michael strogoff-第38章

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They　had　drifted　eleven　versts　in　all。

These　great　Siberian　rivers　across　which　no　bridges　have
as　yet　been　thrown；　are　serious　obstacles　to　the　facility
of　communication。　　All　had　been　more　or　less　unfortunate
to　Michael　Strogoff。　　On　the　Irtych；　the　boat　which　carried
him　and　Nadia　had　been　attacked　by　Tartars。　　On　the　Obi；
after　his　horse　had　been　struck　by　a　bullet；　he　had　only　by
a　miracle　escaped　from　the　horsemen　who　were　pursuing　him。
In　fact；　this　passage　of　the　Yenisei　had　been　performed
the　least　disastrously。

〃That　would　not　have　been　so　amusing；〃　exclaimed　Nicholas；
rubbing　his　hands；　as　they　disembarked　on　the　right　bank　of　the　river；
〃if　it　had　not　been　so　difficult。〃

〃That　which　has　only　been　difficult　to　us；　friend；〃
answered　Michael　Strogoff；　〃will；　perhaps；　be　impossible
to　the　Tartars。〃


CHAPTER　VIII　A　HARE　CROSSES　THE　ROAD

MICHAEL　STROGOFF　might　at　last　hope　that　the　road　to　Irkutsk
was　clear。　　He　had　distanced　the　Tartars；　now　detained　at　Tomsk；
and　when　the　Emir's　soldiers　should　arrive　at　Krasnoiarsk　they
would　find　only　a　deserted　town。　　There　being　no　communication
between　the　two　banks　of　the　Yenisei；　a　delay　of　some　days
would　be　caused　until　a　bridge　of　boats　could　be　established；
and　to　accomplish　this　would　be　a　difficult　undertaking。
For　the　first　time　since　the　encounter　with　Ivan　Ogareff　at　Omsk；
the　courier　of　the　Czar　felt　less　uneasy；　and　began　to　hope
that　no　fresh　obstacle　would　delay　his　progress。

The　road　was　good；　for　that　part　of　it　which　extends
between　Krasnoiarsk　and　Irkutsk　is　considered　the　best
in　the　whole　journey；　fewer　jolts　for　travelers；　large　trees
to　shade　them　from　the　heat　of　the　sun；　sometimes　forests
of　pines　or　cedars　covering　an　extent　of　a　hundred　versts。
It　was　no　longer　the　wide　steppe　with　limitless　horizon；
but　the　rich　country　was　empty。　　Everywhere　they　came　upon
deserted　villages。　　The　Siberian　peasantry　had　vanished。
It　was　a　desert；　but　a　desert　by　order　of　the　Czar。

The　weather　was　fine；　but　the　air；　which　cooled　during　the　night；
took　some　time　to　get　warm　again。　　Indeed　it　was　now　near　September；
and　in　this　high　region　the　days　were　sensibly　shortening。
Autumn　here　lasts　but　a　very　little　while；　although　this　part　of
Siberian　territory　is　not　situated　above　the　fifty…fifth　parallel；
that　of　Edinburgh　and　Copenhagen。　　However；　winter　succeeds　summer
almost　unexpectedly。　　These　winters　of　Asiatic　Russia　may　be　said
to　be　precocious；　considering　that　during　them　the　thermometer　falls
until　the　mercury　is　frozen　nearly　42　degrees　below　zero；　and　that　20
degrees　below　zero　is　considered　an　unsupportable　temperature。

The　weather　favored　our　travelers。　　It　was　neither　stormy　nor　rainy。
The　health　of　Nadia　and　Michael　was　good；　and　since　leaving　Tomsk　they
had　gradually　recovered　from　their　past　fatigues。

As　to　Nicholas　Pigassof；　he　had　never　been　better　in　his　life。
To　him　this　journey　was　a　trip；　an　agreeable　excursion　in　which
he　employed　his　enforced　holiday。

〃Decidedly；〃　said　he；　〃this　is　pleasanter　than　sitting　twelve　hours　a　day；
perched　on　a　stool；　working　the　manip…ulator！〃


Michael　had　managed　to　get　Nicholas　to　make　his　horse　quicken　his　pace。
To　obtain　this　result；　he　had　confided　to　Nicholas　that　Nadia
and　he　were　on　their　way　to　join　their　father；　exiled　at　Irkutsk；
and　that　they　were　very　anxious　to　get　there。　　Certainly；　it　would
not　do　to　overwork　the　horse；　for　very　probably　they　would　not　be
able　to　exchange　him　for　another；　but　by　giving　him　frequent　rests
every　ten　miles；　for　instanceforty　miles　in　twenty…four　hours
could　easily　be　accomplished。　　Besides；　the　animal　was　strong；
and　of　a　race　calculated　to　endure　great　fatigue。　　He　was　in　no　want
of　rich　pasturage　along　the　road；　the　grass　being　thick　and　abundant。
Therefore；　it　was　possible　to　demand　an　increase　of　work　from　him。

Nicholas　gave　in　to　all　these　reasons。　　He　was　much　moved　at　the　situation
of　these　two　young　people；　going　to　share　their　father's　exile。
Nothing　had　ever　appeared　so　touching　to　him。　　With　what　a　smile　he　said
to　Nadia：　　〃Divine　goodness！　what　joy　will　Mr。　Korpanoff　feel；　when　his
eyes　behold　you；　when　his　arms　open　to　receive　you！　　If　I　go　to　Irkutsk
and　that　appears　very　probable　nowwill　you　permit　me　to　be　present　at
that　interview！　　You　will；　will　you　not？〃　　Then；　striking　his　forehead：
〃But；　I　forgot；　what　grief　too　when　he　sees　that　his　poor　son　is　blind！
Ah！　everything　is　mingled　in　this　world！〃

However；　the　result　of　all　this　was　the　kibitka　went　faster；
and；　according　to　Michael's　calculations；　now　made　almost　eight
miles　an　hour。

After　crossing　the　little　river　Biriousa；　the　kibitka　reached　Biriousensk
on　the　morning　of　the　4th　of　September。　　There；　very　fortunately；
for　Nicholas　saw　that　his　provisions　were　becoming　exhausted；
he　found　in　an　oven　a　dozen　〃pogatchas；〃　a　kind　of　cake　prepared
with　sheep's　fat　and　a　large　supply　of　plain　boiled　rice。
This　increase　was　very　opportune；　for　something　would　soon　have
been　needed　to　replace　the　koumyss　with　which　the　kibitka　had　been
stored　at　Krasnoiarsk。

After　a　halt；　the　journey　was　continued　in　the　afternoon。
The　distance　to　Irkutsk　was　not　now　much　over　three　hundred　miles。
There　was　not　a　sign　of　the　Tartar　vanguard。　　Michael　Strogoff　had
some　grounds　for　hoping　that　his　journey　would　not　be　again　delayed；
and　that　in　eight　days；　or　at　most　ten；　he　would　be　in　the　presence
of　the　Grand　Duke。

On　leaving　Biriousinsk；　a　hare　ran　across　the　road；　in　front
of　the　kibitka。　　〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Nicholas。

〃What　is　the　matter；　friend？〃　asked　Michael　quickly；　like　a　blind
man　whom　the　least　sound　arouses。

〃Did　you　not　see？〃　said　Nicholas；　whose　bright　face　had　become
suddenly　clouded。　　Then　he　added；　〃Ah！　no！　you　could　not　see；
and　it's　lucky　for　you；　little　father！〃

〃But　I　saw　nothing；〃　said　Nadia。

〃So　much　the　better！　　So　much　the　better！　　But　II　saw！〃

〃What　was　it　then？〃　asked　Michael。

〃A　hare　crossing　our　road！〃　answered　Nicholas。

In　Russia；　when　a　hare　crosses　the　path；　the　popular　belief　is　that　it
is　the　sign　of　approaching　evil。　　Nicholas；　superstitious　like　the　greater
number　of　Russians；　stopped　the　kibitka。

Michael　understood　his　companion's　hesitation；　without　sharing
his　credulity；　and　endeavored　to　reassure　him；　〃There　is　nothing
to　fear；　friend；〃　said　he。

〃Nothing　for　you；　nor　for　her；　I　know；　little　father；〃　answered　Nicholas；
〃but　for　me！〃

〃It　is　my　fate；〃　he　continued。　　And　he　put　his　horse　in
motion　again。　　However；　in　spite　of　these　forebodings　the　day
passed　without　any　accident。

At　twelve　o'clock　the　next　day；　the　6th　of　September；　the　kibitka
halted　in　the　village　of　Alsalevok；　which　was　as　deserted
as　the　surrounding　country。　　There；　on　a　doorstep；　Nadia　found
two　of　those　strong…bladed　knives　used　by　Siberian　hunters。
She　gave　one　to　Michael；　who　concealed　it　among　his　clothes；
and　kept　the　other　herself。

Nicholas　had　not　recovered　his　usual　spirits。　　The　ill…omen　had
affected　him　more　than　could　have　been　believed；　and　he　who　formerly
was　never　half　an　hour　without　speaking；　now　fell　into　long
reveries　from　which　Nadia　found　it　difficult　to　arouse　him。
The　kibitka　rolled　swiftly　along　the　road。　　Yes；　swiftly！
Nicholas　no　longer　thought　of　being　so　careful　of　his　horse；
and　was　as　anxious　to　arrive　at　his　journey's　end　as　Michael　himself。
Notwithstanding　his　fatalism；　and　though　resigned；
he　would　not　believe　himself　in　safety　until　within　the　walls
of　Irkutsk。　　Many　Russians　would　have　thought　as　he　did；
and　more　than　one　would　have　turned　his　horse　and　gone　back　again；
after　a　hare　had　crossed　his　path。

Some　observations　made　by　him；　the　justice　of　which　was　proved　by　Nadia
transmitting　them　to　Michael；　made　them　fear　that　their　trials　were　not
yet　over。　　Though　the　land　from　Krasnoiarsk　had　been　respected　in　its
natural　productions；　its　forests　now　bore　trace　of　fire　and　steel；
and　it　was　evident　that　some　large　body　of　men　had　passed　that　way。

Twenty　miles　before　Nijni…Oudinsk；　the　indications　of　recent
devastation　could　not　be　mistaken；　and　it　was　impossible　to　attribute
them　to　others　than　the　Tartars。　　It　was　not　only　that　the　fields
were　trampled　by　horse's　feet；　and　that　trees　were　cut　down。
The　few　houses　scattered　along　the　road　were　not　only　empty；
some　had　been　partly　demolished；　others　half　burnt　down。
The　marks　of　bullets　could　be　seen　on　their　walls。

Michael's　anxiety　may　be　imagined。　　He　could　no　longer　doubt
that　a　party　of　Tartars　had　recently　passed　that　way；　and　yet
it　was　impossible　that　they　could　be　the　Emir's　soldiers；
for　they　could　not　have　passed　without　being　seen。
But　then；　who　were　these　new　invaders；　and　by　what　out…of…the…way
path　across　the　steppe　had　they　been　able　to　join　the　highroad
to　Irkutsk？　　With　what　new　enemies　was　the　Czar's　courier
now　to　meet？

He　did　not　communicate　his　apprehensions　either　to　Nicholas　or　Nadia；
not　wishing　to　make　them　uneasy。　　Besides；　he　had　resolved
to　continue　his　way；　as　long　as　no　insurmountable　obstacle
stopped　him。　　Later；　he　would　see　what　it　was　best　to　do。
During　the　ensuing　day；　the　recent　passage　of　a　large
body　of　foot　and　horse　became　more　and　more　apparent。
Smoke　was　seen　above　the　horizon。　　The　kibitka　advanced　cautiously。
Several　houses　in　deserted　villages　still　burned；　and　could　not
have　been　set　on　fire　more　than　four　and　twenty　hours　before。

At　last；　during　the　day；　on　the　8th　of　September；
the　kibitka　stopped　suddenly。　　The　horse　refused　to　advance。
Serko　barked　furiously。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　asked　Michael。

〃A　corpse！〃　replied　Nicholas；　who　had　leapt　out　of　the　kibitka。
The　body　was　that　of　a　moujik；　horribly　mutilated；　and　already　cold。
Nicholas　crossed　himself。　　Then；　aided　by　Michael；　he　carried
the　body　to　the　side　of　the　road。　　He　would　have　liked　to　give　it
decent　burial；　that　the　wild　beasts　of　the　steppe　might　not　feast
on　the　miserable　remains；　but　Michael　could　not　allow　him　the　time。

〃Come；　friend；　come！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃we　must　not　delay；
even　for　an　hour！〃　　And　the　kibitka　was　driven　on。

Besides；　if　Nicholas　had　wished　to　render　the　last　duties
to　all　the　dead　bodies　they　were　now　to　meet　with　on
the　Siberian　highroad；　he　would　have　had　enough　to　do！
As　they　approached　Nijni…Oudinsk；　they　were　found　by　twenties；
stretched　on　the　ground。

It　was；　however；　necessary　to　follow　this　road　until　it　was　manifestly
impossible　to　do　so　longer　without　falling　into　the　hands　of
the　invaders。　　The　road　they　were　following　could　not　be　abandoned；
and　yet　the　signs　of　devastation　and　ruin　increased　at　every　village
they　passed　through。　　The　blood　of　the　victims　was　not　yet　dry。
As　to　gaining　information　about　what　had　occurred；　that　was　impossible。
There　was　not　a　living　being　left　to　tell　the　tale。

About　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　of　this　day；　Nicholas　caught　sight
of　the　tall　steeples　of　the　churches　of　Nijni…Oudinsk。　Thick　vapors；
which　could　not　have　been　clouds；　were　floating　around　them。

Nicholas　and　Nadia　looked；　and　communicated　the　result　of　their
observations　to　Michael。　　They　must　make　up　their　minds　what　to　do。
If　the　town　was　abandoned；　they　cou