michael strogoff-第17章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


two　horses；　reappeared。　　He　cast　a　regretful　glance　at　the　magnificent
animal　lying　on　the　ground；　loth　to　leave　it　to　the　birds　of　prey；
and　then　proceeded　once　more　to　harness　his　team。

Michael　acquainted　him　with　the　travelers'　situation；　and　his　intention
of　loaning　one　of　the　horses。

〃As　you　please；〃　replied　the　iemschik。　　〃Only；　you　know；
two　carriages　instead　of　one。〃

〃All　right；　my　friend；〃　said　Alcide；　who　understood　the　insinuation；
〃we　will　pay　double。〃

〃Then　gee　up；　my　turtle…doves！〃　cried　the　iemschik。

Nadia　again　took　her　place　in　the　tarantass。　　Michael　and　his
companions　followed　on　foot。　　It　was　three　o'clock。　The　storm　still
swept　with　terrific　violence　across　the　defile。　　When　the　first
streaks　of　daybreak　appeared　the　tarantass　had　reached　the　telga；
which　was　still　conscientiously　imbedded　as　far　as　the　center
of　the　wheel。　　Such　being　the　case；　it　can　be　easily　understood
how　a　sudden　jerk　would　separate　the　front　from　the　hinder　part。
One　of　the　horses　was　now　harnessed　by　means　of　cords
to　the　remains　of　the　telga；　the　reporters　took　their　place
on　the　singular　equipage；　and　the　two　carriages　started　off。
They　had　now　only　to　descend　the　Ural　slopes；　in　doing　which　there
was　not　the　slightest　difficulty。

Six　hours　afterwards　the　two　vehicles；　the　tarantass　preceding
the　telga；　arrived　at　Ekaterenburg；　nothing　worthy　of　note　having
happened　in　the　descent。

The　first　person　the　reporters　perceived　at　the　door　of　the　post…house
was　their　iemschik；　who　appeared　to　be　waiting　for　them。
This　worthy　Russian　had　a　fine　open　countenance；　and　he　smilingly
approached　the　travelers；　and；　holding　out　his　hand；　in　a　quiet
tone　he　demanded　the　usual　〃pour…boire。〃

This　very　cool　request　roused　Blount's　ire　to　its　highest　pitch；
and　had　not　the　iemschik　prudently　retreated；　a　straight…out
blow　of　the　fist；　in　true　British　boxing　style；　would　have　paid
his　claim　of　〃na　vodkou。〃

Alcide　Jolivet；　at　this　burst　of　anger；　laughed　as　he　had
never　laughed　before。

〃But　the　poor　devil　is　quite　right！〃　he　cried。
〃He　is　perfectly　right；　my　dear　fellow。　　It　is　not　his　fault
if　we　did　not　know　how　to　follow　him！〃

Then　drawing　several　copecks　from　his　pocket；　〃Here　my　friend；〃
said　he；　handing　them　to　the　iemschik；　〃take　them。
If　you　have　not　earned　them；　that　is　not　your　fault。〃

This　redoubled　Mr。　Blount's　irritation。　　He　even　began　to　speak
of　a　lawsuit　against　the　owner　of　the　telga。

〃A　lawsuit　in　Russia；　my　dear　fellow！〃　cried　Alcide。　　〃Things　must
indeed　change　should　it　ever　be　brought　to　a　conclusion！
Did　you　never　hear　the　story　of　the　wet…nurse　who　claimed　payment
of　twelve　months'　nursing　of　some　poor　little　infant？〃

〃I　never　heard　it；〃　replied　Harry　Blount。

〃Then　you　do　not　know　what　that　suckling　had　become　by　the　time
judgment　was　given　in　favor　of　the　nurse？〃

〃What　was　he；　pray？〃

〃Colonel　of　the　Imperial　Guard！〃

At　this　reply　all　burst　into　a　laugh。

Alcide；　enchanted　with　his　own　joke；　drew　out　his　notebook；
and　in　it　wrote　the　following　memorandum；　destined　to
figure　in　a　forthcoming　French　and　Russian　dictionary：
〃Telga；　a　Russian　carriage　with　four　wheels；　that　is　when　it　starts；
with　two　wheels；　when　it　arrives　at　its　destination。〃


CHAPTER　XII　PROVOCATION

EKATERENBURG；　geographically；　is　an　Asiatic　city；　for　it　is　situated
beyond　the　Ural　Mountains；　on　the　farthest　eastern　slopes　of　the　chain。
Nevertheless；　it　belongs　to　the　government　of　Perm；　and；　consequently；
is　included　in　one　of　the　great　divisions　of　European　Russia。　　It　is
as　though　a　morsel　of　Siberia　lay　in　Russian　jaws。

Neither　Michael　nor　his　companions　were　likely　to　experience
the　slightest　difficulty　in　obtaining　means　of　continuing　their
journey　in　so　large　a　town　as　Ekaterenburg。　　It　was　founded　in　1723；
and　has　since　become　a　place　of　considerable　size；　for　in　it
is　the　chief　mint　of　the　empire。　　There　also　are　the　headquarters
of　the　officials　employed　in　the　management　of　the　mines。
Thus　the　town　is　the　center　of　an　important　district；
abounding　in　manufactories　principally　for　the　working　and　refining
of　gold　and　platina。

Just　now　the　population　of　Ekaterenburg　had　greatly　increased；
many　Russians　and　Siberians；　menaced　by　the　Tartar　invasion；
having　collected　there。　　Thus；　though　it　had　been　so　troublesome
a　matter　to　find　horses　and　vehicles　when　going　to　Ekaterenburg；
there　was　no　difficulty　in　leaving　it；　for　under　present　circumstances
few　travelers　cared　to　venture　on　the　Siberian　roads。

So　it　happened　that　Blount　and　Alcide　had　not　the　slightest　trouble
in　replacing；　by　a　sound　telga；　the　famous　demi…carriage　which　had　managed
to　take　them　to　Ekaterenburg。　　As　to　Michael；　he　retained　his　tarantass；
which　was　not　much　the　worse　for　its　journey　across　the　Urals；
and　he　had　only　to　harness　three　good　horses　to　it　to　take　him　swiftly
over　the　road　to　Irkutsk。

As　far　as　Tioumen；　and　even　up　to　Novo…Zaimskoe；　this　road　has
slight　inclines；　which　gentle　undulations　are　the　first　signs
of　the　slopes　of　the　Ural　Mountains。　　But　after　Novo…Zaimskoe
begins　the　immense　steppe。

At　Ichim；　as　we　have　said；　the　reporters　intended　to　stop；　that　is　at
about　four　hundred　and　twenty　miles　from　Ekaterenburg。　　There　they
intended　to　be　guided　by　circumstances　as　to　their　route　across
the　invaded　country；　either　together　or　separately；　according　as　their
news…hunting　instinct　set　them　on　one　track　or　another。

This　road　from　Ekaterenburg　to　Ichimwhich　passes　through　Irkutsk
was　the　only　one　which　Michael　could　take。　　But；　as　he　did　not　run
after　news；　and　wished；　on　the　contrary；　to　avoid　the　country
devastated　by　the　invaders；　he　determined　to　stop　nowhere。

〃I　am　very　happy　to　make　part　of　my　journey　in　your　company；〃
said　he　to　his　new　companions；　〃but　I　must　tell　you　that　I　am　most　anxious
to　reach　Omsk；　for　my　sister　and　I　are　going　to　rejoin　our　mother。
Who　can　say　whether　we　shall　arrive　before　the　Tartars　reach　the　town！
I　must　therefore　stop　at　the　post…houses　only　long　enough　to
change　horses；　and　must　travel　day　and　night。〃

〃That　is　exactly　what　we　intend　doing；〃　replied　Blount。

〃Good；〃　replied　Michael；　〃but　do　not　lose　an　instant。
Buy　or　hire　a　carriage　whose〃

〃Whose　hind　wheels；〃　added　Alcide；　〃are　warranted　to　arrive
at　the　same　time　as　its　front　wheels。〃

Half　an　hour　afterwards　the　energetic　Frenchman　had　found　a
tarantass　in　which　he　and　his　companion　at　once　seated　themselves。
Michael　and　Nadia　once　more　entered　their　own　carriage；　and　at　twelve
o'clock　the　two　vehicles　left　the　town　of　Ekaterenburg　together。

Nadia　was　at　last　in　Siberia；　on　that　long　road　which　led
to　Irkutsk。　　What　must　then　have　been　the　thoughts　of　the　young　girl？
Three　strong　swift　horses　were　taking　her　across　that　land
of　exile　where　her　parent　was　condemned　to　live；　for　how　long
she　knew　not；　and　so　far　from　his　native　land。　　But　she　scarcely
noticed　those　long　steppes　over　which　the　tarantass　was　rolling；
and　which　at　one　time　she　had　despaired　of　ever　seeing；
for　her　eyes　were　gazing　at　the　horizon；　beyond　which　she　knew
her　banished　father　was。　　She　saw　nothing　of　the　country　across
which　she　was　traveling　at　the　rate　of　fifteen　versts　an　hour；
nothing　of　these　regions　of　Western　Siberia；　so　different　from
those　of　the　east。　　Here；　indeed；　were　few　cultivated　fields；
the　soil　was　poor；　at　least　at　the　surface；　but　in　its　bowels
lay　hid　quantities　of　iron；　copper；　platina；　and　gold。
How　can　hands　be　found　to　cultivate　the　land；　when　it　pays　better
to　burrow　beneath　the　earth？　　The　pickaxe　is　everywhere　at　work；
the　spade　nowhere。

However；　Nadia's　thoughts　sometimes　left　the　provinces
of　Lake　Baikal；　and　returned　to　her　present　situation。
Her　father's　image　faded　away；　and　was　replaced　by　that　of　her
generous　companion　as　he　first　appeared　on　the　Vladimir　railroad。
She　recalled　his　attentions　during　that　journey；　his　arrival　at
the　police…station；　the　hearty　simplicity　with　which　he　had　called
her　sister；　his　kindness　to　her　in　the　descent　of　the　Volga；
and　then　all　that　he　did　for　her　on　that　terrible　night
of　the　storm　in　the　Urals；　when　he　saved　her　life　at　the　peril
of　his　own。

Thus　Nadia　thought　of　Michael。　　She　thanked　God　for　having　given
her　such　a　gallant　protector；　a　friend　so　generous　and　wise。
She　knew　that　she　was　safe　with　him；　under　his　protection。
No　brother　could　have　done　more　than　he。　　All　obstacles
seemed　cleared　away；　the　performance　of　her　journey　was　but　a
matter　of　time。

Michael　remained　buried　in　thought。　　He　also　thanked　God
for　having　brought　about　this　meeting　with　Nadia；　which　at
the　same　time　enabled　him　to　do　a　good　action；　and　afforded
him　additional　means　for　concealing　his　true　character。
He　delighted　in　the　young　girl's　calm　intrepidity。
Was　she　not　indeed　his　sister？　　His　feeling　towards　his　beautiful
and　brave　companion　was　rather　respect　than　affection。
He　felt　that　hers　was　one　of　those　pure　and　rare　hearts　which
are　held　by　all　in　high　esteem。

However；　Michael's　dangers　were　now　beginning；　since　he　had
reached　Siberian　ground。　　If　the　reporters　were　not　mistaken；
if　Ivan　Ogareff　had　really　passed　the　frontier；　all　his　actions
must　be　made　with　extreme　caution。　　Things　were　now　altered；
Tartar　spies　swarmed　in　the　Siberian　provinces。　　His　incognito
once　discovered；　his　character　as　courier　of　the　Czar　known；
there　was　an　end　of　his　journey；　and　probably　of　his　life。
Michael　felt　now　more　than　ever　the　weight　of　his　responsibility。

While　such　were　the　thoughts　of　those　occupying　the　first　carriage；
what　was　happening　in　the　second？　　Nothing　out　of　the　way。
Alcide　spoke　in　sentences；　Blount　replied　by　monosyllables。
Each　looked　at　everything　in　his　own　light；　and　made　notes　of　such
incidents　as　occurred　on　the　journeyfew　and　but　slightly　varied
while　they　crossed　the　provinces　of　Western　Siberia。

At　each　relay　the　reporters　descended　from　their　carriage
and　found　themselves　with　Michael。　　Except　when　meals　were　to　be
taken　at　the　post…houses；　Nadia　did　not　leave　the　tarantass。
When　obliged　to　breakfast　or　dine；　she　sat　at　table；　but　was
always　very　reserved；　and　seldom　joined　in　conversation。

Alcide；　without　going　beyond　the　limits　of　strict　propriety；
showed　that　he　was　greatly　struck　by　the　young　girl。
He　admired　the　silent　energy　which　she　showed　in　bearing　all
the　fatigues　of　so　difficult　a　journey。

The　forced　stoppages　were　anything　but　agreeable　to　Michael；
so　he　hastened　the　departure　at　each　relay；　roused　the　innkeepers；
urged　on　the　iemschiks；　and　expedited　the　harnessing　of　the　tarantass。
Then　the　hurried　meal　overalways　much　too　hurried　to　agree　with　Blount；
who　was　a　methodical　eaterthey　started；　and　were　driven　as　eagles；
for　they　paid　like　princes。

It　need　scarcely　be　said　that　Blount　did　not　trouble　himself
about　the　girl　at　table。　　That　gentleman　was　not　in　the　habit
of　doing　two　things　at　once。　　She　was　also　one　of　the　few
subjects　of　conversation　which　he　did　not　care　to　discuss
with　his　companion。

Alcide　having　asked　him；　on　one　occasion；　how　old　he　thought　the　girl；
〃What　girl？〃　he　replied；　quite　seriously。

〃Why；　Nicholas　Korpanoff's　sister。〃

〃Is　she　his　s