michael strogoff-第51章

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the　river。　　Beyond　rise　the　high　hills　of　the　Eastern　shore；
crowned　with　forests；　whose　tops　were　then　empurpled　with　light。
The　Yenisei　stretched　on　either　side　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach。
The　beautiful　panorama　lay　before　them　for　a　distance　of　fifty　versts。

But　not　a　boat　was　to　be　seen。　　All　had　been　taken　away　or　destroyed；
according　to　order。　　Unless　the　Tartars　should　bring　with　them　materials
for　building　a　bridge　of　boats；　their　march　towards　Irkutsk　would
certainly　be　stopped　for　some　time　by　this　barrier；　the　Yenisei。

〃I　remember；〃　said　Michael；　〃that　higher　up；　on　the　outskirts
of　Krasnoiarsk；　there　is　a　little　quay。　　There　the　boats　touch。
Friend；　let　us　go　up　the　river；　and　see　if　some　boat　has　not　been
forgotten　on　the　bank。〃

Nadia　seized　Michael's　hand　and　started　off　at　a　rapid　pace　in
the　direction　indicated。　　If　only　a　boat　or　a　barge　large　enough
to　hold　the　kibitka　could　be　found；　or　even　one　that　would　carry
just　themselves；　Michael　would　not　hesitate　to　attempt　the　passage！
Twenty　minutes　after；　all　three　had　reached　the　little　quay；
with　houses　on　each　side　quite　down　to　the　water's　edge。
It　was　like　a　village　standing　beyond　the　town　of　Krasnoiarsk。

But　not　a　boat　was　on　the　shore；　not　a　barge　at　the　little　wharf；
nothing　even　of　which　a　raft　could　be　made　large　enough　to　carry
three　people。　　Michael　questioned　Nicholas；　who　made　the　discouraging
reply　that　the　crossing　appeared　to　him　absolutely　impracticable。

〃We　shall　cross！〃　answered　Michael。

The　search　was　continued。　　They　examined　the　houses　on　the　shore；
abandoned　like　all　the　rest　of　Krasnoiarsk。　　They　had　merely　to　push　open
the　doors　and　enter。　　The　cottages　were　evidently　those　of　poor　people；
and　quite　empty。　　Nicholas　visited　one；　Nadia　entered　another；
and　even　Michael　went　here　and　there　and　felt　about；　hoping　to　light
upon　some　article　that　might　be　useful。

Nicholas　and　the　girl　had　each　fruitlessly　rummaged　these　cottages
and　were　about　to　give　up　the　search；　when　they　heard　themselves　called。
Both　ran　to　the　bank　and　saw　Michael　standing　on　the　threshold　of　a　door。

〃Come！〃　he　exclaimed。　　Nicholas　and　Nadia　went　towards　him　and　followed
him　into　the　cottage。

〃What　are　these？〃　asked　Michael；　touching　several　objects　piled
up　in　a　corner。

〃They　are　leathern　bottles；〃　answered　Nicholas。

〃Are　they　full？〃

〃Yes；　full　of　koumyss。　　We　have　found　them　very　opportunely
to　renew　our　provisions！〃

〃Koumyss〃　is　a　drink　made　of　mare's　or　camel's　milk；　and　is
very　sustaining；　and　even　intoxicating；　so　that　Nicholas　and　his
companions　could　not　but　congratulate　themselves　on　the　discovery。

〃Save　one；〃　said　Michael；　〃but　empty　the　others。〃

〃Directly；　little　father。〃

〃These　will　help　us　to　cross　the　Yenisei。〃

〃And　the　raft？〃

〃Will　be　the　kibitka　itself；　which　is　light　enough　to　float。
Besides；　we　will　sustain　it；　as　well　as　the　horse；　with　these　bottles。〃

〃Well　thought　of；　little　father；〃　exclaimed　Nicholas；　〃and　by　God's　help
we　will　get　safely　over　。　。　。　though　perhaps　not　in　a　straight　line；
for　the　current　is　very　rapid！〃

〃What　does　that　matter？〃　replied　Michael。　　〃Let　us　get　across　first；
and　we　shall　soon　find　out　the　road　to　Irkutsk　on　the　other　side
of　the　river。〃

〃To　work；　then；〃　said　Nicholas；　beginning　to　empty　the　bottles。

One　full　of　koumyss　was　reserved；　and　the　rest；　with　the　air　carefully
fastened　in；　were　used　to　form　a　floating　apparatus。　　Two　bottles
were　fastened　to　the　horse's　sides　to　support　it　in　the　water。
Two　others　were　attached　to　the　shafts　to　keep　them　on　a　level
with　the　body　of　the　machine；　thus　transformed　into　a　raft。
This　work　was　soon　finished。

〃You　will　not　be　afraid；　Nadia？〃　asked　Michael。

〃No；　brother；〃　answered　the　girl。

〃And　you；　friend？〃

〃I？〃　cried　Nicholas。　　〃I　am　now　going　to　have　one　of　my　dreams　realized
that　of　sailing　in　a　cart。〃

At　the　spot　where　they　were　now　standing；　the　bank　sloped；
and　was　suitable　for　the　launching　of　the　kibitka。
The　horse　drew　it　into　the　water；　and　they　were　soon　both　floating。
As　to　Serko；　he　was　swimming　bravely。

The　three　passengers；　seated　in　the　vehicle；　had　with　due
precaution　taken　off　their　shoes　and　stockings；　but；　thanks　to
the　bottles；　the　water　did　not　even　come　over　their　ankles。
Michael　held　the　reins；　and；　according　to　Nicholas's　directions；
guided　the　animal　obliquely；　but　cautiously；　so　as　not　to　exhaust
him　by　struggling　against　the　current。　　So　long　as　the　kibitka
went　with　the　current　all　was　easy；　and　in　a　few　minutes　it
had　passed　the　quays　of　Krasnoiarsk。　　It　drifted　northwards；
and　it　was　soon　evident　that　it　would　only　reach　the　opposite
bank　far　below　the　town。　　But　that　mattered　little。
The　crossing　would　have　been　made　without　great　difficulty；
even　on　this　imperfect　apparatus；　had　the　current　been　regular；
but；　unfortunately；　there　were　whirlpools　in　numbers；
and　soon　the　kibitka；　notwithstanding　all　Michael's　efforts；
was　irresistibly　drawn　into　one　of　these。

There　the　danger　was　great。　　The　kibitka　no　longer　drifted；
but　spun　rapidly　round；　inclining　towards　the　center　of　the　eddy；
like　a　rider　in　a　circus。　　The　horse　could　scarcely　keep　his
head　above　water；　and　ran　a　great　risk　of　being　suffocated。
Serko　had　been　obliged　to　take　refuge　in　the　carriage。

Michael　knew　what　was　happening。　　He　felt　himself　drawn　round
in　a　gradually　narrowing　line；　from　which　they　could　not　get　free。
How　he　longed　to　see；　to　be　better　able　to　avoid　this　peril；
but　that　was　no　longer　possible。　　Nadia　was　silent；　her　hands
clinging　to　the　sides　of　the　cart；　which　was　inclining　more
and　more　towards　the　center　of　depression。

And　Nicholas；　did　he　not　understand　the　gravity　of　the　situation？
Was　it　with　him　phlegm　or　contempt　of　danger；　courage　or　indifference？
Was　his　life　valueless　in　his　eyes；　and；　according　to　the　Eastern
expression；　〃an　hotel　for　five　days；〃　which；　whether　one　is　willing
or　not；　must　be　left　the　sixth？　　At　any　rate；　the　smile　on　his　rosy
face　never　faded　for　an　instant。

The　kibitka　was　thus　in　the　whirlpool；　and　the　horse　was
nearly　exhausted；　when；　all　at　once；　Michael；　throwing　off
such　of　his　garments　as　might　impede　him；　jumped　into　the　water；
then；　seizing　with　a　strong　hand　the　bridle　of　the　terrified　horse；
he　gave　him　such　an　impulse　that　he　managed　to　struggle　out
of　the　circle；　and　getting　again　into　the　current；　the　kibitka
drifted　along　anew。

〃Hurrah！〃　exclaimed　Nicholas。

Two　hours　after　leaving　the　wharf；　the　kibitka　had　crossed　the　widest
arm　of　the　river；　and　had　landed　on　an　island　more　than　six　versts
below　the　starting　point。

There　the　horse　drew　the　cart　onto　the　bank；　and　an　hour's　rest
was　given　to　the　courageous　animal；　then　the　island　having　been
crossed　under　the　shade　of　its　magnificent　birches；　the　kibitka
found　itself　on　the　shore　of　the　smaller　arm　of　the　Yenisei。

This　passage　was　much　easier；　no　whirlpools　broke　the　course
of　the　river　in　this　second　bed；　but　the　current　was　so　rapid
that　the　kibitka　only　reached　the　opposite　side　five　versts　below。
They　had　drifted　eleven　versts　in　all。

These　great　Siberian　rivers　across　which　no　bridges　have
as　yet　been　thrown；　are　serious　obstacles　to　the　facility
of　communication。　　All　had　been　more　or　less　unfortunate
to　Michael　Strogoff。　　On　the　Irtych；　the　boat　which　carried
him　and　Nadia　had　been　attacked　by　Tartars。　　On　the　Obi；
after　his　horse　had　been　struck　by　a　bullet；　he　had　only　by
a　miracle　escaped　from　the　horsemen　who　were　pursuing　him。
In　fact；　this　passage　of　the　Yenisei　had　been　performed
the　least　disastrously。

〃That　would　not　have　been　so　amusing；〃　exclaimed　Nicholas；
rubbing　his　hands；　as　they　disembarked　on　the　right　bank　of　the　river；
〃if　it　had　not　been　so　difficult。〃

〃That　which　has　only　been　difficult　to　us；　friend；〃
answered　Michael　Strogoff；　〃will；　perhaps；　be　impossible
to　the　Tartars。〃


CHAPTER　VIII　A　HARE　CROSSES　THE　ROAD

MICHAEL　STROGOFF　might　at　last　hope　that　the　road　to　Irkutsk
was　clear。　　He　had　distanced　the　Tartars；　now　detained　at　Tomsk；
and　when　the　Emir's　soldiers　should　arrive　at　Krasnoiarsk　they
would　find　only　a　deserted　town。