michael strogoff-第39章

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observations　to　Michael。　　They　must　make　up　their　minds　what　to　do。
If　the　town　was　abandoned；　they　could　pass　through　without　risk；
but　if；　by　some　inexplicable　maneuver；　the　Tartars　occupied　it；
they　must　at　every　cost　avoid　the　place。

〃Advance　cautiously；〃　said　Michael　Strogoff；　〃but　advance！〃

A　verst　was　soon　traversed。

〃Those　are　not　clouds；　that　is　smoke！〃　exclaimed　Nadia。　　〃Brother；　they
are　burning　the　town！〃

It　was；　indeed；　only　too　plain。　　Flashes　of　light　appeared　in　the　midst
of　the　vapor。　　It　became　thicker　and　thicker　as　it　mounted　upwards。
But　were　they　Tartars　who　had　done　this？　　They　might　be　Russians；
obeying　the　orders　of　the　Grand　Duke。　　Had　the　government　of　the　Czar
determined　that　from　Krasnoiarsk；　from　the　Yenisei；　not　a　town；
not　a　village　should　offer　a　refuge　to　the　Emir's　soldiers？
What　was　Michael　to　do？

He　was　undecided。　　However；　having　weighed　the　pros　and　cons；
he　thought　that　whatever　might　be　the　difficulties　of　a　journey
across　the　steppe　without　a　beaten　path；　he　ought　not　to　risk
capture　a　second　time　by　the　Tartars。　　He　was　just　proposing　to
Nicholas　to　leave　the　road；　when　a　shot　was　heard　on　their　right。
A　ball　whistled；　and　the　horse　of　the　kibitka　fell　dead；
shot　through　the　head。

A　dozen　horsemen　dashed　forward；　and　the　kibitka　was　surrounded。
Before　they　knew　where　they　were；　Michael；　Nadia；　and　Nicholas
were　prisoners；　and　were　being　dragged　rapidly　towards　Nijni…Oudinsk。

Michael；　in　this　second　attack；　had　lost　none　of　his　presence　of　mind。
Being　unable　to　see　his　enemies；　he　had　not　thought　of　defending　himself。
Even　had　he　possessed　the　use　of　his　eyes；　he　would　not　have
attempted　it。　　The　consequences　would　have　been　his　death　and　that
of　his　companions。　　But；　though　he　could　not　see；　he　could　listen
and　understand　what　was　said。

From　their　language　he　found　that　these　soldiers　were　Tartars；
and　from　their　words；　that　they　preceded　the　invading　army。

In　short；　what　Michael　learnt　from　the　talk　at　the　present　moment；
as　well　as　from　the　scraps　of　conversation　he　overheard　later；
was　this。　　These　men　were　not　under　the　direct　orders　of　the　Emir；
who　was　now　detained　beyond　the　Yenisei。　　They　made　part　of　a　third
column　chiefly　composed　of　Tartars　from　the　khanats　of　Khokland
and　Koondooz；　with　which　Feofar's　army　was　to　affect　a　junction
in　the　neighborhood　of　Irkutsk。

By　Ogareff's　advice；　in　order　to　assure　the　success　of　the　invasion
in　the　Eastern　provinces；　this　column　had　skirted　the　base
of　the　Altai　Mountains。　　Pillaging　and　ravaging；　it　had　reached
the　upper　course　of　the　Yenisei。　　There；　guessing　what　had　been
done　at　Krasnoiarsk　by　order　of　the　Czar；　and　to　facilitate
the　passage　of　the　river　to　the　Emir's　troops；　this　column
had　launched　a　flotilla　of　boats；　which　would　enable　Feofar
to　cross　and　r俿um？the　road　to　Irkutsk。　　Having　done　this；
it　had　descended　the　valley　of　the　Yenisei　and　struck　the　road　on
a　level　with　Alsalevsk。　　From　this　little　town　began　the　frightful
course　of　ruin　which　forms　the　chief　part　of　Tartar　warfare。
Nijni…Oudinsk　had　shared　the　common　fate；　and　the　Tartars；
to　the　number　of　fifty　thousand；　had　now　quitted　it　to　take　up
a　position　before　Irkutsk。　　Before　long；　they　would　be　reinforced
by　the　Emir's　troops。

Such　was　the　state　of　affairs　at　this　date；　most　serious　for　this
isolated　part　of　Eastern　Siberia；　and　for　the　comparatively　few
defenders　of　its　capital。

It　can　be　imagined　with　what　thoughts　Michael's　mind　was　now　occupied！
Who　could　have　been　astonished　had　he；　in　his　present　situation；
lost　all　hope　and　all　courage？　　Nothing　of　the　sort；　however；　his　lips
muttered　no　other　words　than　these：　　〃I　will　get　there！〃

Half　an　hour　after　the　attack　of　the　Tartar　horsemen；
Michael　Strogoff；　Nadia；　and　Nicholas　entered　Nijni…Oudinsk。　The
faithful　dog　followed　them；　though　at　a　distance。
They　could　not　stay　in　the　town；　as　it　was　in　flames；
and　about　to　be　left　by　the　last　of　the　marauders。
The　prisoners　were　therefore　thrown　on　horses　and　hurried　away；
Nicholas　resigned　as　usual；　Nadia；　her　faith　in　Michael　unshaken；
and　Michael　himself；　apparently　indifferent；　but　ready　to　seize
any　opportunity　of　escaping。

The　Tartars　were　not　long　in　perceiving　that　one　of　their
prisoners　was　blind；　and　their　natural　barbarity　led　them　to　make
game　of　their　unfortunate　victim。　　They　were　traveling　fast。
Michael's　horse；　having　no　one　to　guide　him；　often　started　aside；
and　so　made　confusion　among　the　ranks。　　This　drew　on　his　rider
such　abuse　and　brutality　as　wrung　Nadia's　heart；　and　filled　Nicholas
with　indignation。　　But　what　could　they　do？　　They　could　not　speak
the　Tartar　language；　and　their　assistance　was　mercilessly　refused。
Soon　it　occurred　to　these　men；　in　a　refinement　of　cruelty；
to　exchange　the　horse　Michael　was　riding　for　one　which　was　blind。
The　motive　of　the　change　was　explained　by　a　remark　which
Michael　overheard；　〃Perhaps　that　Russian　can　see；　after　all！〃

Michael　was　placed　on　this　horse；　and　the　reins　ironically　put
into　his　hand。　　Then；　by　dint　of　lashing；　throwing　stones；
and　shouting；　the　animal　was　urged　into　a　gallop。
The　horse；　not　being　guided　by　his　rider；　blind　as　himself；
sometimes　ran　into　a　tree；　sometimes　went　quite　off　the　road
in　consequence；　collisions　and　falls；　which　might　have
been　extremely　dangerous。

Michael　did　not　complain。　　Not　a　murmur　escaped　him。
When　his　horse　fell；　he　waited　until　it　got　up。
It　was；　indeed；　soon　assisted　up；　and　the　cruel　fun　continued。
At　sight　of　this　wicked　treatment；　Nicholas　could　not
contain　himself；　he　endeavored　to　go　to　his　friend's　aid。
He　was　prevented；　and　treated　brutally。

This　game　would　have　been　prolonged；　to　the　Tartars'
great　amusement；　had　not　a　serious　accident　put　an　end　to　it。
On　the　10th　of　September　the　blind　horse　ran　away；　and　made
straight　for　a　pit；　some　thirty　or　forty　feet　deep；　at　the　side
of　the　road。

Nicholas　tried　to　go　after　him。　　He　was　held　back。
The　horse；　having　no　guide；　fell　with　his　rider　to　the　bottom。
Nicholas　and　Nadia　uttered　a　piercing　cry！　　They　believed
that　their　unfortunate　companion　had　been　killed。

However；　when　they　went　to　his　assistance；　it　was　found　that　Michael；
having　been　able　to　throw　himself　out　of　the　saddle；　was　unhurt；
but　the　miserable　horse　had　two　legs　broken；　and　was　quite　useless。
He　was　left　there　to　die　without　being　put　out　of　his　suffering；
and　Michael；　fastened　to　a　Tartar's　saddle；　was　obliged　to　follow
the　detachment　on　foot。

Even　now；　not　a　protest；　not　a　complaint！　　He　marched　with
a　rapid　step；　scarcely　drawn　by　the　cord　which　tied　him。
He　was　still　〃the　Man　of　Iron；〃　of　whom　General　Kissoff　had
spoken　to　the　Czar！

The　next　day；　the　11th　of　September；　the　detachment　passed
through　the　village　of　Chibarlinskoe。　　Here　an　incident
occurred　which　had　serious　consequences。　　It　was　nightfall。
The　Tartar　horsemen；　having　halted；　were　more　or　less　intoxicated。
They　were　about　to　start。　　Nadia；　who　till　then；　by　a　miracle；
had　been　respectfully　treated　by　the　soldiers；　was　insulted
by　one　of　them。

Michael　could　not　see　the　insult；　nor　the　insulter；　but　Nicholas
saw　for　him。　　Then；　quietly；　without　thinking；　without　perhaps
knowing　what　he　was　doing；　Nicholas　walked　straight　up　to　the　man；
and；　before　the　latter　could　make　the　least　movement　to　stop　him；
had　seized　a　pistol　from　his　holster　and　discharged　it　full
at　his　breast。

The　officer　in　command　of　the　detachment　hastened　up　on　hearing
the　report。　　The　soldiers　would　have　cut　the　unfortunate　Nicholas
to　pieces；　but　at　a　sign　from　their　officer；　he　was　bound　instead；
placed　across　a　horse；　and　the　detachment　galloped　off。

The　rope　which　fastened　Michael；　gnawed　through　by　him；
broke　by　the　sudden　start　of　the　horse；　and　the　half…tipsy　rider
galloped　on　without　perceiving　that　his　prisoner　had　escaped。

Michael　and　Nadia　found　themselves　alone　on　the　road。


CHAPTER　IX　IN　THE　STEPPE

MICHAEL　STROGOFF　and　Nadia　were　once　more　as　free　as　they　had　been
in　the　journey　from　Perm　to　the　banks　of　the　Irtych。　　But　how
the　conditions　under　which　they　traveled　were　altered！
Then；　a　comfortable　tarantass；　fresh　horses；　well…kept　post…horses
assured　the　rapidity　of　their　journey。　　Now　they　were　on　foot；
it　was　utterly　impossible　to　procure　any　other　means　of　locomotion；
they　were　without　resources；　not　knowing　how　to　obtain　even　food；
and　they　had　still　nearly　three　hundred　miles　to　go！
Moreover；　Michael　could　now　only　see　with　Nadia's　eyes。

As　to　the　friend　whom　chance　had　given　them；　they　had　just
lost　him；　and　fearful　might　be　his　fate。　　Michael　had　thrown
himself　down　under　the　brushwood　at　the　side　of　the　road。
Nadia　stood　beside　him；　waiting　for　the　word　from　him　to
continue　the　march。

It　was　ten　o'clock。　The　sun　had　more　than　three　hours　before
disappeared　below　the　horizon。　　There　was　not　a　house　in　sight。
The　last　of　the　Tartars　was　lost　in　the　distance。
Michael　and　Nadia　were　quite　alone。

〃What　will　they　do　with　our　friend？〃　exclaimed　the　girl。
〃Poor　Nicholas！　　Our　meeting　will　have　been　fatal　to　him！〃
Michael　made　no　response。

〃Michael；〃　continued　Nadia；　〃do　you　not　know　that　he　defended　you
when　you　were　the　Tartars'　sport；　that　he　risked　his　life　for　me？〃

Michael　was　still　silent。　　Motionless；　his　face　buried　in　his　hands；
of　what　was　he　thinking？　　Perhaps；　although　he　did　not　answer；
he　heard　Nadia　speak。

Yes！　he　heard　her；　for　when　the　young　girl　added；　〃Where　shall
I　lead　you；　Michael？〃

〃To　Irkutsk！〃　he　replied。

〃By　the　highroad？〃

〃Yes；　Nadia。〃

Michael　was　still　the　same　man　who　had　sworn；　whatever　happened；
to　accomplish　his　object。　　To　follow　the　highroad；　was　certainly　to　go
the　shortest　way。　　If　the　vanguard　of　Feofar…Khan's　troops　appeared；
it　would　then　be　time　to　strike　across　the　country。

Nadia　took　Michael's　hand；　and　they　started。

The　next　morning；　the　13th　of　September；　twenty　versts　further；
they　made　a　short　halt　in　the　village　of　Joulounov…skoe。　It　was
burnt　and　deserted。　　All　night　Nadia　had　tried　to　see　if　the　body
of　Nicholas　had　not　been　left　on　the　road；　but　it　was　in　vain
that　she　looked　among　the　ruins；　and　searched　among　the　dead。
Was　he　reserved　for　some　cruel　torture　at　Irkutsk？

Nadia；　exhausted　with　hunger；　was　fortunate　enough　to　find　in　one
of　the　houses　a　quantity　of　dried　meat　and　〃soukharis；〃　pieces
of　bread；　which；　dried　by　evaporation；　preserve　their　nutritive
qualities　for　an　indefinite　time。

Michael　and　the　girl　loaded　themselves　with　as　much　as　they　could　carry。
They　had　thus　a　supply　of　food　for　several　days；　and　as　to　water；
there　would　be　no　want　of　that　in　a　district　rendered　fertile
by　the　numerous　little　affluents　of　the　Angara。

They　continued　their　journey。　　Michael　walked　with　a　firm　step；
and　only　slackened　his　pace　for　his　companion's　sake。
Nadia；　not　wishing　to　retard　him；　obliged　herself　to　walk。
Happily；　he　could　not　see　to　what　a　miserable　state　fatigue
had　reduced　her。

However；　Michael　guessed　it。　　〃You　are　quite　done　up；　poor　child；〃
he　said　sometimes。

〃No；〃　she　would　reply。

〃When　you　can　no　longer　walk；　I　will　carry　you。〃

〃Yes；　Michael。〃

During　this　day　the