michael strogoff-第15章

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The　tarantass　was　at　a　standstill　at　a　turning　of　the　road；
down　which　swept　the　hurricane；　it　was　absolutely　necessary
to　hold　the　animals'　heads　to　the　wind；　for　if　the　carriage
was　taken　broadside　it　must　infallibly　capsize　and　be
dashed　over　the　precipice。　　The　frightened　horses　reared；
and　their　driver　could　not　manage　to　quiet　them。　　His　friendly
expressions　had　been　succeeded　by　the　most　insulting　epithets。
Nothing　was　of　any　use。　　The　unfortunate　animals；　blinded　by
the　lightning；　terrified　by　the　incessant　peals　of　thunder；
threatened　every　instant　to　break　their　traces　and　flee。
The　iemschik　had　no　longer　any　control　over　his　team。

At　that　moment　Michael　Strogoff　threw　himself　from　the　tarantass
and　rushed　to　his　assistance。　　Endowed　with　more　than　common　strength；
he　managed；　though　not　without　difficulty；　to　master　the　horses。

The　storm　now　raged　with　redoubled　fury。　　A　perfect　avalanche　of　stones
and　trunks　of　trees　began　to　roll　down　the　slope　above　them。

〃We　cannot　stop　here；〃　said　Michael。

〃We　cannot　stop　anywhere；〃　returned　the　iemschik；　all　his　energies
apparently　overcome　by　terror。　　〃The　storm　will　soon　send　us
to　the　bottom　of　the　mountain；　and　that　by　the　shortest　way。〃

〃Take　you　that　horse；　coward；〃　returned　Michael；　〃I'll　look
after　this　one。〃

A　fresh　burst　of　the　storm　interrupted　him。　　The　driver　and　he　were
obliged　to　crouch　upon　the　ground　to　avoid　being　blown　down。
The　carriage；　notwithstanding　their　efforts　and　those　of　the　horses；
was　gradually　blown　back；　and　had　it　not　been　stopped　by　the　trunk
of　a　tree；　it　would　have　gone　over　the　edge　of　the　precipice。

〃Do　not　be　afraid；　Nadia！〃　cried　Michael　Strogoff。

〃I'm　not　afraid；〃　replied　the　young　Livonian；　her　voice　not　betraying
the　slightest　emotion。

The　rumbling　of　the　thunder　ceased　for　an　instant；　the　terrible
blast　had　swept　past　into　the　gorge　below。

〃Will　you　go　back？〃　said　the　iemschik。

〃No；　we　must　go　on！　　Once　past　this　turning；　we　shall　have　the　shelter
of　the　slope。〃

〃But　the　horses　won't　move！〃

〃Do　as　I　do；　and　drag　them　on。〃

〃The　storm　will　come　back！〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　obey？〃

〃Do　you　order　it？〃

〃The　Father　orders　it！〃　answered　Michael；　for　the　first　time　invoking
the　all…powerful　name　of　the　Emperor。

〃Forward；　my　swallows！〃　cried　the　iemschik；　seizing　one　horse；
while　Michael　did　the　same　to　the　other。

Thus　urged；　the　horses　began　to　struggle　onward。
They　could　no　longer　rear；　and　the　middle　horse　not　being
hampered　by　the　others；　could　keep　in　the　center　of　the　road。
It　was　with　the　greatest　difficulty　that　either　man　or　beasts
could　stand　against　the　wind；　and　for　every　three　steps　they　took
in　advance；　they　lost　one；　and　even　two；　by　being　forced　backwards。
They　slipped；　they　fell；　they　got　up　again。　　The　vehicle　ran
a　great　risk　of　being　smashed。　　If　the　hood　had　not　been
securely　fastened；　it　would　have　been　blown　away　long　before。
Michael　Strogoff　and　the　iemschik　took　more　than　two　hours
in　getting　up　this　bit　of　road；　only　half　a　verst　in　length；
so　directly　exposed　was　it　to　the　lashing　of　the　storm。
The　danger　was　not　only　from　the　wind　which　battered　against
the　travelers；　but　from　the　avalanche　of　stones　and　broken
trunks　which　were　hurtling　through　the　air。

Suddenly；　during　a　flash　of　lightning；　one　of　these　masses　was　seen
crashing　and　rolling　down　the　mountain　towards　the　tarantass。
The　iemschik　uttered　a　cry。

Michael　Strogoff　in　vain　brought　his　whip　down　on　the　team；
they　refused　to　move。

A　few　feet　farther　on；　and　the　mass　would　pass　behind　them！
Michael　saw　the　tarantass　struck；　his　companion　crushed；
he　saw　there　was　no　time　to　drag　her　from　the　vehicle。

Then；　possessed　in　this　hour　of　peril　with　superhuman　strength；
he　threw　himself　behind　it；　and　planting　his　feet　on　the　ground；
by　main　force　placed　it　out　of　danger。

The　enormous　mass　as　it　passed　grazed　his　chest；　taking　away　his　breath
as　though　it　had　been　a　cannon…ball；　then　crushing　to　powder　the　flints
on　the　road；　it　bounded　into　the　abyss　below。

〃Oh；　brother！〃　cried　Nadia；　who　had　seen　it　all　by　the　light
of　the　flashes。

〃Nadia！〃　replied　Michael；　〃fear　nothing！〃

〃It　is　not　on　my　own　account　that　I　fear！〃

〃God　is　with　us；　sister！〃

〃With　me　truly；　brother；　since　He　has　sent　thee　in　my　way！〃
murmured　the　young　girl。

The　impetus　the　tarantass　had　received　was　not　to　be　lost；　and　the　tired
horses　once　more　moved　forward。　　Dragged；　so　to　speak；　by　Michael　and
the　iemschik；　they　toiled　on　towards　a　narrow　pass；　lying　north　and　south；
where　they　would　be　protected　from　the　direct　sweep　of　the　tempest。
At　one　end　a　huge　rock　jutted　out；　round　the　summit　of　which　whirled
an　eddy。　　Behind　the　shelter　of　the　rock　there　was　a　comparative　calm；
yet　once　within　the　circumference　of　the　cyclone；　neither　man　nor　beast
could　resist　its　power。

Indeed；　some　firs　which　towered　above　this　protection　were　in　a　trice
shorn　of　their　tops；　as　though　a　gigantic　scythe　had　swept　across　them。
The　storm　was　now　at　its　height。　　The　lightning　filled　the　defile；
and　the　thunderclaps　had　become　one　continued　peal。　　The　ground；
struck　by　the　concussion；　trembled　as　though　the　whole　Ural　chain
was　shaken　to　its　foundations。

Happily；　the　tarantass　could　be　so　placed　that　the　storm　might　strike
it　obliquely。　　But　the　counter…currents；　directed　towards　it　by　the　slope；
could　not　be　so　well　avoided；　and　so　violent　were　they　that　every
instant　it　seemed　as　though　it　would　be　dashed　to　pieces。

Nadia　was　obliged　to　leave　her　seat；　and　Michael；　by　the　light
of　one　of　the　lanterns；　discovered　an　excavation　bearing　the　marks
of　a　miner's　pick；　where　the　young　girl　could　rest　in　safety　until
they　could　once　more　start。

Just　thenit　was　one　o'clock　in　the　morningthe　rain　began　to　fall
in　torrents；　and　this　in　addition　to　the　wind　and　lightning；
made　the　storm　truly　frightful。　　To　continue　the　journey　at　present
was　utterly　impossible。　　Besides；　having　reached　this　pass；
they　had　only　to　descend　the　slopes　of　the　Ural　Mountains；　and　to
descend　now；　with　the　road　torn　up　by　a　thousand　mountain　torrents；
in　these　eddies　of　wind　and　rain；　was　utter　madness。

〃To　wait　is　indeed　serious；〃　said　Michael；　〃but　it　must　certainly
be　done；　to　avoid　still　longer　detentions。　　The　very　violence
of　the　storm　makes　me　hope　that　it　will　not　last　long。
About　three　o'clock　the　day　will　begin　to　break；　and　the　descent；
which　we　cannot　risk　in　the　dark；　we　shall　be　able；　if　not　with　ease；
at　least　without　such　danger；　to　attempt　after　sunrise。〃

〃Let　us　wait；　brother；〃　replied　Nadia；　〃but　if　you　delay；
let　it　not　be　to　spare　me　fatigue　or　danger。〃

〃Nadia；　I　know　that　you　are　ready　to　brave　everything；　but；
in　exposing　both　of　us；　I　risk　more　than　my　life；　more　than　yours；
I　am　not　fulfilling　my　task；　that　duty　which　before　everything
else　I　must　accomplish。〃

〃A　duty！〃　murmured　Nadia。

Just　then　a　bright　flash　lit　up　the　sky；　a　loud　clap　followed。
The　air　was　filled　with　sulphurous　suffocating　vapor；　and　a　clump
of　huge　pines；　struck　by　the　electric　fluid；　scarcely　twenty　feet
from　the　tarantass；　flared　up　like　a　gigantic　torch。

The　iemschik　was　struck　to　the　ground　by　a　counter…shock；　but；
regaining　his　feet；　found　himself　happily　unhurt。

Just　as　the　last　growlings　of　the　thunder　were　lost
in　the　recesses　of　the　mountain；　Michael　felt　Nadia's　hand
pressing　his；　and　he　heard　her　whisper　these　words　in　his　ear：
〃Cries；　brother！　　Listen！〃


CHAPTER　XI　TRAVELERS　IN　DISTRESS

DURING　the　momentary　lull　which　followed；　shouts　could　be　distinctly
heard　from　farther　on；　at　no　great　distance　from　the　tarantass。
It　was　an　earnest　appeal；　evidently　from　some　traveler　in　distress。

Michael　listened　attentively。　　The　iemschik　also　listened；
but　shook　his　head；　as　though　it　was　impossible　to　help。

〃They　are　travelers　calling　for　aid；〃　cried　Nadia。

〃They　can　expect　nothing；〃　replied　the　iemschik。

〃Why　not？〃　cried　Michael。　　〃Ought　not　we　do　for　them　what　they
would　for　us　under　similar　circumstances？〃

〃Surely　you　will　not　risk　the　carriage　and　horses！〃

〃I　will　go　on　foot；〃　replied　Michael；　interrupting　the　iemschik。

〃I　will　go；　too；　brother；〃　said　the　young　girl。

〃No；　remain　here；　Nadia。　　The　iemschik　will　stay　with　you。
I　do　not　wish　to　leave　him　alone。〃

〃I　will　stay；〃　replied　Nadia。

〃Whatever　happens；　do　not　leave　this　spot。〃

〃You　will　find　me　where　I　now　am。〃

Michael　pressed　her　hand；　and；　turning　the　corner　of　the　slope；
disappeared　in　the　darkness。

〃Your　brother　is　wrong；〃　said　the　iemschik。

〃He　is　right；〃　replied　Nadia　simply。

Meanwhile　Strogoff　strode　rapidly　on。　　If　he　was　in　a　great　hurry
to　aid　the　travelers；　he　was　also　very　anxious　to　know　who　it
was　that　had　not　been　hindered　from　starting　by　the　storm；
for　he　had　no　doubt　that　the　cries　came　from　the　telga；
which　had　so　long　preceded　him。

The　rain　had　stopped；　but　the　storm　was　raging　with　redoubled　fury。
The　shouts；　borne　on　the　air；　became　more　distinct。
Nothing　was　to　be　seen　of　the　pass　in　which　Nadia　remained。
The　road　wound　along；　and　the　squalls；　checked　by　the　corners；
formed　eddies　highly　dangerous；　to　pass　which；　without　being
taken　off　his　legs；　Michael　had　to　use　his　utmost　strength。

He　soon　perceived　that　the　travelers　whose　shouts　he　had　heard
were　at　no　great　distance。　　Even　then；　on　account　of　the　darkness；
Michael　could　not　see　them；　yet　he　heard　distinctly　their　words。

This　is　what　he　heard；　and　what　caused　him　some　surprise：
〃Are　you　coming　back；　blockhead？〃

〃You　shall　have　a　taste　of　the　knout　at　the　next　stage。〃

〃Do　you　hear；　you　devil's　postillion！　　Hullo！　　Below！〃

〃This　is　how　a　carriage　takes　you　in　this　country！〃

〃Yes；　this　is　what　you　call　a　telga！〃

〃Oh；　that　abominable　driver！　　He　goes　on　and　does　not　appear
to　have　discovered　that　he　has　left　us　behind！〃

〃To　deceive　me；　too！　　Me；　an　honorable　Englishman！　　I　will　make
a　complaint　at　the　chancellor's　office　and　have　the　fellow　hanged。〃

This　was　said　in　a　very　angry　tone；　but　was　suddenly　interrupted
by　a　burst　of　laughter　from　his　companion；　who　exclaimed；
〃Well！　this　is　a　good　joke；　I　must　say。〃

〃You　venture　to　laugh！〃　said　the　Briton　angrily。

〃Certainly；　my　dear　confrere；　and　that　most　heartily。
'Pon　my　word　I　never　saw　anything　to　come　up　to　it。〃

Just　then　a　crashing　clap　of　thunder　re…echoed　through　the　defile；
and　then　died　away　among　the　distant　peaks。　　When　the　sound
of　the　last　growl　had　ceased；　the　merry　voice　went　on：
〃Yes；　it　undoubtedly　is　a　good　joke。　　This　machine　certainly
never　came　from　France。〃

〃Nor　from　England；〃　replied　the　other。

On　the　road；　by　the　light　of　the　flashes；　Michael　saw；　twenty　yards
from　him；　two　travelers；　seated　side　by　side　in　a　most　peculiar　vehicle；
the　wheels　of　which　were　deeply　imbedded　in　the　ruts　formed　in　the　road。

He　approached　them；　the　one　grinning　from　ear　to　ear；　and　the　other
gloomily　contemplating　his　situation；　and　recognized　them　as　the　two
reporters　who　had　been　his　companions　on　board　the　Caucasus。

〃Good…morning　to　you；　sir；〃　cried　the　Frenchman。　　〃Delighted　to　see
you　here。　　Let　me　introduce　you　to　my　intimate　enemy；　Mr。　Blount。〃