michael strogoff-第33章

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protected　him　against　the　soldiers　because　he　well　knew　what　would
happen　by　reserving　him　for　the　justice　of　the　Emir。

The　mother　and　son　had　not　been　able　to　speak　together　since
the　terrible　scene　in　the　camp　at　Zabediero。　　They　had　been
pitilessly　kept　aparta　bitter　aggravation　of　their　misery；
for　it　would　have　been　some　consolation　to　have　been　together
during　these　days　of　captivity。　　Marfa　longed　to　ask　her　son's
pardon　for　the　harm　she　had　unintentionally　done　him；　for　she
reproached　herself　with　not　having　commanded　her　maternal　feelings。
If　she　had　restrained　herself　in　that　post…house　at　Omsk；
when　she　found　herself　face　to　face　with　him；　Michael　would
have　passed　unrecognized；　and　all　these　misfortunes　would
have　been　avoided。

Michael；　on　his　side；　thought　that　if　his　mother　was　there；
if　Ogareff　had　brought　her　with　him；　it　was　to　make　her　suffer
with　the　sight　of　his　own　punishment；　or　perhaps　some　frightful
death　was　reserved　for　her　also。

As　to　Nadia；　she　only　asked　herself　how　she　could　save
them　both；　how　come　to　the　aid　of　son　and　mother。
As　yet　she　could　only　wonder；　but　she　felt　instinctively　that　she
must　above　everything　avoid　drawing　attention　upon　herself；
that　she　must　conceal　herself；　make　herself　insignificant。
Perhaps　she　might　at　least　gnaw　through　the　meshes　which
imprisoned　the　lion。　　At　any　rate　if　any　opportunity　was　given
her　she　would　seize　upon　it；　and　sacrifice　herself；　if　need　be；
for　the　son　of　Marfa　Strogoff。

In　the　meantime　the　greater　part　of　the　prisoners　were　passing　before
the　Emir；　and　as　they　passed　each　was　obliged　to　prostrate　himself；
with　his　forehead　in　the　dust；　in　token　of　servitude。　　Slavery　begins
by　humiliation。　　When　the　unfortunate　people　were　too　slow　in　bending；
the　rough　guards　threw　them　violently　to　the　ground。

Alcide　Jolivet　and　his　companion　could　not　witness　such　a　sight
without　feeling　indignant。

〃It　is　cowardlylet　us　go；〃　said　Alcide。

〃No；〃　answered　Blount；　〃we　must　see　it　all。〃

〃See　it　all！ah！〃　cried　Alcide；　suddenly；　grasping　his　companion's　arm。

〃What　is　the　matter　with　you？〃　asked　the　latter。

〃Look；　Blount；　it　is　she！〃

〃What　she？〃

〃The　sister　of　our　traveling　companionalone；　and　a　prisoner！
We　must　save　her。〃

〃Calm　yourself；〃　replied　Blount　coolly。　　〃Any　interference　on　our　part
in　behalf　of　the　young　girl　would　be　worse　than　useless。〃

Alcide　Jolivet；　who　had　been　about　to　rush　forward；　stopped；　and　Nadia
who　had　not　perceived　them；　her　features　being　half　hidden　by　her　hair
passed　in　her　turn　before　the　Emir　without　attracting　his　attention。

However；　after　Nadia　came　Marfa　Strogoff；　and　as　she　did　not　throw
herself　quickly　in　the　dust；　the　guards　brutally　pushed　her。
She　fell。

Her　son　struggled　so　violently　that　the　soldiers　who　were　guarding
him　could　scarcely　hold　him　back。　　But　the　old　woman　rose；
and　they　were　about　to　drag　her　on；　when　Ogareff　interposed；
saying；　〃Let　that　woman　stay！〃

As　to　Nadia；　she　happily　regained　the　crowd　of　prisoners。
Ivan　Ogareff　had　taken　no　notice　of　her。

Michael　was　then　led　before　the　Emir；　and　there　he　remained　standing；
without　casting　down　his　eyes。

〃Your　forehead　to　the　ground！〃　cried　Ogareff。

〃No！〃　answered　Michael。

Two　soldiers　endeavored　to　make　him　bend；　but　they　were　themselves
laid　on　the　ground　by　a　buffet　from　the　young　man's　fist。

Ogareff　approached　Michael。　　〃You　shall　die！〃　he　said。

〃I　can　die；〃　answered　Michael　fiercely；　〃but　your　traitor's　face；　Ivan；
will　not　the　less　carry　forever　the　infamous　brand　of　the　knout。〃

At　this　reply　Ivan　Ogareff　became　perfectly　livid。

〃Who　is　this　prisoner？〃　asked　the　Emir；　in　a　tone　of　voice　terrible
from　its　very　calmness。

〃A　Russian　spy；〃　answered　Ogareff。　　In　asserting　that　Michael　was　a　spy
he　knew　that　the　sentence　pronounced　against　him　would　be　terrible。

The　Emir　made　a　sign　at　which　all　the　crowd　bent　low　their　heads。
Then　he　pointed　with　his　hand　to　the　Koran；　which　was　brought　him。
He　opened　the　sacred　book　and　placed　his　finger　on　one　of　its　pages。

It　was　chance；　or　rather；　according　to　the　ideas　of
these　Orientals；　God　Himself　who　was　about　to　decide　the　fate
of　Michael　Strogoff。　　The　people　of　Central　Asia　give　the　name
of　〃fal〃　to　this　practice。　　After　having　interpreted　the　sense
of　the　verse　touched　by　the　judge's　finger；　they　apply　the　sentence
whatever　it　may　be。

The　Emir　had　let　his　finger　rest　on　the　page　of　the　Koran。　　The　chief
of　the　Ulemas　then　approached；　and　read　in　a　loud　voice　a　verse
which　ended　with　these　words；　〃And　he　will　no　more　see　the　things
of　this　earth。〃

〃Russian　spy！〃　exclaimed　Feofar…Kahn　in　a　voice　trembling　with　fury；
〃you　have　come　to　see　what　is　going　on　in　the　Tartar　camp。
Then　look　while　you　may。〃


CHAPTER　V　〃LOOK　WHILE　YOU　MAY！〃

MICHAEL　was　held　before　the　Emir's　throne；　at　the　foot
of　the　terrace；　his　hands　bound　behind　his　back。
His　mother　overcome　at　last　by　mental　and　physical　torture；
had　sunk　to　the　ground；　daring　neither　to　look　nor　listen。

〃Look　while　you　may；〃　exclaimed　Feofar…Kahn；　stretching　his　arm
towards　Michael　in　a　threatening　manner。　　Doubtless　Ivan　Ogareff；
being　well　acquainted　with　Tartar　customs；　had　taken　in　the　full　meaning
of　these　words；　for　his　lips　curled　for　an　instant　in　a　cruel　smile；
he　then　took　his　place　by　Feofar…Khan。

A　trumpet　call　was　heard。　　This　was　the　signal　for　the　amusements
to　begin。　　〃Here　comes　the　ballet；〃　said　Alcide　to　Blount；
〃but；　contrary　to　our　customs；　these　barbarians　give　it
before　the　drama。〃

Michael　had　been　commanded　to　look　at　everything。　　He　looked。
A　troop　of　dancers　poured　into　the　open　space　before　the　Emir's　tent。
Different　Tartar　instruments；　the　〃doutare；〃　a　long…handled　guitar；
the　〃kobize；〃　a　kind　of　violoncello；　the　〃tschibyzga；〃　a　long
reed　flute；　wind　instruments；　tom…toms；　tambourines；　united　with
the　deep　voices　of　the　singers；　formed　a　strange　harmony。
Added　to　this　were　the　strains　of　an　aerial　orchestra；　composed　of
a　dozen　kites；　which；　fastened　by　strings　to　their　centers；
resounded　in　the　breeze　like　AEolian　harps。

Then　the　dancers　began。　　The　performers　were　all　of　Persian　origin；
they　were　no　longer　slaves；　but　exercised　their　profession　at　liberty。
Formerly　they　figured　officially　in　the　ceremonies　at　the　court
of　Teheran；　but　since　the　accession　of　the　reigning　family；
banished　or　treated　with　contempt；　they　had　been　compelled　to　seek
their　fortune　elsewhere。　　They　wore　the　national　costume；　and　were
adorned　with　a　profusion　of　jewels。　　Little　triangles　of　gold；
studded　with　jewels；　glittered　in　their　ears。　　Circles　of　silver；
marked　with　black；　surrounded　their　necks　and　legs。

These　performers　gracefully　executed　various　dances；　sometimes　alone；
sometimes　in　groups。　　Their　faces　were　uncovered；　but　from　time
to　time　they　threw　a　light　veil　over　their　heads；　and　a　gauze
cloud　passed　over　their　bright　eyes　as　smoke　over　a　starry　sky。
Some　of　these　Persians　wore　leathern　belts　embroidered
with　pearls；　from　which　hung　little　triangular　bags。
From　these　bags；　embroidered　with　golden　filigree；　they　drew
long　narrow　bands　of　scarlet　silk；　on　which　were　braided　verses
of　the　Koran。　　These　bands；　which　they　held　between　them；
formed　a　belt　under　which　the　other　dancers　darted；　and；　as　they
passed　each　verse；　following　the　precept　it　contained；　they　either
prostrated　themselves　on　the　earth　or　lightly　bounded　upwards；
as　though　to　take　a　place　among　the　houris　of　Mohammed's　heaven。

But　what　was　remarkable；　and　what　struck　Alcide；
was　that　the　Persians　appeared　rather　indolent　than　fiery。
Their　passion　had　deserted　them；　and；　by　the　kind　of　dances
as　well　as　by　their　execution；　they　recalled　rather　the　calm
and　self…possessed　nauch　girls　of　India　than　the　impassioned
dancers　of　Egypt。

When　this　was　over；　a　stern　voice　was　heard　saying：

〃Look　while　you　may！〃

The　man　who　repeated　the　Emir's　wordsa　tall　spare　Tartar
was　he　who　carried　out　the　sentences　of　Feofar…Khan　against　offenders。
He　had　taken　his　place　behind　Michael；　holding　in　his　hand　a　broad
curved　saber；　one　of　those　Damascene　blades　which　are　forged
by　the　celebrated　armorers　of　Karschi　or　Hissar。

Behind　him　guards　were　carrying　a　tripod　supporting　a　chafing…dish
filled　with　live　coals。　　No　smoke　arose　from　this；　but　a　light
vapor　surrounded　it；　due　to　the　incineration　of　a　certain　aromatic
and　resinous　substance　which　he　had　thrown　on　the　surface。

The　Persians　were　succeeded　by　another　party　of　dancers；
whom　Michael　recognized。　　The　journalists　also　appeared　to
recognize　them；　for　Blount　said　to　his　companion；　〃These　are
the　Tsiganes　of　Nijni…Novgorod。〃

〃No　doubt　of　it；〃　cried　Alcide。　　〃Their　eyes；　I　imagine；
bring　more　money　to　these　spies　than　their　legs。〃

In　putting　them　down　as　agents　in　the　Emir's　service；　Alcide　Jolivet　was；
by　all　accounts；　not　mistaken。

In　the　first　rank　of　the　Tsiganes；　Sangarre　appeared；
superb　in　her　strange　and　picturesque　costume；　which　set　off
still　further　her　remarkable　beauty。

Sangarre　did　not　dance；　but　she　stood　as　a　statue　in　the　midst
of　the　performers；　whose　style　of　dancing　was　a　combination
of　that　of　all　those　countries　through　which　their　race
had　passedTurkey；　Bohemia；　Egypt；　Italy；　and　Spain。　　They　were
enlivened　by　the　sound　of　cymbals；　which　clashed　on　their　arms；
and　by　the　hollow　sounds　of　the　〃daires〃a　sort　of　tambourine
played　with　the　fingers。

Sangarre；　holding　one　of　those　daires；　which　she　played　between
her　hands；　encouraged　this　troupe　of　veritable　corybantes。
A　young　Tsigane；　of　about　fifteen　years　of　age；　then　advanced。
He　held　in　his　hand　a　〃doutare；〃　strings　of　which　he　made
to　vibrate　by　a　simple　movement　of　the　nails。　　He　sung。
During　the　singing　of　each　couplet；　of　very　peculiar　rhythm；
a　dancer　took　her　position　by　him　and　remained　there　immovable；
listening　to　him；　but　each　time　that　the　burden　came　from　the　lips
of　the　young　singer；　she　resumed　her　dance；　dinning　in　his　ears
with　her　daire；　and　deafening　him　with　the　clashing　of　her　cymbals。
Then；　after　the　last　chorus；　the　remainder　surrounded　the　Tsigane
in　the　windings　of　their　dance。

At　that　moment　a　shower　of　gold　fell　from　the　hands　of　the　Emir　and
his　train；　and　from　the　hands　of　his　officers　of　all　ranks；　to　the　noise
which　the　pieces　made　as　they　struck　the　cymbals　of　the　dancers；
being　added　the　last　murmurs　of　the　doutares　and　tambourines。

〃Lavish　as　robbers；〃　said　Alcide　in　the　ear　of　his　companion。
And　in　fact　it　was　the　result　of　plunder　which　was　falling；
for；　with　the　Tartar　tomans　and　sequins；　rained　also　Russian
ducats　and　roubles。

Then　silence　followed　for　an　instant；　and　the　voice　of　the　executioner；
who　laid　his　hand　on　Michael's　shoulder；　once　more　pronounced　the　words；
which　this　repetition　rendered　more　and　more　sinister：

〃Look　while　you　may〃

But　this　time　Alcide　observed　that　the　executioner　no　longer　held
the　saber　bare　in　his　hand。

Meanwhile　the　sun　had　sunk　behind　the　horizon。　　A　semi…obscurity　began
to　envelop　the　plain。　　The　mass　of　cedars　and　pines　became　blacker
and　blacker；　and　the　waters　of　the　Tom；　totally　obscured　in　the　distance；
mingled　with　the　approaching　sh