michael strogoff-第2章

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for　the　Englishman　acted　as　correspondent　of　the　Daily　Telegraph；
and　the　Frenchman；　as　correspondent　of　what　newspaper；
or　of　what　newspapers；　he　did　not　say；　and　when　asked；
he　replied　in　a　jocular　manner　that　he　corresponded　with　〃his
cousin　Madeleine。〃　　This　Frenchman；　however；　neath　his
careless　surface；　was　wonderfully　shrewd　and　sagacious。
Even　while　speaking　at　random；　perhaps　the　better　to　hide　his　desire
to　learn；　he　never　forgot　himself。　　His　loquacity　even　helped　him
to　conceal　his　thoughts；　and　he　was　perhaps　even　more　discreet
than　his　confrere　of　the　Daily　Telegraph。　　Both　were　present
at　this　fete　given　at　the　New　Palace　on　the　night　of　the　15th
of　July　in　their　character　of　reporters。

It　is　needless　to　say　that　these　two　men　were　devoted　to　their　mission
in　the　worldthat　they　delighted　to　throw　themselves　in　the　track
of　the　most　unexpected　intelligencethat　nothing　terrified　or
discouraged　them　from　succeedingthat　they　possessed　the　imperturbable
sang　froid　and　the　genuine　intrepidity　of　men　of　their　calling。
Enthusiastic　jockeys　in　this　steeplechase；　this　hunt　after　information；
they　leaped　hedges；　crossed　rivers；　sprang　over　fences；　with　the　ardor
of　pure…blooded　racers；　who　will　run　〃a　good　first〃　or　die！

Their　journals　did　not　restrict　them　with　regard　to　money
the　surest；　the　most　rapid；　the　most　perfect　element　of　information
known　to　this　day。　　It　must　also　be　added；　to　their　honor；
that　neither　the　one　nor　the　other　ever　looked　over　or　listened
at　the　walls　of　private　life；　and　that　they　only　exercised
their　vocation　when　political　or　social　interests　were　at　stake。
In　a　word；　they　made　what　has　been　for　some　years　called　〃the
great　political　and　military　reports。〃

It　will　be　seen；　in　following　them；　that　they　had　generally　an
independent　mode　of　viewing　events；　and；　above　all；　their　consequences；
each　having　his　own　way　of　observing　and　appreciating。

The　French　correspondent　was　named　Alcide　Jolivet。　　Harry　Blount
was　the　name　of　the　Englishman。　　They　had　just　met　for　the　first　time
at　this　fete　in　the　New　Palace；　of　which　they　had　been　ordered　to　give
an　account　in　their　papers。　　The　dissimilarity　of　their　characters；
added　to　a　certain　amount　of　jealousy；　which　generally　exists
between　rivals　in　the　same　calling；　might　have　rendered　them
but　little　sympathetic。　　However；　they　did　not　avoid　each　other；
but　endeavored　rather　to　exchange　with　each　other　the　chat　of　the　day。
They　were　sportsmen；　after　all；　hunting　on　the　same　ground。
That　which　one　missed　might　be　advantageously　secured　by　the　other；
and　it　was　to　their　interest　to　meet　and　converse。

This　evening　they　were　both　on　the　look　out；　they　felt；　in　fact；
that　there　was　something　in　the　air。

〃Even　should　it　be　only　a　wildgoose　chase；〃　said　Alcide　Jolivet
to　himself；　〃it　may　be　worth　powder　and　shot。〃

The　two　correspondents　therefore　began　by　cautiously　sounding　each　other。

〃Really；　my　dear　sir；　this　little　fete　is　charming！〃
said　Alcide　Jolivet　pleasantly；　thinking　himself　obliged　to　begin
the　conversation　with　this　eminently　French　phrase。

〃I　have　telegraphed　already；　'splendid！'〃　replied　Harry　Blount　calmly；
employing　the　word　specially　devoted　to　expressing　admiration　by　all
subjects　of　the　United　Kingdom。

〃Nevertheless；〃　added　Alcide　Jolivet；　〃I　felt　compelled　to　remark
to　my　cousin〃

〃Your　cousin？〃　repeated　Harry　Blount　in　a　tone　of　surprise；
interrupting　his　brother　of　the　pen。

〃Yes；〃　returned　Alcide　Jolivet；　〃my　cousin　Madeleine。　　It　is　with　her
that　I　correspond；　and　she　likes　to　be　quickly　and　well　informed；
does　my　cousin。　　I　therefore　remarked　to　her　that；　during　this　fete；
a　sort　of　cloud　had　appeared　to　overshadow　the　sovereign's　brow。〃

〃To　me；　it　seemed　radiant；〃　replied　Harry　Blount；　who　perhaps；
wished　to　conceal　his　real　opinion　on　this　topic。

〃And；　naturally；　you　made　it　'radiant；'　in　the　columns　of
the　Daily　Telegraph。〃

〃Exactly。〃

〃Do　you　remember；　Mr。　Blount；　what　occurred　at　Zakret　in　1812？〃

〃I　remember　it　as　well　as　if　I　had　been　there；　sir；〃
replied　the　English　correspondent。

〃Then；〃　continued　Alcide　Jolivet；　〃you　know　that；　in　the　middle　of　a
fete　given　in　his　honor；　it　was　announced　to　the　Emperor　Alexander
that　Napoleon　had　just　crossed　the　Niemen　with　the　vanguard　of
the　French　army。　　Nevertheless　the　Emperor　did　not　leave　the　fete；
and　notwithstanding　the　extreme　gravity　of　intelligence　which　might　cost
him　his　empire；　he　did　not　allow　himself　to　show　more　uneasiness。〃

〃Than　our　host　exhibited　when　General　Kissoff　informed　him
that　the　telegraphic　wires　had　just　been　cut　between　the　frontier
and　the　government　of　Irkutsk。〃

〃Ah！　you　are　aware　of　that？〃

〃I　am！〃

〃As　regards　myself；　it　would　be　difficult　to　avoid　knowing　it；
since　my　last　telegram　reached　Udinsk；〃　observed　Alcide　Jolivet；
with　some　satisfaction。

〃And　mine　only　as　far　as　Krasnoiarsk；〃　answered　Harry　Blount；
in　a　no　less　satisfied　tone。

〃Then　you　know　also　that　orders　have　been　sent　to　the
troops　of　Nikolaevsk？〃

〃I　do；　sir；　and　at　the　same　time　a　telegram　was　sent　to　the　Cossacks
of　the　government　of　Tobolsk　to　concentrate　their　forces。〃

〃Nothing　can　be　more　true；　Mr。　Blount；　I　was　equally　well　acquainted
with　these　measures；　and　you　may　be　sure　that　my　dear　cousin　shall
know　of　them　to…morrow。〃

〃Exactly　as　the　readers　of　the　Daily　Telegraph　shall　know
it　also；　M。　Jolivet。〃

〃Well；　when　one　sees　all　that　is　going　on。　。　。　。〃

〃And　when　one　hears　all　that　is　said。　。　。　。〃

〃An　interesting　campaign　to　follow；　Mr。　Blount。〃

〃I　shall　follow　it；　M。　Jolivet！〃

〃Then　it　is　possible　that　we　shall　find　ourselves　on　ground
less　safe；　perhaps；　than　the　floor　of　this　ball…room。〃

〃Less　safe；　certainly；　but〃

〃But　much　less　slippery；〃　added　Alcide　Jolivet；　holding　up　his　companion；
just　as　the　latter；　drawing　back；　was　about　to　lose　his　equilibrium。

Thereupon　the　two　correspondents　separated；　pleased　that　the　one
had　not　stolen　a　march　on　the　other。

At　that　moment　the　doors　of　the　rooms　adjoining　the　great　reception
saloon　were　thrown　open；　disclosing　to　view　several　immense　tables
beautifully　laid　out；　and　groaning　under　a　profusion　of　valuable
china　and　gold　plate。　　On　the　central　table；　reserved　for
the　princes；　princesses；　and　members　of　the　corps　diplomatique；
glittered　an　epergne　of　inestimable　price；　brought　from　London；
and　around　this　chef…d'oeuvre　of　chased　gold　reflected　under
the　light　of　the　lusters　a　thousand　pieces　of　most　beautiful
service　from　the　manufactories　of　Sevres。

The　guests　of　the　New　Palace　immediately　began　to　stream
towards　the　supper…rooms。

At　that　moment。　　General　Kissoff；　who　had　just　re…entered；　quickly
approached　the　officer　of　chasseurs。

〃Well？〃　asked　the　latter　abruptly；　as　he　had　done　the　former　time。

〃Telegrams　pass　Tomsk　no　longer；　sire。〃

〃A　courier　this　moment！〃

The　officer　left　the　hall　and　entered　a　large　antechamber　adjoining。
It　was　a　cabinet　with　plain　oak　furniture；　situated　in　an　angle　of
the　New　Palace。　　Several　pictures；　amongst　others　some　by　Horace　Vernet；
hung　on　the　wall。

The　officer　hastily　opened　a　window；　as　if　he　felt　the　want
of　air；　and　stepped　out　on　a　balcony　to　breathe　the　pure
atmosphere　of　a　lovely　July　night。　　Beneath　his　eyes；
bathed　in　moonlight；　lay　a　fortified　inclosure；　from　which
rose　two　cathedrals；　three　palaces；　and　an　arsenal。
Around　this　inclosure　could　be　seen　three　distinct　towns：
Kitai…Gorod；　Beloi…Gorod；　Zemlianai…GorodEuropean；　Tartar；
and　Chinese　quarters　of　great　extent；　commanded　by　towers；
belfries；　minarets；　and　the　cupolas　of　three　hundred　churches；
with　green　domes；　surmounted　by　the　silver　cross。
A　little　winding　river；　here　and　there　reflected　the　rays
of　the　moon。

This　river　was　the　Moskowa；　the　town　Moscow；　the　fortified　inclosure
the　Kremlin；　and　the　officer　of　chasseurs　of　the　guard；　who；　with　folded
arms　and　thoughtful　brow；　was　listening　dreamily　to　the　sounds　floating
from　the　New　Palace　over　the　old　Muscovite　city；　was　the　Czar。


CHAPTER　II　RUSSIANS　AND　TARTARS

THE　Czar　had　not　so　suddenly　left　the　ball…room　of　the　New　Palace；
when　the　fete　he　was　giving　to　the　civil　and　military　authorities
and　principal　people　of　Moscow　was　at　the　height　of　its　brilliancy；
without　ample　cause；　for　he　had　just　received　information　that　serious
events　were　taking　place　beyond　the　frontiers　of　the　Ural。　　It　had　become
evident　that　a　formidable　rebellion　threatened　to　wrest　the　Siberian
provinces　from　the　Russian　crown。

Asiatic　Russia；　or　Siberia；　covers　a　superficial　area　of　1；790；208
square　miles；　and　contains　nearly　two　millions　of　inhabitants。
Extending　from　the　Ural　Mountains；　which　separate　it
from　Russia　in　Europe；　to　the　shores　of　the　Pacific　Ocean；
it　is　bounded　on　the　south　by　Turkestan　and　the　Chinese　Empire；
on　the　north　by　the　Arctic　Ocean；　from　the　Sea　of　Kara
to　Behring's　Straits。　　It　is　divided　into　several　governments
or　provinces；　those　of　Tobolsk；　Yeniseisk；　Irkutsk；　Omsk；
and　Yakutsk；　contains　two　districts；　Okhotsk　and　Kamtschatka；
and　possesses　two　countries；　now　under　the　Muscovite　dominion
that　of　the　Kirghiz　and　that　of　the　Tshouktshes。　　This　immense
extent　of　steppes；　which　includes　more　than　one　hundred　and
ten　degrees　from　west　to　east；　is　a　land　to　which　criminals
and　political　offenders　are　banished。

Two　governor…generals　represent　the　supreme　authority　of　the　Czar
over　this　vast　country。　　The　higher　one　resides　at　Irkutsk；
the　far　capital　of　Eastern　Siberia。　　The　River　Tchouna　separates
the　two　Siberias。

No　rail　yet　furrows　these　wide　plains；　some　of　which　are　in　reality
extremely　fertile。　　No　iron　ways　lead　from　those　precious　mines
which　make　the　Siberian　soil　far　richer　below　than　above　its　surface。
The　traveler　journeys　in　summer　in　a　kibick　or　telga；　in　winter；
in　a　sledge。

An　electric　telegraph；　with　a　single　wire　more　than　eight　thousand
versts　in　length；　alone　affords　communication　between　the　western
and　eastern　frontiers　of　Siberia。　　On　issuing　from　the　Ural；　it　passes
through　Ekaterenburg；　Kasirnov；　Tioumen；　Ishim；　Omsk；　Elamsk；　Kolyvan；
Tomsk；　Krasnoiarsk；　Nijni…Udinsk；　Irkutsk；　Verkne…Nertschink；　Strelink；
Albazine；　Blagowstenks；　Radde；　Orlomskaya；　Alexandrowskoe；　and　Nikolaevsk；
and　six　roubles　and　nineteen　copecks　are　paid　for　every　word　sent
from　one　end　to　the　other。　　From　Irkutsk　there　is　a　branch　to　Kiatka；
on　the　Mongolian　frontier；　and　from　thence；　for　thirty　copecks　a　word；
the　post　conveys　the　dispatches　to　Pekin　in　a　fortnight。

It　was　this　wire；　extending　from　Ekaterenburg　to　Nikolaevsk；
which　had　been　cut；　first　beyond　Tomsk；　and　then　between
Tomsk　and　Kolyvan。

This　was　why　the　Czar；　to　the　communication　made　to　him　for
the　second　time　by　General　Kissoff；　had　answered　by　the　words；
〃A　courier　this　moment！〃

The　Czar　remained　motionless　at　the　window　for　a　few　moments；
when　the　door　was　again　opened。　　The　chief　of　police　appeared
on　the　threshold。

〃Enter；　General；〃　said　the　Czar　briefly；　〃and　tell　me　all　you
know　of　Ivan　Ogareff。〃

〃He　is　an　extremely　dangerous　man；　sire；〃　replied　the　chief　of　police。

〃He　ranked　as　colonel；　did　he　not？〃

〃Yes；　sire。〃

〃Was　he　an　i