michael strogoff-第41章

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these　ferocious　birds！

Michael　dug　at　the　ground　with　his　knife　to　release　his　friend！
The　eyes　of　Nicholas；　which　till　then　had　been　closed；　opened。

He　recognized　Michael　and　Nadia。　　〃Farewell；　my　friends！〃　he　murmured。
〃I　am　glad　to　have　seen　you　again！　　Pray　for　me！〃

Michael　continued　to　dig；　though　the　ground；　having　been　tightly
rammed　down；　was　as　hard　as　stone；　and　he　managed　at　last　to　get
out　the　body　of　the　unhappy　man。　　He　listened　if　his　heart　was　still
beating。　。　。　。　It　was　still！

He　wished　to　bury　him；　that　he　might　not　be　left　exposed；
and　the　hole　into　which　Nicholas　had　been　placed　when　living；
was　enlarged；　so　that　he　might　be　laid　in　itdead！　　The　faithful
Serko　was　laid　by　his　master。

At　that　moment；　a　noise　was　heard　on　the　road；　about　half
a　verst　distant。　　Michael　Strogoff　listened。　　It　was　evidently
a　detachment　of　horse　advancing　towards　the　Dinka。　　〃Nadia；　Nadia！〃
he　said　in　a　low　voice。

Nadia；　who　was　kneeling　in　prayer；　arose。　　〃Look；　look！〃　said　he。

〃The　Tartars！〃　she　whispered。

It　was　indeed　the　Emir's　advance…guard；　passing　rapidly　along
the　road　to　Irkutsk。

〃They　shall　not　prevent　me　from　burying　him！〃　said　Michael。　　And　he
continued　his　work。

Soon；　the　body　of　Nicholas；　the　hands　crossed　on　the　breast；
was　laid　in　the　grave。　　Michael　and　Nadia；　kneeling；　prayed　a　last
time　for　the　poor　fellow；　inoffensive　and　good；　who　had　paid
for　his　devotion　towards　them　with　his　life。

〃And　now；〃　said　Michael；　as　he　threw　in　the　earth；　〃the　wolves
of　the　steppe　will　not　devour　him。〃

Then　he　shook　his　fist　at　the　troop　of　horsemen　who　were　passing。
〃Forward；　Nadia！〃　he　said。

Michael　could　not　follow　the　road；　now　occupied　by　the　Tartars。　　He　must
cross　the　steppe　and　turn　to　Irkutsk。　　He　had　not　now　to　trouble　himself
about　crossing　the　Dinka。　　Nadia　could　not　move；　but　she　could　see
for　him。　　He　took　her　in　his　arms　and　went　on　towards　the　southwest
of　the　province。

A　hundred　and　forty　miles　still　remained　to　be　traversed。
How　was　the　distance　to　be　performed？　　Should　they　not　succumb
to　such　fatigue？　　On　what　were　they　to　live　on　the　way？
By　what　superhuman　energy　were　they　to　pass　the　slopes　of
the　Sayansk　Mountains？　　Neither　he　nor　Nadia　could　answer　this！

And　yet；　twelve　days　after；　on　the　2d　of　October；　at　six　o'clock
in　the　evening；　a　wide　sheet　of　water　lay　at　Michael　Strogoff's　feet。
It　was　Lake　Baikal。


CHAPTER　X　BAIKAL　AND　ANGARA

LAKE　BAIKAL　is　situated　seventeen　hundred　feet　above　the　level　of
the　sea。　　Its　length　is　about　six　hundred　miles；　its　breadth　seventy。
Its　depth　is　not　known。　　Madame　de　Bourboulon　states　that；
according　to　the　boatmen；　it　likes　to　be　spoken　of　as　〃Madam　Sea。〃　　If　it
is　called　〃Sir　Lake；〃　it　immediately　lashes　itself　into　fury。
However；　it　is　reported　and　believed　by　the　Siberians　that　a　Russian
is　never　drowned　in　it。

This　immense　basin　of　fresh　water；　fed　by　more　than　three
hundred　rivers；　is　surrounded　by　magnificent　volcanic　mountains。
It　has　no　other　outlet　than　the　Angara；　which　after　passing
Irkutsk　throws　itself　into　the　Yenisei；　a　little　above　the　town
of　Yeniseisk。　　As　to　the　mountains　which　encase　it；　they　form
a　branch　of　the　Toungouzes；　and　are　derived　from　the　vast　system
of　the　Altai。

In　this　territory；　subject　to　peculiar　climatical　conditions；
the　autumn　appears　to　be　absorbed　in　the　precocious　winter。
It　was　now　the　beginning　of　October。　　The　sun　set　at　five　o'clock　in
the　evening；　and　during　the　long　nights　the　temperature　fell　to　zero。
The　first　snows；　which　would　last　till　summer；　already　whitened
the　summits　of　the　neighboring　hills。　　During　the　Siberian　winter
this　inland　sea　is　frozen　over　to　a　thickness　of　several　feet；
and　is　crossed　by　the　sleighs　of　caravans。

Either　because　there　are　people　who　are　so　wanting　in　politeness
as　to　call　it　〃Sir　Lake；〃　or　for　some　more　meteorological　reason；
Lake　Baikal　is　subject　to　violent　tempests。　　Its　waves；　short　like　those
of　all　inland　seas；　are　much　feared　by　the　rafts；　prahms；　and　steamboats；
which　furrow　it　during　the　summer。

It　was　the　southwest　point　of　the　lake　which　Michael　had
now　reached；　carrying　Nadia；　whose　whole　life；　so　to　speak；
was　concentrated　in　her　eyes。　　But　what　could　these　two　expect；
in　this　wild　region；　if　it　was　not　to　die　of　exhaustion　and　famine？
And　yet；　what　remained　of　the　long　journey　of　four　thousand　miles
for　the　Czar's　courier　to　reach　his　end？　　Nothing　but　forty
miles　on　the　shore　of　the　lake　up　to　the　mouth　of　the　Angara；
and　sixty　miles　from　the　mouth　of　the　Angara　to　Irkutsk；
in　all；　a　hundred　miles；　or　three　days'　journey　for　a　strong　man；
even　on　foot。

Could　Michael　Strogoff　still　be　that　man？

Heaven；　no　doubt；　did　not　wish　to　put　him　to　this　trial。
The　fatality　which　had　hitherto　pursued　his　steps　seemed　for　a　time
to　spare　him。　　This　end　of　the　Baikal；　this　part　of　the　steppe；
which　he　believed　to　be　a　desert；　which　it　usually　is；　was　not　so　now。
About　fifty　people　were　collected　at　the　angle　formed　by　the　end
of　the　lake。

Nadia　immediately　caught　sight　of　this　group；　when　Michael；
carrying　her　in　his　arms；　issued　from　the　mountain　pass。
The　girl　feared　for　a　moment　that　it　was　a　Tartar　detachment；
sent　to　beat　the　shores　of　the　Baikal；　in　which　case　flight　would
have　been　impossible　to　them　both。　　But　Nadia　was　soon　reassured。

〃Russians！〃　she　exclaimed。　　And　with　this　last　effort；　her　eyes
closed　and　her　head　fell　on　Michael's　breast。

But　they　had　been　seen；　and　some　of　these　Russians；　running　to　them；
led　the　blind　man　and　the　girl　to　a　little　point　at　which　was
moored　a　raft。

The　raft　was　just　going　to　start。　　These　Russians　were　fugitives
of　different　conditions；　whom　the　same　interest　had　united
at　Lake　Baikal。　　Driven　back　by　the　Tartar　scouts；　they　hoped
to　obtain　a　refuge　at　Irkutsk；　but　not　being　able　to　get　there
by　land；　the　invaders　having　occupied　both　banks　of　the　Angara；
they　hoped　to　reach　it　by　descending　the　river　which　flows
through　the　town。

Their　plan　made　Michael's　heart　leap；　a　last　chance　was　before　him；
but　he　had　strength　to　conceal　this；　wishing　to　keep　his　incognito
more　strictly　than　ever。

The　fugitives'　plan　was　very　simple。　　A　current　in　the　lake　runs
along　by　the　upper　bank　to　the　mouth　of　the　Angara；　this　current
they　hoped　to　utilize；　and　with　its　assistance　to　reach　the　outlet
of　Lake　Baikal。　　From　this　point　to　Irkutsk；　the　rapid　waters　of
the　river　would　bear　them　along　at　a　rate　of　eight　miles　an　hour。
In　a　day　and　a　half　they　might　hope　to　be　in　sight　of　the　town。

No　kind　of　boat　was　to　be　found；　they　had　been　obliged　to　make　one；
a　raft；　or　rather　a　float　of　wood；　similar　to　those　which　usually
are　drifted　down　Siberian　rivers；　was　constructed。　　A　forest　of　firs；
growing　on　the　bank；　had　supplied　the　necessary　materials；　the　trunks；
fastened　together　with　osiers；　made　a　platform　on　which　a　hundred
people　could　have　easily　found　room。

On　board　this　raft　Michael　and　Nadia　were　taken。　　The　girl　had　returned
to　herself；　some　food　was　given　to　her　as　well　as　to　her　companion。
Then；　lying　on　a　bed　of　leaves；　she　soon　fell　into　a　deep　sleep。

To　those　who　questioned　him；　Michael　Strogoff　said　nothing
of　what　had　taken　place　at　Tomsk。　　He　gave　himself　out　as　an
inhabitant　of　Krasnoiarsk；　who　had　not　been　able　to　get　to　Irkutsk
before　the　Emir's　troops　arrived　on　the　left　bank　of　the　Dinka；
and　he　added　that；　very　probably；　the　bulk　of　the　Tartar　forces
had　taken　up　a　position　before　the　Siberian　capital。

There　was　not　a　moment　to　be　lost；　besides；　the　cold　was　becoming　more
and　more　severe。　　During　the　night　the　temperature　fell　below　zero；
ice　was　already　forming　on　the　surface　of　the　Baikal。　　Although　the　raft
managed　to　pass　easily　over　the　lake；　it　might　not　be　so　easy　between
the　banks　of　the　Angara；　should　pieces　of　ice　be　found　to　block
up　its　course。

At　eight　in　the　evening　the　moorings　were　cast　off；　and　the　raft
drifted　in　the　current　along　the　shore。　　It　was　steered　by　means
of　long　poles；　under　the　management　of　several　muscular　moujiks。
An　old　Baikal　boatman　took　command　of　the　raft。
He　was　a　man　of　sixty…five；　browned　by　the　sun；　and　lake　breezes。
A　thick　white　beard　flowed　over　his　chest；　a　fur　cap　covered
his　head；　his　aspect　was　grave　and　austere。　　His　large
great…coat；　fastened　in　at　the　waist；　reached　down　to　his　heels。
This　taciturn　old　fellow　was　seated　in　the　stern；　and　issued
his　commands　by　gestures。　　Besides；　the　chief　work　consisted
in　keeping　the　raft　in　the　current；　which　ran　along　the　shore；
without　drifting　out　into　the　open。

It　has　been　already　said　that　Russians　of　all　conditions　had　found
a　place　on　the　raft。　　Indeed；　to　the　poor　moujiks；　the　women；
old　men；　and　children；　were　joined　two　or　three　pilgrims；
surprised　on　their　journey　by　the　invasion；　a　few　monks；　and　a　priest。
The　pilgrims　carried　a　staff；　a　gourd　hung　at　the　belt；　and　they
chanted　psalms　in　a　plaintive　voice：　　one　came　from　the　Ukraine；
another　from　the　Yellow　sea；　and　a　third　from　the　Finland　provinces。
This　last；　who　was　an　aged　man；　carried　at　his　waist　a　little
padlocked　collecting…box；　as　if　it　had　been　hung　at　a　church　door。
Of　all　that　he　collected　during　his　long　and　fatiguing　pilgrimage；
nothing　was　for　himself；　he　did　not　even　possess　the　key　of　the　box；
which　would　only　be　opened　on　his　return。

The　monks　came　from　the　North　of　the　Empire。　　Three　months　before
they　had　left　the　town　of　Archangel。　　They　had　visited　the　sacred
islands　near　the　coast　of　Carelia；　the　convent　of　Solovetsk；
the　convent　of　Troitsa；　those　of　Saint　Antony　and　Saint　Theodosia；
at　Kiev；　that　of　Kazan；　as　well　as　the　church　of　the　Old　Believers；
and　they　were　now　on　their　way　to　Irkutsk；　wearing　the　robe；
the　cowl；　and　the　clothes　of　serge。

As　to　the　papa；　or　priest；　he　was　a　plain　village　pastor；　one　of　the　six
hundred　thousand　popular　pastors　which　the　Russian　Empire　contains。
He　was　clothed　as　miserably　as　the　moujiks；　not　being　above
them　in　social　position；　in　fact；　laboring　like　a　peasant
on　his　plot　of　ground；　baptis…ing；　marrying；　burying。　　He　had
been　able　to　protect　his　wife　and　children　from　the　brutality
of　the　Tartars　by　sending　them　away　into　the　Northern　provinces。
He　himself　had　stayed　in　his　parish　up　to　the　last　moment；
then　he　was　obliged　to　fly；　and；　the　Irkutsk　road　being　stopped；
had　come　to　Lake　Baikal。

These　priests；　grouped　in　the　forward　part　of　the　raft；
prayed　at　regular　intervals；　raising　their　voices　in　the
silent　night；　and　at　the　end　of　each　sentence　of　their　prayer；
the　〃Slava　Bogu；〃　Glory　to　God！　issued　from　their　lips。

No　incident　took　place　during　the　night。　　Nadia　remained　in　a　sort
of　stupor；　and　Michael　watched　beside　her；　sleep　only　overtook
him　at　long　intervals；　and　even　then　his　brain　did　not　rest。
At　break　of　day；　the　raft；　delayed　by　a　strong　breeze；
which　counteracted　the　course　of　the　current；　was　still　forty　versts
from　the　mouth　of　the　Angara。　　It　seemed　probable　that　the　fugitives
could　not　reach　it　before　three　or　four　o'clock　in　the　evening。
This　did　not　trouble　them；　on　the　contrary；　for　they　would　then
descend　the　river　during　the　night；　and　the　darkness　would