michael strogoff-第20章

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obeying　these　words　would　certainly　have　drawn　public　attention
to　himselfa　thing　above　all　to　be　avoided　by　the　Czar's　courier。
As　to　the　iemschik's　hesitation；　either　the　rascal　traded　on
the　traveler's　impatience　or　he　really　had　good　reason　to　fear。

However；　at　last　the　tarantass　started；　and　made　such　good　way
that　by　three　in　the　afternoon　it　had　reached　Koulatsinskoe；
fifty　miles　farther　on。　　An　hour　after　this　it　was　on　the　banks
of　the　Irtych。　　Omsk　was　now　only　fourteen　miles　distant。

The　Irtych　is　a　large　river；　and　one　of　the　principal　of　those　which　flow
towards　the　north　of　Asia。　　Rising　in　the　Altai　Mountains；　it　flows
from　the　southeast　to　the　northwest　and　empties　itself　into　the　Obi；
after　a　course　of　four　thousand　miles。

At　this　time　of　year；　when　all　the　rivers　of　the　Siberian　basin
are　much　swollen；　the　waters　of　the　Irtych　were　very　high。
In　consequence　the　current　was　changed　to　a　regular　torrent；
rendering　the　passage　difficult　enough。　　A　swimmer　could　not
have　crossed；　however　powerful；　and　even　in　a　ferryboat　there
would　be　some　danger。

But　Michael　and　Nadia；　determined　to　brave　all　perils　whatever
they　might　be；　did　not　dream　of　shrinking　from　this　one。
Michael　proposed　to　his　young　companion　that　he　should　cross　first；
embarking　in　the　ferryboat　with　the　tarantass　and　horses；
as　he　feared　that　the　weight　of　this　load　would　render　it　less　safe。
After　landing　the　carriage　he　would　return　and　fetch　Nadia。

The　girl　refused。　　It　would　be　the　delay　of　an　hour；　and　she　would　not；
for　her　safety　alone；　be　the　cause　of　it。

The　embarkation　was　made　not　without　difficulty；　for　the　banks
were　partly　flooded　and　the　boat　could　not　get　in　near　enough。
However；　after　half　an　hour's　exertion；　the　boatmen　got　the　tarantass
and　the　three　horses　on　board。　　The　passengers　embarked　also；
and　they　shoved　off。

For　a　few　minutes　all　went　well。　　A　little　way　up　the　river
the　current　was　broken　by　a　long　point　projecting　from　the　bank；
and　forming　an　eddy　easily　crossed　by　the　boat。　　The　two　boatmen
propelled　their　barge　with　long　poles；　which　they　handled　cleverly；
but　as　they　gained　the　middle　of　the　stream　it　grew　deeper
and　deeper；　until　at　last　they　could　only　just　reach　the　bottom。
The　ends　of　the　poles　were　only　a　foot　above　the　water；
which　rendered　their　use　difficult。　　Michael　and　Nadia；
seated　in　the　stern　of　the　boat；　and　always　in　dread　of　a　delay；
watched　the　boatmen　with　some　uneasiness。

〃Look　out！〃　cried　one　of　them　to　his　comrade。

The　shout　was　occasioned　by　the　new　direction　the　boat　was
rapidly　taking。　　It　had　got　into　the　direct　current　and　was
being　swept　down　the　river。　　By　diligent　use　of　the　poles；
putting　the　ends　in　a　series　of　notches　cut　below　the　gunwale；
the　boatmen　managed　to　keep　the　craft　against　the　stream；
and　slowly　urged　it　in　a　slanting　direction　towards　the　right　bank。

They　calculated　on　reaching　it　some　five　or　six　versts　below
the　landing　place；　but；　after　all；　that　would　not　matter
so　long　as　men　and　beasts　could　disembark　without　accident。
The　two　stout　boatmen；　stimulated　moreover　by　the　promise
of　double　fare；　did　not　doubt　of　succeeding　in　this　difficult
passage　of　the　Irtych。

But　they　reckoned　without　an　accident　which　they　were　powerless
to　prevent；　and　neither　their　zeal　nor　their　skill…fulness　could；
under　the　circumstances；　have　done　more。

The　boat　was　in　the　middle　of　the　current；　at　nearly　equal
distances　from　either　shore；　and　being　carried　down　at　the　rate
of　two　versts　an　hour；　when　Michael；　springing　to　his　feet；
bent　his　gaze　up　the　river。

Several　boats；　aided　by　oars　as　well　as　by　the　current；
were　coming　swiftly　down　upon　them。

Michael's　brow　contracted；　and　a　cry　escaped　him。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　asked　the　girl。

But　before　Michael　had　time　to　reply　one　of　the　boatmen　exclaimed
in　an　accent　of　terror：

〃The　Tartars！　the　Tartars！〃

There　were　indeed　boats　full　of　soldiers；　and　in　a　few　minutes　they　must
reach　the　ferryboat；　it　being　too　heavily　laden　to　escape　from　them。

The　terrified　boatmen　uttered　exclamations　of　despair　and
dropped　their　poles。

〃Courage；　my　friends！〃　cried　Michael；　〃courage！　　Fifty　roubles　for　you
if　we　reach　the　right　bank　before　the　boats　overtake　us。〃

Incited　by　these　words；　the　boatmen　again　worked　manfully　but　it　soon
become　evident　that　they　could　not　escape　the　Tartars。

It　was　scarcely　probable　that　they　would　pass　without　attacking　them。
On　the　contrary；　there　was　everything　to　be　feared　from　robbers
such　as　these。

〃Do　not　be　afraid；　Nadia；〃　said　Michael；　〃but　be　ready　for　anything。〃

〃I　am　ready；〃　replied　Nadia。

〃Even　to　leap　into　the　water　when　I　tell　you？〃

〃Whenever　you　tell　me。〃

〃Have　confidence　in　me；　Nadia。〃

〃I　have；　indeed！〃

The　Tartar　boats　were　now　only　a　hundred　feet　distant。
They　carried　a　detachment　of　Bokharian　soldiers；　on　their　way
to　reconnoiter　around　Omsk。

The　ferryboat　was　still　two　lengths　from　the　shore。
The　boatmen　redoubled　their　efforts。　　Michael　himself
seized　a　pole　and　wielded　it　with　superhuman　strength。
If　he　could　land　the　tarantass　and　horses；　and　dash　off
with　them；　there　was　some　chance　of　escaping　the　Tartars；
who　were　not　mounted。

But　all　their　efforts　were　in　vain。　　〃Saryn　na　kitchou！〃
shouted　the　soldiers　from　the　first　boat。

Michael　recognized　the　Tartar　war…cry；　which　is　usually　answered
by　lying　flat　on　the　ground。　　As　neither　he　nor　the　boatmen　obeyed
a　volley　was　let　fly；　and　two　of　the　horses　were　mortally　wounded。

At　the　next　moment　a　violent　blow　was　felt。　　The　boats　had　run
into　the　ferryboat。

〃Come；　Nadia！〃　cried　Michael；　ready　to　jump　overboard。

The　girl　was　about　to　follow　him；　when　a　blow　from　a　lance　struck　him；
and　he　was　thrown　into　the　water。　　The　current　swept　him　away；　his　hand
raised　for　an　instant　above　the　waves；　and　then　he　disappeared。

Nadia　uttered　a　cry；　but　before　she　had　time　to　throw　herself
after　him　she　was　seized　and　dragged　into　one　of　the　boats。
The　boatmen　were　killed；　the　ferryboat　left　to　drift　away；
and　the　Tartars　continued　to　descend　the　Irtych。


CHAPTER　XIV　MOTHER　AND　SON

OMSK　is　the　official　capital　of　Western　Siberia。　　It　is　not
the　most　important　city　of　the　government　of　that　name；　for　Tomsk
has　more　inhabitants　and　is　larger。　　But　it　is　at　Omsk　that　the
Governor…General　of　this　the　first　half　of　Asiatic　Russia　resides。
Omsk；　properly　so　called；　is　composed　of　two　distinct　towns：
one　which　is　exclusively　inhabited　by　the　authorities　and　officials；
the　other　more　especially　devoted　to　the　Siberian　merchants；
although；　indeed；　the　trade　of　the　town　is　of　small　importance。

This　city　has　about　12；000　to　13；000　inhabitants。
It　is　defended　by　walls；　but　these　are　merely　of　earth；
and　could　afford　only　insufficient　protection。　　The　Tartars；
who　were　well　aware　of　this　fact；　consequently　tried　at　this
period　to　carry　it　by　main　force；　and　in　this　they　succeeded；
after　an　investment　of　a　few　days。

The　garrison　of　Omsk；　reduced　to　two　thousand　men；　resisted　valiantly。
But　driven　back；　little　by　little；　from　the　mercantile　portion
of　the　place；　they　were　compelled　to　take　refuge　in　the　upper　town。

It　was　there　that　the　Governor…General；　his　officers；　and　soldiers
had　entrenched　themselves。　　They　had　made　the　upper　quarter　of　Omsk
a　kind　of　citadel；　and　hitherto　they　held　out　well　in　this　species
of　improvised　〃kreml；〃　but　without　much　hope　of　the　promised　succor。
The　Tartar　troops；　who　were　descending　the　Irtych；　received　every
day　fresh　reinforcements；　and；　what　was　more　serious；
they　were　led　by　an　officer；　a　traitor　to　his　country；　but　a　man
of　much　note；　and　of　an　audacity　equal　to　any　emergency。
This　man　was　Colonel　Ivan　Ogareff。

Ivan　Ogareff；　terrible　as　any　of　the　most　savage　Tartar　chieftains；
was　an　educated　soldier。　　Possessing　on　his　mother's　side　some
Mongolian　blood；　he　delighted　in　deceptive　strategy　and　ambuscades；
stopping　short　of　nothing　when　he　desired　to　fathom　some　secret
or　to　set　some　trap。　　Deceitful　by　nature；　he　willingly　had　recourse
to　the　vilest　trickery；　lying　when　occasion　demanded；　excelling　in
the　adoption　of　all　disguises　and　in　every　species　of　deception。
Further；　he　was　cruel；　and　had　even　acted　as　an　executioner。
Feofar…Khan　possessed　in　him　a　lieutenant　well　capable　of　seconding
his　designs　in　this　savage　war。

When　Michael　Strogoff　arrived　on　the　banks　of　the　Irtych；　Ivan　Ogareff
was　already　master　of　Omsk；　and　was　pressing　the　siege　of　the　upper
quarter　of　the　town　all　the　more　eagerly　because　he　must　hasten　to　Tomsk；
where　the　main　body　of　the　Tartar　army　was　concentrated。

Tomsk；　in　fact；　had　been　taken　by　Feofar…Khan　some　days　previously；
and　it　was　thence　that　the　invaders；　masters　of　Central　Siberia；
were　to　march　upon　Irkutsk。

Irkutsk　was　the　real　object　of　Ivan　Ogareff。　　The　plan　of　the　traitor
was　to　reach　the　Grand　Duke　under　a　false　name；　to　gain　his　confidence；
and　to　deliver　into　Tartar　hands　the　town　and　the　Grand　Duke　himself。
With　such　a　town；　and　such　a　hostage；　all　Asiatic　Siberia　must　necessarily
fall　into　the　hands　of　the　invaders。　　Now　it　was　known　that　the　Czar
was　acquainted　with　this　conspiracy；　and　that　it　was　for　the　purpose　of
baffling　it　that　a　courier　had　been　intrusted　with　the　important　warning。
Hence；　therefore；　the　very　stringent　instructions　which　had　been　given
to　the　young　courier　to　pass　incognito　through　the　invaded　district。

This　mission　he　had　so　far　faithfully　performed；　but　now　could
he　carry　it　to　a　successful　completion？

The　blow　which　had　struck　Michael　Strogoff　was　not　mortal。
By　swimming　in　a　manner　by　which　he　had　effectually　concealed　himself；
he　had　reached　the　right　bank；　where　he　fell　exhausted　among　the　bushes。

When　he　recovered　his　senses；　he　found　himself　in　the　cabin　of　a　mujik；
who　had　picked　him　up　and　cared　for　him。　　For　how　long　a　time　had
he　been　the　guest　of　this　brave　Siberian？　　He　could　not　guess。
But　when　he　opened　his　eyes　he　saw　the　handsome　bearded　face
bending　over　him；　and　regarding　him　with　pitying　eyes。
〃Do　not　speak；　little　father；〃　said　the　mujik；　〃Do　not　speak！
Thou　art　still　too　weak。　　I　will　tell　thee　where　thou　art
and　everything　that　has　passed。〃

And　the　mujik　related　to　Michael　Strogoff　the　different　incidents
of　the　struggle　which　he　had　witnessedthe　attack　upon　the　ferry
by　the　Tartar　boats；　the　pillage　of　the　tarantass；　and　the　massacre
of　the　boatmen。

But　Michael　Strogoff　listened　no　longer；　and　slipping　his　hand　under
his　garment　he　felt　the　imperial　letter　still　secured　in　his　breast。
He　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief。

But　that　was　not　all。　　〃A　young　girl　accompanied　me；〃　said　he。

〃They　have　not　killed　her；〃　replied　the　mujik；　anticipating　the　anxiety
which　he　read　in　the　eyes　of　his　guest。　　〃They　have　carried　her　off
in　their　boat；　and　have　continued　the　descent　of　Irtych。　　It　is　only
one　prisoner　more　to　join　the　many　they　are　taking　to　Tomsk！〃

Michael　Strogoff　was　unable　to　reply。　　He　pressed　his　hand　upon
his　heart　to　restrain　its　beating。　　But；　notwithstanding　these
many　trials；　the　sentiment　of　duty　mastered　his　whole　soul。
〃Where　am　I？〃　asked　he。

〃Upon　the　right　bank　of　the