michael strogoff-第53章

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During　the　ensuing　day；　the　recent　passage　of　a　large
body　of　foot　and　horse　became　more　and　more　apparent。
Smoke　was　seen　above　the　horizon。　　The　kibitka　advanced　cautiously。
Several　houses　in　deserted　villages　still　burned；　and　could　not
have　been　set　on　fire　more　than　four　and　twenty　hours　before。

At　last；　during　the　day；　on　the　8th　of　September；
the　kibitka　stopped　suddenly。　　The　horse　refused　to　advance。
Serko　barked　furiously。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　asked　Michael。

〃A　corpse！〃　replied　Nicholas；　who　had　leapt　out　of　the　kibitka。
The　body　was　that　of　a　moujik；　horribly　mutilated；　and　already　cold。
Nicholas　crossed　himself。　　Then；　aided　by　Michael；　he　carried
the　body　to　the　side　of　the　road。　　He　would　have　liked　to　give　it
decent　burial；　that　the　wild　beasts　of　the　steppe　might　not　feast
on　the　miserable　remains；　but　Michael　could　not　allow　him　the　time。

〃Come；　friend；　come！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃we　must　not　delay；
even　for　an　hour！〃　　And　the　kibitka　was　driven　on。

Besides；　if　Nicholas　had　wished　to　render　the　last　duties
to　all　the　dead　bodies　they　were　now　to　meet　with　on
the　Siberian　highroad；　he　would　have　had　enough　to　do！
As　they　approached　Nijni…Oudinsk；　they　were　found　by　twenties；
stretched　on　the　ground。

It　was；　however；　necessary　to　follow　this　road　until　it　was　manifestly
impossible　to　do　so　longer　without　falling　into　the　hands　of
the　invaders。　　The　road　they　were　following　could　not　be　abandoned；
and　yet　the　signs　of　devastation　and　ruin　increased　at　every　village
they　passed　through。　　The　blood　of　the　victims　was　not　yet　dry。
As　to　gaining　information　about　what　had　occurred；　that　was　impossible。
There　was　not　a　living　being　left　to　tell　the　tale。

About　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　of　this　day；　Nicholas　caught　sight
of　the　tall　steeples　of　the　churches　of　Nijni…Oudinsk。　Thick　vapors；
which　could　not　have　been　clouds；　were　floating　around　them。

Nicholas　and　Nadia　looked；　and　communicated　the　result　of　their
observations　to　Michael。　　They　must　make　up　their　minds　what　to　do。
If　the　town　was　abandoned；　they　could　pass　through　without　risk；
but　if；　by　some　inexplicable　maneuver；　the　Tartars　occupied　it；
they　must　at　every　cost　avoid　the　place。

〃Advance　cautiously；〃　said　Michael　Strogoff；　〃but　advance！〃

A　verst　was　soon　traversed。

〃Those　are　not　clouds；　that　is　smoke！〃　exclaimed　Nadia。　　〃Brother；　they
are　burning　the　town！〃

It　was；　indeed；　only　too　plain。　　Flashes　of　light　appeared　in　the　midst
of　the　vapor。　　It　became　thicker　and　thicker　as　it　mounted　upwards。
But　were　they　Tartars　who　had　done　this？　　They　might　be　Russians；
obeying　the　orders　of　the　Grand　Duke。　　Had　the　government　of　the　Czar
determined　that　from　Krasnoiarsk；　from　the　Yenisei；　not　a　town；
not　a　village　should　offer　a　refuge　to　the　Emir's　soldiers？
What　was　Michael　to　do？

He　was　undecided。　　However；　having　weighed　the　pros　and　cons；
he　thought　that　whatever　might　be　the　difficulties　of　a　journey
across　the　steppe　without　a　beaten　path；　he　ought　not　to　risk
capture　a　second　time　by　the　Tartars。　　He　was　just　proposing　to
Nicholas　to　leave　the　road；　when　a　shot　was　heard　on　their　right。
A　ball　whistled；　and　the　horse　of　the　kibitka　fell　dead；
shot　through　the　head。

A　dozen　horsemen　dashed　forward；　and　the　kibitka　was　surrounded。
Before　they　knew　where　they　were；　Michael；　Nadia；　and　Nicholas
were　prisoners；　and　were　being　dragged　rapidly　towards　Nijni…Oudinsk。

Michael；　in　this　second　attack；　had　lost　none　of　his　presence　of　mind。
Being　unable　to　see　his　enemies；　he　had　not　thought　of　defending　himself。
Even　had　he　possessed　the　use　of　his　eyes；　he　would　not　have
attempted　it。　　The　consequences　would　have　been　his　death　and　that
of　his　companions。　　But；　though　he　could　not　see；　he　could　listen
and　understand　what　was　said。

From　their　language　he　found　that　these　soldiers　were　Tartars；
and　from　their　words；　that　they　preceded　the　invading　army。

In　short；　what　Michael　learnt　from　the　talk　at　the　present　moment；
as　well　as　from　the　scraps　of　conversation　he　overheard　later；
was　this。　　These　men　were　not　under　the　direct　orders　of　the　Emir；
who　was　now　detained　beyond　the　Yenisei。　　They　made　part　of　a　third
column　chiefly　composed　of　Tartars　from　the　khanats　of　Khokland
and　Koondooz；　with　which　Feofar's　army　was　to　affect　a　junction
in　the　neighborhood　of　Irkutsk。

By　Ogareff's　advice；　in　order　to　assure　the　success　of　the　invasion
in　the　Eastern　provinces；　this　column　had　skirted　the　base
of　the　Altai　Mountains。　　Pillaging　and　ravaging；　it　had　reached
the　upper　course　of　the　Yenisei。　　There；　guessing　what　had　been
done　at　Krasnoiarsk　by　order　of　the　Czar；　and　to　facilitate
the　passage　of　the　river　to　the　Emir's　troops；　this　column
had　launched　a　flotilla　of　boats；　which　would　enable　Feofar
to　cross　and　r俿um？the　road　to　Irkutsk。　　Having　done　this；
it　had　descended　the　valley　of　the　Yenisei　and　struck　the　road　on
a　level　with　Alsalevsk。　　From　this　little　town　began　the　frightful
course　of　ruin　which　forms　the　chief　part　of　Tartar　warfare。
Nijni…Oudinsk　had　shared　the　common　fate；　and　the　Tartars；
to　the　number　of　fifty　thousand；　had　now　quitted　it　to　take　up
a　position　before　Irkutsk。　　Before　long；　they　would　be　reinforced
by　the　Emir's　troops。

Such　was　the　state　of　affairs　at　this　date；　most　serious　for　this
isolated　part　of　Eastern　Siberia；　and　for　the　comparatively　few
defenders　of　its　capital。

It　can　be　imagined　with　what　thoughts　Michael's　mind　was　now　occupied！
Who　could　have　been　astonished　had　he；　in　his　present　situation；
lost　all　hope　and　all　courage？　　Nothing　of　the　sort；　however；　his　lips
muttered　no　other　words　than　these：　　〃I　will　get　there！〃

Half　an　hour　after　the　attack　of　the　Tartar　horsemen；
Michael　Strogoff；　Nadia；　and　Nicholas　entered　Nijni…Oudinsk。　The
faithful　dog　followed　them；　though　at　a　distance。
They　could　not　stay　in　the　town；　as　it　was　in　flames；
and　about　to　be　left　by　the　last　of　the　marauders。
The　prisoners　were　therefore　thrown　on　horses　and　hurried　away；
Nicholas　resigned　as　usual；　Nadia；　her　faith　in　Michael　unshaken；
and　Michael　himself；　apparently　indifferent；　but　ready　to　seize
any　opportunity　of　escaping。

The　Tartars　were　not　long　in　perceiving　that　one　of　their
prisoners　was　blind；　and　their　natural　barbarity　led　them　to　make
game　of　their　unfortunate　victim。　　They　were　traveling　fast。
Michael's　horse；　having　no　one　to　guide　him；　often　started　aside；
and　so　made　confusion　among　the　ranks。　　This　drew　on　his　rider
such　abuse　and　brutality　as　wrung　Nadia's　heart；　and　filled　Nicholas
with　indignation。　　But　what　could　they　do？　　They　could　not　speak
the　Tartar　language；　and　their　assistance　was　mercilessly　refused。
Soon　it　occurred　to　these　men；　in　a　refinement　of　cruelty；
to　exchange　the　horse　Michael　was　riding　for　one　which　was　blind。
The　motive　of　the　change　was　explained　by　a　remark　which
Michael　overheard；　〃Perhaps　that　Russian　can　see；　after　all！〃

Michael　was　placed　on　this　horse；　and　the　reins　ironically　put
into　his　hand。　　Then；　by　dint　of　lashing；　throwing　stones；
and　shouting；　the　animal　was　urged　into　a　gallop。
The　horse；　not　being　guided　by　his　rider；　blind　as　himself；
sometimes　ran　into　a　tree；　sometimes　went　quite　off　the　road
in　consequence；　collisions　and　falls；　which　might　have
been　extremely　dangerous。

Michael　did　not　complain。　　Not　a　murmur　escaped　him。
When　his　horse　fell；　he　waited　until　it　got　up。
It　was；　indeed；　soon　assisted　up；　and　the　cruel　fun　continued。
At　sight　of　this　wicked　treatment；　Nicholas　could　not
contain　himself；　he　endeavored　to　go　to　his　friend's　aid。
He　was　prevented；　and　treated　brutally。

This　game　would　have　been　prolonged；　to　the　Tartars'
great　amusement；　had　not　a　serious　accident　put　an　end　to　it。
On　the　10th　of　September　the　blind　horse　ran　away；　and　made
straight　for　a　pit；　some　thirty　or　forty　feet　deep；　at　the　side
of　the　road。

Nicholas　tried　to　go　after　him。　　He　was　held　back。
The　horse；　having　no　guide；　fell　with　his　rider　to　the　bottom。
Nicholas　and　Nadia　uttered　a　piercing　cry！　　They　believed
that　their　unfortunate　companion　had　been　killed。

However；　when　they　went　to　his　assistance；　it　was　fou