃use my eyes whilst yours sleep。
I will lead you to Irkutsk。〃
CHAPTER VI A FRIEND ON THE HIGHWAY
HALF an hour afterwards； Michael and Nadia had left Tomsk。
Many others of the prisoners were that night able to escape
from the Tartars； for officers and soldiers； all more or
less intoxicated； had unconsciously relaxed the vigilant guard
which they had hitherto maintained。 Nadia； after having
been carried off with the other prisoners； had been able
to escape and return to the square； at the moment when Michael
was led before the Emir。 There； mingling with the crowd；
she had witnessed the terrible scene。 Not a cry escaped her
when the scorching blade passed before her companion's eyes。
She kept； by her strength of will； mute and motionless。
A providential inspiration bade her restrain herself and retain
her liberty that she might lead Marfa's son to that goal which
he had sworn to reach。 Her heart for an instant ceased to beat
when the aged Siberian woman fell senseless to the ground；
but one thought restored her to her former energy。
〃I will be the blind man's dog；〃 said she。
On Ogareff's departure； Nadia had concealed herself in the shade。
She had waited till the crowd left the square。 Michael； abandoned as
a wretched being from whom nothing was to be feared； was alone。
She saw him draw himself towards his mother； bend over her；
kiss her forehead； then rise and grope his way in flight。
A few instants later； she and he； hand in hand； had descended
the steep slope； when； after having followed the high banks
of the Tom to the furthest extremity of the town； they happily
found a breach in the inclosure。
The road to Irkutsk was the only one which penetrated towards the east。
It could not be mistaken。 It was possible that on the morrow；
after some hours of carousal； the scouts of the Emir； once more
scattering over the steppes； might cut off all communication。
It was of the greatest importance therefore to get in advance of them。
How could Nadia bear the fatigues of that night； from the l6th
to the 17th of August？ How could she have found strength for so long
a stage？ How could her feet； bleeding under that forced march；
have carried her thither？ It is almost incomprehensible。
But it is none the less true that on the next morning； twelve hours
after their departure from Tomsk； Michael and she reached the town
of Semilowskoe； after a journey of thirty…five miles。
Michael had not uttered a single word。 It was not Nadia who held
his hand； it was he who held that of his companion during the whole
of that night； but； thanks to that trembling little hand which guided him；
he had walked at his ordinary pace。
Semilowskoe was almost entirely abandoned。 The inhabitants had fled。
Not more than two or three houses were still occupied。
All that the town contained； useful or precious； had been carried off
in wagons。 However； Nadia was obliged to make a halt of a few hours。
They both required food and rest。
The young girl led her companion to the extremity of the town。
There they found an empty house； the door wide open。
An old rickety wooden bench stood in the middle of the room；
near the high stove which is to be found in all Siberian houses。
They silently seated themselves。
Nadia gazed in her companion's face as she had never before gazed。
There was more than gratitude； more than pity； in that look。
Could Michael have seen her； he would have read in that sweet
desolate gaze a world of devotion and tenderness。
The eyelids of the blind man； made red by the heated blade；
fell half over his eyes。 The pupils seemed to be singularly enlarged。
The rich blue of the iris was darker than formerly。 The eyelashes
and eyebrows were partly burnt； but in appearance； at least；
the old penetrating look appeared to have undergone no change。
If he could no longer see； if his blindness was complete；
it was because the sensibility of the retina and optic nerve
was radically destroyed by the fierce heat of the steel。
Then Michael stretched out his hands。
〃Are you there； Nadia？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃 replied the young girl； 〃I am close to you； and I will not go
away from you； Michael。〃
At his name； pronounced by Nadia for the first time； a thrill passed
through Michael's frame。 He perceived that his companion knew all；
who he was。
〃Nadia；〃 replied he； 〃we must separate！〃
〃We separate？ How so； Michael？〃
〃I must not be an obstacle to your journey！ Your father is waiting
for you at Irkutsk！ You must rejoin your father！〃
〃My father would curse me； Michael； were I to abandon you now；
after all you have done for me！〃
〃Nadia； Nadia；〃 replied Michael； 〃you should think only of your father！〃
〃Michael；〃 replied Nadia； 〃you have more need of me than my father。
Do you mean to give up going to Irkutsk？〃
〃Never！〃 cried Michael； in a tone which plainly showed that none
of his energy was gone。
〃But you have not the letter！〃
〃That letter of which Ivan Ogareff robbed me！ Well！ I shall
manage without it； Nadia！ They
