michael strogoff-第68章

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to　join　Ivan　Ogareff。

For　two　days　the　besiegers　attempted　no　fresh　assault。
They　were　discouraged　by　the　death　of　Ogareff。　　This　man　was
the　mainspring　of　the　invasion；　and　he　alone；　by　his　plots　long
since　contrived；　had　had　sufficient　influence　over　the　khans
and　their　hordes　to　bring　them　to　the　conquest　of　Asiatic　Russia。

However；　the　defenders　of　Irkutsk　kept　on　their　guard；　and　the　investment
still　continued；　but　on　the　7th　of　October；　at　daybreak；　cannon　boomed
out　from　the　heights　around　Irkutsk。　　It　was　the　succoring　army　under
the　command　of　General　Kisselef；　and　it　was　thus　that　he　made　known
his　welcome　arrival　to　the　Grand　Duke。

The　Tartars　did　not　wait　to　be　attacked。　　Not　daring　to　run　the　risk
of　a　battle　under　the　walls　of　Irkutsk；　they　immediately　broke　up
the　Angara　camp。　　Irkutsk　was　at　last　relieved。

With　the　first　Russian　soldiers；　two　of　Michael's　friends　entered
the　city。　　They　were　the　inseparable　Blount　and　Jolivet。　　On　gaining　the
right　bank　of　the　Angara　by　means　of　the　icy　barrier；　they　had　escaped；
as　had　the　other　fugitives；　before　the　flames　had　reached　their　raft。
This　had　been　noted　by　Alcide　Jolivet　in　his　book　in　this　way：
〃Ran　a　narrow　chance　of　being　finished　up　like　a　lemon　in　a
bowl　of　punch！〃

Their　joy　was　great　on　finding　Nadia　and　Michael　safe　and　sound；
above　all；　when　they　learnt　that　their　brave　companion　was　not　blind。
Harry　Blount　inscribed　this　observation：　　〃Red…hot　iron　is　insufficient
in　some　cases　to　destroy　the　sensibility　of　the　optic　nerve。〃

Then　the　two　correspondents；　settled　for　a　time　in　Irkutsk；
busied　themselves　in　putting　the　notes　and　impressions　of　their　journey
in　order。　　Thence　were　sent　to　London　and　Paris　two　interesting
articles　relative　to　the　Tartar　invasion；　and　whicha　rare　thing
did　not　contradict　each　other　even　on　the　least　important　points。

The　remainder　of　the　campaign　was　unfortunate　to　the　Emir　and　his　allies。
This　invasion；　futile　as　all　which　attack　the　Russian　Colossus　must　be；
was　very　fatal　to　them。　　They　soon　found　themselves　cut　off　by
the　Czar's　troops；　who　retook　in　succession　all　the　conquered　towns。
Besides　this；　the　winter　was　terrible；　and；　decimated　by　the　cold；
only　a　small　part　of　these　hordes　returned　to　the　steppes　of　Tartary。

The　Irkutsk　road；　by　way　of　the　Ural　Mountains；　was　now　open。
The　Grand　Duke　was　anxious　to　return　to　Moscow；　but　he　delayed
his　journey　to　be　present　at　a　touching　ceremony；　which　took
place　a　few　days　after　the　entry　of　the　Russian　troops。

Michael　Strogoff　sought　Nadia；　and　in　her　father's　presence　said　to　her；
〃Nadia；　my　sister　still；　when　you　left　Riga　to　come　to　Irkutsk；
did　you　leave　it　with　any　other　regret　than　that　for　your　mother？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Nadia；　〃none　of　any　sort　whatever。〃

〃Then；　nothing　of　your　heart　remains　there？〃

〃Nothing；　brother。〃

〃Then；　Nadia；〃　said　Michael；　〃I　think　that　God；　in　allowing
us　to　meet；　and　to　go　through　so　many　severe　trials　together；
must　have　meant　us　to　be　united　forever。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Nadia；　falling　into　Michael's　arms。　　Then　turning
towards　Wassili　Fedor；　〃My　father；〃　said　she；　blushing。

〃Nadia；〃　said　Captain　Fedor；　〃it　will　be　my　joy　to　call　you
both　my　children！〃

The　marriage　ceremony　took　place　in　Irkutsk　cathedral。

Jolivet　and　Blount　very　naturally　assisted　at　this　marriage；
of　which　they　wished　to　give　an　account　to　their　readers。

〃And　doesn't　it　make　you　wish　to　imitate　them？〃　asked　Alcide
of　his　friend。

〃Pooh！〃　said　Blount。　　〃Now　if　I　had　a　cousin　like　you〃

〃My　cousin　isn't　to　be　married！〃　answered　Alcide；　laughing。

〃So　much　the　better；〃　returned　Blount；　〃for　they　speak　of　difficulties
arising　between　London　and　Pekin。　　Have　you　no　wish　to　go　and　see
what　is　going　on　there？〃

〃By　Jove；　my　dear　Blount！〃　exclaimed　Alcide　Jolivet；　〃I　was　just　going
to　make　the　same　proposal　to　you。〃

And　that　was　how　the　two　inseparables　set　off　for　China。

A　few　days　after　the　ceremony；　Michael　and　Nadia　Strogoff；
accompanied　by　Wassili　Fedor；　took　the　route　to　Europe。　　The　road
so　full　of　suffering　when　going；　was　a　road　of　joy　in　returning。
They　traveled　swiftly；　in　one　of　those　sleighs　which　glide
like　an　express　train　across　the　frozen　steppes　of　Siberia。

However；　when　they　reached　the　banks　of　the　Dinka；　just　before　Birskoe；
they　stopped　for　a　while。　　Michael　found　the　place　where　he　had　buried
poor　Nicholas。　　A　cross　was　erected　there；　and　Nadia　prayed　a　last　time
on　the　grave　of　the　humble　and　heroic　friend；　whom　neither　of　them
would　ever　forget。

At　Omsk；　old　Marfa　awaited　them　in　the　little　house　of
the　Strogoffs。　　She　clasped　passionately　in　her　arms　the　girl　whom
in　her　heart　she　had　already　a　hundred　times　called　〃daughter。〃
The　brave　old　Siberian；　on　that　day；　had　the　right　to　recognize
her　son　and　say　she　was　proud　of　him。

After　a　few　days　passed　at　Omsk；　Michael　and　Nadia　entered
Europe；　and；　Wassili　Fedor　settling　down　in　St。　Petersburg；
neither　his　son　nor　his　daughter　had　any　occasion　to　leave　him；
except　to　go　and　see　their　old　mother。

The　young　courier　was　received　by　the　Czar；　who　attached　him　specially
to　his　own　person；　and　gave　him　the　Cross　of　St。　George。　　In　the　course
of　time；　Michael　Strogoff　reached　a　high　station　in　the　Empire。　　But　it
is　not　the　history　of　his　success；　but　the　history　of　his　trials；
which　deserves　to　be　related。





End