michael strogoff-第65章

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replied　without　the　least　hesitation。　　He　intentionally　did　not
conceal　that　the　Czar's　government　had　been　utterly　surprised
by　the　invasion；　that　the　insurrection　had　been　prepared
in　the　greatest　possible　secrecy；　that　the　Tartars　were　already
masters　of　the　line　of　the　Obi　when　the　news　reached　Moscow；
and　lastly；　that　none　of　the　necessary　preparations　were　completed
in　the　Russian　provinces　for　sending　into　Siberia　the　troops
requisite　for　repulsing　the　invaders。

Ivan　Ogareff；　being　entirely　free　in　his　movements；　began　to
study　Irkutsk；　the　state　of　its　fortifications；　their　weak　points；
so　as　to　profit　subsequently　by　his　observations；　in　the　event
of　being　prevented　from　consummating　his　act　of　treason。
He　examined　particularly　the　Bolchaia　Gate；　the　one　he　wished
to　deliver　up。

Twice　in　the　evening　he　came　upon　the　glacis　of　this　gate。
He　walked　up　and　down；　without　fear　of　being　discovered　by　the　besiegers；
whose　nearest　posts　were　at　least　a　mile　from　the　ramparts。
He　fancied　that　he　was　recognized　by　no　one；　till　he　caught
sight　of　a　shadow　gliding　along　outside　the　earthworks。
Sangarre　had　come　at　the　risk　of　her　life　for　the　purpose　of　putting
herself　in　communication　with　Ivan　Ogareff。

For　two　days　the　besieged　had　enjoyed　a　tranquillity　to　which　the　Tartars
had　not　accustomed　them　since　the　commencement　of　the　investment。
This　was　by　Ogareff's　orders。　　Feofar…Khan's　lieutenant　wished
that　all　attempts　to　take　the　town　by　force　should　be　suspended。
He　hoped　the　watchfulness　of　the　besieged　would　relax。　　At　any　rate；
several　thousand　Tartars　were　kept　in　readiness　at　the　outposts；
to　attack　the　gate；　deserted；　as　Ogareff　anticipated　that　it　would　be；
by　its　defenders；　whenever　he　should　summon　the　besiegers　to　the　assault。

This　he　could　not　now　delay　in　doing。　　All　must　be　over
by　the　time　that　the　Russian　troops　should　come　in　sight
of　Irkutsk。　　Ogareff's　arrangements　were　made；　and　on　this　evening
a　note　fell　from　the　top　of　the　earthworks　into　Sangarre's　hands。

On　the　next　day；　that　is　to　say　during　the　hours　of　darkness
from　the　5th　to　the　6th　of　October；　at　two　o'clock　in　the　morning；
Ivan　Ogareff　had　resolved　to　deliver　up　Irkutsk。


CHAPTER　XIV　THE　NIGHT　OF　THE　FIFTH　OF　OCTOBER

IVAN　OGAREFF'S　plan　had　been　contrived　with　the　greatest　care；
and　except　for　some　unforeseen　accident　he　believed　that　it　must　succeed。
It　was　of　importance　that　the　Bolchaia　Gate　should　be　unguarded
or　only　feebly　held　when　he　gave　it　up。　　The　attention　of　the
besieged　was　therefore　to　be　drawn　to　another　part　of　the　town。
A　diversion　was　agreed　upon　with　the　Emir。

This　diversion　was　to　be　effected　both　up　and　down　the　river；
on　the　Irkutsk　bank。　　The　attack　on　these　two　points　was　to　be
conducted　in　earnest；　and　at　the　same　time　a　feigned　attempt
at　crossing　the　Angara　from　the　left　bank　was　to　be　made。
The　Bolchaia　Gate；　would　be　probably　deserted；　so　much　the　more
because　on　this　side　the　Tartar　outposts　having　drawn　back；
would　appear　to　have　broken　up。

It　was　the　5th　of　October。　　In　four　and　twenty　hours；
the　capital　of　Eastern　Siberia　would　be　in　the　hands　of　the　Emir；
and　the　Grand　Duke　in　the　power　of　Ivan　Ogareff。

During　the　day；　an　unusual　stir　was　going　on　in　the　Angara　camp。
From　the　windows　of　the　palace　important　preparations
on　the　opposite　shore　could　be　distinctly　seen。
Numerous　Tartar　detachments　were　converging　towards　the　camp；
and　from　hour　to　hour　reinforced　the　Emir's　troops。
These　movements；　intended　to　deceive　the　besieged；　were　conducted
in　the　most　open　manner　possible　before　their　eyes。

Ogareff　had　warned　the　Grand　Duke　that　an　attack　was　to　be　feared。
He　knew；　he　said；　that　an　assault　was　to　be　made；　both　above　and　below
the　town；　and　he　counselled　the　Duke　to　reinforce　the　two　directly
threatened　points。　　Accordingly；　after　a　council　of　war　had　been　held
in　the　palace；　orders　were　issued　to　concentrate　the　defense　on　the　bank
of　the　Angara　and　at　the　two　ends　of　the　town；　where　the　earthworks
protected　the　river。

This　was　exactly　what　Ogareff　wished。　　He　did　not　expect　that
the　Bolchaia　Gate　would　be　left　entirely　without　defenders；
but　that　there　would　only　be　a　small　number。　　Besides；　Ogareff　meant
to　give　such　importance　to　the　diversion；　that　the　Grand　Duke
would　be　obliged　to　oppose　it　with　all　his　available　forces。
The　traitor　planned　also　to　produce　so　frightful　a　catastrophe
that　terror　must　inevitably　overwhelm　the　hearts　of　the　besieged。

All　day　the　garrison　and　population　of　Irkutsk　were　on　the　alert。
The　measures　to　repel　an　attack　on　the　points　hitherto　unassailed　had
been　taken。　　The　Grand　Duke　and　General　Voranzoff　visited　the　posts；
strengthened　by　their　orders。　　Wassili　Fedor's　corps　occupied　the　North
of　the　town；　but　with　orders　to　throw　themselves　where　the　danger
was　greatest。　　The　right　bank　of　the　Angara　had　been　protected
with　the　few　guns　possessed　by　the　defenders。　　With　these　measures；
taken　in　time；　thanks　to　the　advice　so　opportunely　given　by　Ivan　Ogareff；
there　was　good　reason　to　hope　that　the　expected　attack　would　be　repulsed。
In　that　case　the　Tartars；　momentarily　discouraged；　would　no　doubt
not　make　another　attempt　against　the　town　for　several　days。
Now　the　troops　expected　by　the　Grand　Duke　might　arrive　at　any　hour。
The　safety　or　the　loss　of　Irkutsk　hung　only　by　a　thread。

On　this　day；　the　sun　which　had　risen　at　twenty　minutes　to　six；
set　at　forty　minutes　past　five；　having　traced　its　diurnal
arc　for　eleven　hours　above　the　horizon。　　The　twilight　would
struggle　with　the　night　for　another　two　hours。　　Then　it　would　be
intensely　dark；　for　the　sky　was　cloudy；　and　there　would　be　no　moon。
This　gloom　would　favor　the　plans　of　Ivan　Ogareff。

For　a　few　days　already　a　sharp　frost　had　given　warning　of
the　approaching　rigor　of　the　Siberian　winter；　and　this　evening
it　was　especially　severe。　　The　Russians　posted　by　the　bank　of
the　Angara；　obliged　to　conceal　their　position；　lighted　no　fires。
They　suffered　cruelly　from　the　low　temperature。　　A　few　feet
below　them；　the　ice　in　large　masses　drifted　down　the　current。
All　day　these　masses　had　been　seen　passing　rapidly　between
the　two　banks。

This　had　been　considered　by　the　Grand　Duke　and　his　officers　as　fortunate。
Should　the　channel　of　the　Angara　continue　to　be　thus　obstructed；
the　passage　must　be　impracticable。　　The　Tartars　could　use　neither
rafts　nor　boats。　　As　to　their　crossing　the　river　on　the　ice；
that　was　not　possible。　　The　newly…frozen　plain　could　not　bear
the　weight　of　an　assaulting　column。

This　circumstance；　as　it　appeared　favorable　to　the　defenders
of　Irkutsk；　Ogareff　might　have　regretted。　　He　did　not　do　so；　however。
The　traitor　knew　well　that　the　Tartars　would　not　try　to　pass　the　Angara；
and　that；　on　its　side　at　least；　their　attempt　was　only　a　feint。

About　ten　in　the　evening；　the　state　of　the　river　sensibly　improved；　to　the
great　surprise　of　the　besieged　and　still　more　to　their　disadvantage。
The　passage　till　then　impracticable；　became　all　at　once　possible。
The　bed　of　the　Angara　was　clear。　　The　blocks　of　ice；　which　had　for　some
days　drifted　past　in　large　numbers；　disappeared　down　the　current；
and　five　or　six　only　now　occupied　the　space　between　the　banks。
The　Russian　officers　reported　this　change　in　the　river　to
the　Grand　Duke。　　They　suggested　that　it　was　probably　caused
by　the　circumstance　that　in　some　narrower　part　of　the　Angara；
the　blocks　had　accumulated　so　as　to　form　a　barrier。

We　know　this　was　the　case。　　The　passage　of　the　Angara　was　thus
open　to　the　besiegers。　　There　was　great　reason　for　the　Russians
to　be　on　their　guard。

Up　to　midnight　nothing　had　occurred。　　On　the　Eastern　side；
beyond　the　Bolchaia　Gate；　all　was　quiet。　　Not　a　glimmer　was　seen
in　the　dense　forest；　which　appeared　confounded　on　the　horizon
with　the　masses　of　clouds　hanging　low　down　in　the　sky。
Lights　flitting　to　and　fro　in　the　Angara　camp；　showed　that　a
considerable　movement　was　taking　place。　　From　a　verst　above　and　below
the　point　where　the　scarp　met　the　river's　bank；　came　a　dull　murmur；
proving　that　the　Tartars　were　on　foot；　expecting　some　signal。
An　hour　passed。　　Nothing　new。

The　bell　of　the　Irkutsk