michael strogoff-第10章

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measures　which　concerned　her　so　directly？

But；　if　she　was　ignorant　of　it；　she　would　come　in　an　hour　to　the　quay；
and　there　some　merciless　agent　would　refuse　her　a　passage！
At　any　cost；　he　must　see　her　beforehand；　and　enable　her　to　avoid
such　a　repulse。

But　all　his　endeavors　were　in　vain；　and　he　at　length　almost　despaired
of　finding　her　again。　　It　was　eleven　o'clock；　and　Michael　thought
of　presenting　his　podorojna　at　the　office　of　the　head　of　police。
The　proclamation　evidently　did　not　concern　him；　since　the　emergency
had　been　foreseen　for　him；　but　he　wished　to　make　sure　that　nothing
would　hinder　his　departure　from　the　town。

Michael　then　returned　to　the　other　side　of　the　Volga；
to　the　quarter　in　which　was　the　office　of　the　head　of　police。
An　immense　crowd　was　collected　there；　for　though　all　foreigners
were　ordered　to　quit　the　province；　they　had　notwithstanding
to　go　through　certain　forms　before　they　could　depart。

Without　this　precaution；　some　Russian　more　or　less　implicated
in　the　Tartar　movement　would　have　been　able；　in　a　disguise；　to　pass
the　frontierjust　those　whom　the　order　wished　to　prevent　going。
The　strangers　were　sent　away；　but　still　had　to　gain　permission　to　go。

Mountebanks；　gypsies；　Tsiganes；　Zingaris；　mingled　with　merchants
from　Persia；　Turkey；　India；　Turkestan；　China；　filled　the　court
and　offices　of　the　police　station。

Everyone　was　in　a　hurry；　for　the　means　of　transport　would　be　much
sought　after　among　this　crowd　of　banished　people；　and　those　who　did
not　set　about　it　soon　ran　a　great　risk　of　not　being　able　to　leave
the　town　in　the　prescribed　time；　which　would　expose　them　to　some
brutal　treatment　from　the　governor's　agents。

Owing　to　the　strength　of　his　elbows　Michael　was　able　to　cross　the　court。
But　to　get　into　the　office　and　up　to　the　clerk's　little　window　was　a　much
more　difficult　business。　　However；　a　word　into　an　inspector's　ear　and　a
few　judiciously　given　roubles　were　powerful　enough　to　gain　him　a　passage。
The　man；　after　taking　him　into　the　waiting…room；　went　to　call　an
upper　clerk。　　Michael　Strogoff　would　not　be　long　in　making　everything
right　with　the　police　and　being　free　in　his　movements。

Whilst　waiting；　he　looked　about　him；　and　what　did　he　see？
There；　fallen；　rather　than　seated；　on　a　bench；　was　a　girl；
prey　to　a　silent　despair；　although　her　face　could　scarcely
be　seen；　the　profile　alone　being　visible　against　the　wall。
Michael　Strogoff　could　not　be　mistaken。　　He　instantly　recognized
the　young　Livonian。

Not　knowing　the　governor's　orders；　she　had　come　to　the　police　office
to　get　her　pass　signed。　　They　had　refused　to　sign　it。　　No　doubt
she　was　authorized　to　go　to　Irkutsk；　but　the　order　was　peremptory
it　annulled　all　previous　au…thorizations；　and　the　routes　to　Siberia
were　closed　to　her。　　Michael；　delighted　at　having　found　her　again；
approached　the　girl。

She　looked　up　for　a　moment　and　her　face　brightened　on　recognizing
her　traveling　companion。　　She　instinctively　rose　and；　like　a　drowning
man　who　clutches　at　a　spar；　she　was　about　to　ask　his　help。

At　that　moment　the　agent　touched　Michael　on　the　shoulder；
〃The　head　of　police　will　see　you；〃　he　said。

〃Good；〃　returned　Michael。　　And　without　saying　a　word　to　her　for　whom
he　had　been　searching　all　day；　without　reassuring　her　by　even　a　gesture；
which　might　compromise　either　her　or　himself；　he　followed　the　man。

The　young　Livonian；　seeing　the　only　being　to　whom　she　could　look
for　help　disappear；　fell　back　again　on　her　bench。

Three　minutes　had　not　passed　before　Michael　Strogoff　reappeared；
accompanied　by　the　agent。　　In　his　hand　he　held　his　podorojna；
which　threw　open　the　roads　to　Siberia　for　him。　　He　again
approached　the　young　Livonian；　and　holding　out　his　hand：
〃Sister；〃　said　he。

She　understood。　　She　rose　as　if　some　sudden　inspiration　prevented
her　from　hesitating　a　moment。

〃Sister；〃　repeated　Michael　Strogoff；　〃we　are　authorized　to　continue
our　journey　to　Irkutsk。　　Will　you　come　with　me？〃

〃I　will　follow　you；　brother；〃　replied　the　girl；　putting　her　hand　into
that　of　Michael　Strogoff。　　And　together　they　left　the　police　station。


CHAPTER　VII　GOING　DOWN　THE　VOLGA

A　LITTLE　before　midday；　the　steamboat's　bell　drew　to　the　wharf
on　the　Volga　an　unusually　large　concourse　of　people；
for　not　only　were　those　about　to　embark　who　had　intended　to　go；
but　the　many　who　were　compelled　to　go　contrary　to　their　wishes。
The　boilers　of　the　Caucasus　were　under　full　pressure；　a　slight
smoke　issued　from　its　funnel；　whilst　the　end　of　the　escape…pipe
and　the　lids　of　the　valves　were　crowned　with　white　vapor。
It　is　needless　to　say　that　the　police　kept　a　close　watch　over
the　departure　of　the　Caucasus；　and　showed　themselves　pitiless　to
those　travelers　who　did　not　satisfactorily　answer　their　questions。

Numerous　Cossacks　came　and　went　on　the　quay；　ready　to　assist
the　agents；　but　they　had　not　to　interfere；　as　no　one
ventured　to　offer　the　slightest　resistance　to　their　orders。
Exactly　at　the　hour　the　last　clang　of　the　bell　sounded；
the　powerful　wheels　of　the　steamboat　began　to　beat　the　water；
and　the　Caucasus　passed　rapidly　between　the　two　towns　of　which
Nijni…Novgorod　is　composed。

Michael　Strogoff　and　the　young　Livonian　had　taken　a　passage　on　board
the　Caucasus。　　Their　embarkation　was　made　without　any　difficulty。
As　is　known；　the　podorojna；　drawn　up　in　the　name　of　Nicholas　Korpanoff；
authorized　this　merchant　to　be　accompanied　on　his　journey
to　Siberia。　　They　appeared；　therefore；　to　be　a　brother　and
sister　traveling　under　the　protection　of　the　imperial　police。
Both；　seated　together　at　the　stern；　gazed　at　the　receding　town；
so　disturbed　by　the　governor's　order。　　Michael　had　as　yet
said　nothing　to　the　girl；　he　had　not　even　questioned　her。
He　waited　until　she　should　speak　to　him；　when　that　was　necessary。
She　had　been　anxious　to　leave　that　town；　in　which；　but　for
the　providential　intervention　of　this　unexpected　protector；
she　would　have　remained　imprisoned。　　She　said　nothing；
but　her　looks　spoke　her　thanks。

The　Volga；　the　Rha　of　the　ancients；　the　largest　river
in　all　Europe；　is　almost　three　thousand　miles　in　length。
Its　waters；　rather　unwholesome　in　its　upper　part；　are　improved
at　Nijni…Novgorod　by　those　of　the　Oka；　a　rapid　affluent；
issuing　from　the　central　provinces　of　Russia。　　The　system　of
Russian　canals　and　rivers　has　been　justly　compared　to　a　gigantic
tree　whose　branches　spread　over　every　part　of　the　empire。
The　Volga　forms　the　trunk　of　this　tree；　and　it　has　for　roots
seventy　mouths　opening　into　the　Caspian　Sea。　　It　is　navigable
as　far　as　Rjef；　a　town　in　the　government　of　Tver；　that　is；
along　the　greater　part　of　its　course。

The　steamboats　plying　between　Perm　and　Nijni…Novgorod　rapidly　perform
the　two　hundred　and　fifty　miles　which　separate　this　town　from　the　town
of　Kasan。　　It　is　true　that　these　boats　have　only　to　descend　the　Volga；
which　adds　nearly　two　miles　of　current　per　hour　to　their　own　speed；
but　on　arriving　at　the　confluence　of　the　Kama；　a　little　below　Kasan；
they　are　obliged　to　quit　the　Volga　for　the　smaller　river；　up　which
they　ascend　to　Perm。　　Powerful　as　were　her　machines；　the　Caucasus
could　not　thus；　after　entering　the　Kama；　make　against　the　current
more　than　ten　miles　an　hour。　　Including　an　hour's　stoppage　at　Kasan；
the　voyage　from　Nijni…Novgorod　to　Perm　would　take　from　between　sixty
to　sixty…two　hours。

The　steamer　was　very　well　arranged；　and　the　passengers；　according　to
their　condition　or　resources；　occupied　three　distinct　classes　on　board。
Michael　Strogoff　had　taken　care　to　engage　two　first…class　cabins；
so　that　his　young　companion　might　retire　into　hers　whenever　she　liked。

The　Caucasus　was　loaded　with　passengers　of　every　description。
A　number　of　Asiatic　traders　had　thought　it　best　to　leave
Nijni…Novgorod　immediately。　　In　that　part　of　the　steamer　reserved
for　the　first…class　might　be　seen　Armenians　in　long　robes　and　a　sort
of　miter　on　their　heads；　Jews；　known　by　their　conical　caps；　rich　Chinese
in　their　traditional　costume；　a　very　wide　blue；　violet；　or　black　robe；
Turks；　wearing　the　national　turban；　Hindoos；　with　square　caps；
and　a　simple　string　for　a　girdle；　some　of　whom；　hold　in　their　hands
all　the　traffic　of　Central　Asia；　and；　lastly；　Tartars；　wearing　boots；
ornamented　with　many…colored　braid；　and　the　breast　a　mass　of　embroidery。
All　these　merchants　had　been　obliged　to　pile　up　their　numerous　bales
and　chests　in　the　hold　and　on　the　deck；　and　the　transport　of　their
baggage　would　cost　them　dear；　for；　according　to　the　regulations；
each　person　had　only　a　right　to　twenty　pounds'　weight。

In　the　bows　of　the　Caucasus　were　more　numerous　groups　of　passengers；
not　only　foreigners；　but　also　Russians；　who　were　not　forbidden
by　the　order　to　go　back　to　their　towns　in　the　province。
There　were　mujiks　with　caps　on　their　heads；　and　wearing
checked　shirts　under　their　wide　pelisses；　peasants　of
the　Volga；　with　blue　trousers　stuffed　into　their　boots；
rose…colored　cotton　shirts；　drawn　in　by　a　cord；　felt　caps；
a　few　women；　habited　in　flowery…patterned　cotton　dresses；
gay…colored　aprons；　and　bright　handkerchiefs　on　their　heads。
These　were　principally　third…class　passengers；　who　were；
happily；　not　troubled　by　the　prospect　of　a　long　return　voyage。
The　Caucasus　passed　numerous　boats　being　towed　up　the　stream；
carrying　all　sorts　of　merchandise　to　Nijni…Novgorod。　Then　passed
rafts　of　wood　interminably　long；　and　barges　loaded　to　the　gunwale；
and　nearly　sinking　under　water。　　A　bootless　voyage　they　were　making；
since　the　fair　had　been　abruptly　broken　up　at　its　outset。

The　waves　caused　by　the　steamer　splashed　on　the　banks；　covered　with
flocks　of　wild　duck；　who　flew　away　uttering　deafening　cries。
A　little　farther；　on　the　dry　fields；　bordered　with　willows；
and　aspens；　were　scattered　a　few　cows；　sheep；　and　herds　of　pigs。
Fields；　sown　with　thin　buckwheat　and　rye；　stretched　away　to　a
background　of　half…cultivated　hills；　offering　no　remarkable　prospect。
The　pencil　of　an　artist　in　quest　of　the　picturesque　would　have　found
nothing　to　reproduce　in　this　monotonous　landscape。

The　Caucasus　had　been　steaming　on　for　almost　two　hours；
when　the　young　Livonian；　addressing　herself　to　Michael；　said；
〃Are　you　going　to　Irkutsk；　brother？〃

〃Yes；　sister；〃　answered　the　young　man。　　〃We　are　going　the　same　way。
Consequently；　where　I　go；　you　shall　go。〃

〃To…morrow；　brother；　you　shall　know　why　I　left　the　shores　of　the　Baltic
to　go　beyond　the　Ural　Mountains。〃

〃I　ask　you　nothing；　sister。〃

〃You　shall　know　all；〃　replied　the　girl；　with　a　faint　smile。
〃A　sister　should　hide　nothing　from　her　brother。　　But　I　cannot
to…day。　Fatigue　and　sorrow　have　broken　me。〃

〃Will　you　go　and　rest　in　your　cabin？〃　asked　Michael　Strogoff。

〃Yesyes；　and　to…morrow〃

〃Come　then〃

He　hesitated　to　finish　his　sentence；　as　if　he　had　wished　to　end　it
by　the　name　of　his　companion；　of　which　he　was　still　ignorant。

〃Nadia；〃　said　she；　holding　out　her　hand。

〃Come；　Nadia；〃　answered　Michael；　〃and　make　what　use　you　like　of　your
brother　Nicholas　Korpanoff。〃　　And　he　led　the　girl　to　the　cabin　engaged
for　her　off　the　saloon。

Michael　Strogoff　returned　on　deck；　and　eager　for　any　news
which　might　bear　on　his　journey；　he　mingled　in　the　groups
of　passengers；　though　without