michael strogoff-第22章

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〃Come；〃　said　the　officer；

Marfa　Strogoff；　with　firm　step；　followed　the　Tartar。　　Some　moments
afterwards　she　found　herself　in　the　chief　square　in　the　presence
of　Ivan　Ogareff；　to　whom　all　the　details　of　this　scene　had
been　immediately　reported。

Ogareff；　suspecting　the　truth；　interrogated　the　old　Siberian　woman。
〃Thy　name？〃　he　asked　in　a　rough　voice。

〃Marfa　Strogoff。〃

〃Thou　hast　a　son？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃He　is　a　courier　of　the　Czar？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Where　is　he？〃

〃At　Moscow。〃

〃Thou　hast　no　news　of　him？〃

〃No　news。〃

〃Since　how　long？〃

〃Since　two　months。〃

〃Who；　then；　was　that　young　man　whom　thou　didst　call　thy　son　a　few
moments　ago　at　the　posting…house？〃

〃A　young　Siberian　whom　I　took　for　him；〃　replied　Marfa　Strogoff。　　〃This　is
the　tenth　man　in　whom　I　have　thought　I　recognized　my　son　since　the　town
has　been　so　full　of　strangers。　　I　think　I　see　him　everywhere。〃

〃So　this　young　man　was　not　Michael　Strogoff？〃

〃It　was　not　Michael　Strogoff。〃

〃Dost　thou　know；　old　woman；　that　I　can　torture　thee　until　thou
avowest　the　truth？〃

〃I　have　spoken　the　truth；　and　torture　will　not　cause　me　to　alter
my　words　in　any　way。〃

〃This　Siberian　was　not　Michael　Strogoff？〃　asked　a　second
time　Ivan　Ogareff。

〃No；　it　was　not　he；〃　replied　a　second　time　Marfa　Strogoff。　　〃Do　you
think　that　for　anything　in　the　world　I　would　deny　a　son　whom　God
has　given　me？〃

Ivan　Ogareff　regarded　with　an　evil　eye　the　old　woman　who　braved
him　to　the　face。　　He　did　not　doubt　but　that　she　had　recognized　her
son　in　this　young　Siberian。　　Now　if　this　son　had　first　renounced
his　mother；　and　if　his　mother　renounced　him　in　her　turn；　it　could
occur　only　from　the　most　weighty　motive。　　Ogareff　had　therefore
no　doubt　that　the　pretended　Nicholas　Korpanoff　was　Michael　Strogoff；
courier　of　the　Czar；　seeking　concealment　under　a　false　name；
and　charged　with　some　mission　which　it　would　have　been　important
for　him　to　know。　　He　therefore　at　once　gave　orders　for　his　pursuit。
Then　〃Let　this　woman　be　conducted　to　Tomsk；〃　he　said。

While　the　soldiers　brutally　dragged　her　off；　he　added　between　his　teeth；
〃When　the　moment　arrives　I　shall　know　how　to　make　her　speak；
this　old　sorceress！〃


CHAPTER　XV　THE　MARSHES　OF　THE　BARABA

IT　was　fortunate　that　Michael　Strogoff　had　left　the　posting…house
so　promptly。　　The　orders　of　Ivan　Ogareff　had　been　immediately
transmitted　to　all　the　approaches　of　the　city；　and　a　full
description　of　Michael　sent　to　all　the　various　commandants；
in　order　to　prevent　his　departure　from　Omsk。　　But　he　had
already　passed　through　one　of　the　breaches　in　the　wall；
his　horse　was　galloping　over　the　steppe；　and　the　chances
of　escape　were　in　his　favor。

It　was　on　the　29th　of　July；　at　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening；
that　Michael　Strogoff　had　left　Omsk。　　This　town　is　situated　about　halfway
between　Moscow　and　Irkutsk；　where　it　was　necessary　that　he　should　arrive
within　ten　days　if　he　wished　to　get　ahead　of　the　Tartar　columns。
It　was　evident　that　the　unlucky　chance　which　had　brought　him
into　the　presence　of　his　mother　had　betrayed　his　incognito。
Ivan　Ogareff　was　no　longer　ignorant　of　the　fact　that　a　courier　of　the　Czar
had　just　passed　Omsk；　taking　the　direction　of　Irkutsk。　　The　dispatches
which　this　courier　bore　must　have　been　of　immense　importance。
Michael　Strogoff　knew；　therefore；　that　every　effort　would　be　made
to　capture　him。

But　what　he　did　not　know；　and　could　not　know；　was　that　Marfa　Strogoff
was　in　the　hands　of　Ivan　Ogareff；　and　that　she　was　about　to　atone；
perhaps　with　her　life；　for　that　natural　exhibition　of　her　feelings　which
she　had　been　unable　to　restrain　when　she　suddenly　found　herself　in　the
presence　of　her　son。　　And　it　was　fortunate　that　he　was　ignorant　of　it。
Could　he　have　withstood　this　fresh　trial？

Michael　Strogoff　urged　on　his　horse；　imbuing　him　with　all　his　own
feverish　impatience；　requiring　of　him　one　thing　only；　namely；　to　bear
him　rapidly　to　the　next　posting…house；　where　he　could　be　exchanged
for　a　quicker　conveyance。

At　midnight　he　had　cleared　fifty　miles；　and　halted　at　the　station
of　Koulikovo。　　But　there；　as　he　had　feared；　he　found　neither
horses　nor　carriages。　　Several　Tartar　detachments　had　passed
along　the　highway　of　the　steppe。　　Everything　had　been　stolen
or　requisitioned　both　in　the　villages　and　in　the　posting…houses。
It　was　with　difficulty　that　Michael　Strogoff　was　even　able
to　obtain　some　refreshment　for　his　horse　and　himself。

It　was　of　great　importance；　therefore；　to　spare　his　horse；　for　he　could
not　tell　when　or　how　he　might　be　able　to　replace　it。　　Desiring；　however；
to　put　the　greatest　possible　distance　between　himself　and　the　horsemen
who　had　no　doubt　been　dispatched　in　pursuit；　he　resolved　to　push　on。
After　one　hour's　rest　he　resumed　his　course　across　the　steppe。

Hitherto　the　weather　had　been　propitious　for　his　journey。
The　temperature　was　endurable。　　The　nights　at　this　time　of　the　year
are　very　short；　and　as　they　are　lighted　by　the　moon；　the　route
over　the　steppe　is　practicable。　　Michael　Strogoff；　moreover；
was　a　man　certain　of　his　road　and　devoid　of　doubt　or　hesitation；
and　in　spite　of　the　melancholy　thoughts　which　possessed　him
he　had　preserved　his　clearness　of　mind；　and　made　for　his
destined　point　as　though　it　were　visible　upon　the　horizon。
When　he　did　halt　for　a　moment　at　some　turn　in　the　road　it　was
to　breathe　his　horse。　　Now　he　would　dismount　to　ease　his　steed
for　a　moment；　and　again　he　would　place　his　ear　to　the　ground
to　listen　for　the　sound　of　galloping　horses　upon　the　steppe。
Nothing　arousing　his　suspicions；　he　resumed　his　way。

On　the　30th　of　July；　at　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning；　Michael　Strogoff
passed　through　the　station　of　Touroumoff　and　entered　the　swampy　district
of　the　Baraba。

There；　for　a　distance　of　three　hundred　versts；　the　natural　obstacles
would　be　extremely　great。　　He　knew　this；　but　he　also　knew　that　he　would
certainly　surmount　them。

These　vast　marshes　of　the　Baraba；　form　the　reservoir　to　all
the　rain…water　which　finds　no　outlet　either　towards　the　Obi
or　towards　the　Irtych。　　The　soil　of　this　vast　depression　is
entirely　argillaceous；　and　therefore　impermeable；　so　that　the　waters
remain　there　and　make　of　it　a　region　very　difficult　to　cross
during　the　hot　season。　　There；　however；　lies　the　way　to　Irkutsk；
and　it　is　in　the　midst　of　ponds；　pools；　lakes；　and　swamps；
from　which　the　sun　draws　poisonous　exhalations；　that　the　road　winds；
and　entails　upon　the　traveler　the　greatest　fatigue　and　danger。

Michael　Strogoff　spurred　his　horse　into　the　midst　of　a　grassy　prairie；
differing　greatly　from　the　close…cropped　sod　of　the　steppe；　where　feed　the
immense　Siberian　herds。　　The　grass　here　was　five　or　six　feet　in　height；
and　had　made　room　for　swamp…plants；　to　which　the　dampness　of　the　place；
assisted　by　the　heat　of　summer；　had　given　giant　proportions。
These　were　principally　canes　and　rushes；　which　formed　a　tangled　network；
an　impenetrable　undergrowth；　sprinkled　everywhere　with　a　thousand
flowers　remarkable　for　the　brightness　of　their　color。

Michael　Strogoff；　galloping　amongst　this　undergrowth　of　cane；
was　no　longer　visible　from　the　swamps　which　bordered　the　road。
The　tall　grass　rose　above　him；　and　his　track　was　indicated　only
by　the　flight　of　innumerable　aquatic　birds；　which　rose　from　the　side
of　the　road　and　dispersed　into　the　air　in　screaming　flocks。

The　way；　however；　was　clearly　traceable。　　Now　it　would　lie
straight　between　the　dense　thicket　of　marsh…plants；　again　it
would　follow　the　winding　shores　of　vast　pools；　some　of　which；
several　versts　in　length　and　breadth；　deserve　the　name　of　lakes。
In　other　localities　the　stagnant　waters　through　which　the　road
lay　had　been　avoided；　not　by　bridges；　but　by　tottering
platforms　ballasted　with　thick　layers　of　clay；　whose　joists
shook　like　a　too　weak　plank　thrown　across　an　abyss。
Some　of　these　platforms　extended　over　three　hundred　feet；
and　travelers　by　tarantass；　when　crossing　them　have　experienced
a　nausea　like　sea…sickness。

Michael　Strogoff；　whether　the　soil　beneath　his　feet　was　solid
or　whether　it　sank　under　him；　galloped　on　without　halt；
leaping　the　space　between　the　rotten　joists；　but　however
fast　they　traveled　the　horse　and　the　horseman　were　unable
to　escape　from　the　sting　of　the　two…winged　insects　which　infest
this　marshy　country。

Travelers　who　are　obliged　to　cross　the　Baraba　during　the　summer
take　care　to　provide　themselves　with　masks　of　horse…hair；
to　which　is　attached　a　coat　of　mail　of　very　fine　wire；
which　covers　their　shoulders。　　Notwithstanding　these　precautions；
there　are　few　who　come　out　of　these　marshes　without　having
their　faces；　necks；　and　hands　covered　with　red　spots。
The　atmosphere　there　seems　to　bristle　with　fine　needles；
and　one　would　almost　say　that　a　knight's　armor　would　not　protect
him　against　the　darts　of　these　dipterals。　　It　is　a　dreary　region；
which　man　dearly　disputes　with　tipulae；　gnats；　mosquitos；
horse…flies；　and　millions　of　microscopic　insects　which　are　not
visible　to　the　naked　eye；　but；　although　they　are　not　seen；
they　make　themselves　felt　by　their　intolerable　stinging；
to　which　the　most　callous　Siberian　hunters　have　never　been　able
to　inure　themselves。

Michael　Strogoff's　horse；　stung　by　these　venomous　insects；　sprang　forward
as　if　the　rowels　of　a　thousand　spurs　had　pierced　his　flanks。
Mad　with　rage；　he　tore　along　over　verst　after　verst　with　the　speed
of　an　express　train；　lashing　his　sides　with　his　tail；　seeking　by
the　rapidity　of　his　pace　an　alleviation　of　his　torture。

It　required　as　good　a　horseman　as　Michael　Strogoff　not　to　be　thrown
by　the　plungings　of　his　horse；　and　the　sudden　stops　and　bounds
which　he　made　to　escape　from　the　stings　of　his　persecutors。
Having　become　insensible；　so　to　speak；　to　physical　suffering；
possessed　only　with　the　one　desire　to　arrive　at　his　destination
at　whatever　cost；　he　saw　during　this　mad　race　only　one　thing
that　the　road　flew　rapidly　behind　him。

Who　would　have　thought　that　this　district　of　the　Baraba；　so　unhealthy
during　the　summer；　could　have　afforded　an　asylum　for　human　beings？
Yet　it　did　so。　　Several　Siberian　hamlets　appeared　from　time
to　time　among　the　giant　canes。　　Men；　women；　children；　and　old　men；
clad　in　the　skins　of　beasts；　their　faces　covered　with　hardened
blisters　of　skin；　pastured　their　poor　herds　of　sheep。
In　order　to　preserve　the　animals　from　the　attack　of　the　insects；
they　drove　them　to　the　leeward　of　fires　of　green　wood；　which　were
kept　burning　night　and　day；　and　the　pungent　smoke　of　which　floated
over　the　vast　swamp。

When　Michael　Strogoff　perceived　that　his　horse；　tired　out；　was　on
the　point　of　succumbing；　he　halted　at　one　of　these　wretched　hamlets；
and　there；　forgetting　his　own　fatigue；　he　himself　rubbed　the　wounds
of　the　poor　animal　with　hot　grease　according　to　the　Siberian　custom；
then　he　gave　him　a　good　feed；　and　it　was　only　after　he　had　well　groomed
and　provided　for　him　that　he　thought　of　himself；　and　recruited　his
strength　by　a　hasty　meal　of　bread　and　meat　and　a　glass　of　kwass。
One　hour　afterwards；　or　at　the　most　two；　he　resumed　with　all　speed
the　interminable　road　to　Irkutsk。

On　the　30th　of　July；　at　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　Michael　Strogoff；
insensible　of　every　fatigue；　arrived　at　Elamsk。　　Ther