michael strogoff-第42章

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This　did　not　trouble　them；　on　the　contrary；　for　they　would　then
descend　the　river　during　the　night；　and　the　darkness　would
also　favor　their　entrance　into　Irkutsk。

The　only　anxiety　exhibited　at　times　by　the　old　boatman　was
concerning　the　formation　of　ice　on　the　surface　of　the　water。
The　night　had　been　excessively　cold；　pieces　of　ice　could　be　seen
drifting　towards　the　West。　　Nothing　was　to　be　dreaded　from　these；
since　they　could　not　drift　into　the　Angara；　having　already
passed　the　mouth；　but　pieces　from　the　Eastern　end　of　the　lake
might　be　drawn　by　the　current　between　the　banks　of　the　river；
this　would　cause　difficulty；　possibly　delay；　and　perhaps　even
an　insurmountable　obstacle　which　would　stop　the　raft。

Michael　therefore　took　immense　interest　in　ascertaining　what　was　the　state
of　the　lake；　and　whether　any　large　number　of　ice　blocks　appeared。
Nadia　being　now　awake；　he　questioned　her　often；　and　she　gave　him
an　account　of　all　that　was　going　on。

Whilst　the　blocks　were　thus　drifting；　curious　phenomena　were
taking　place　on　the　surface　of　the　Baikal。　　Magnificent　jets；
from　springs　of　boiling　water；　shot　up　from　some　of　those　artesian
wells　which　Nature　has　bored　in　the　very　bed　of　the　lake。
These　jets　rose　to　a　great　height　and　spread　out　in　vapor；
which　was　illuminated　by　the　solar　rays；　and　almost　immediately
condensed　by　the　cold。　　This　curious　sight　would　have　assuredly
amazed　a　tourist　traveling　in　peaceful　times　on　this　Siberian　sea。

At　four　in　the　evening；　the　mouth　of　the　Angara　was　signaled
by　the　old　boatman；　between　the　high　granite　rocks　of　the　shore。
On　the　right　bank　could　be　seen　the　little　port　of　Livenitchnaia；
its　church；　and　its　few　houses　built　on　the　bank。　　But　the　serious
thing　was　that　the　ice　blocks　from　the　East　were　already　drifting
between　the　banks　of　the　Angara；　and　consequently　were　descending
towards　Irkutsk。　　However；　their　number　was　not　yet　great　enough
to　obstruct　the　course　of　the　raft；　nor　the　cold　great　enough
to　increase　their　number。

The　raft　arrived　at　the　little　port　and　there　stopped。　　The　old　boatman
wished　to　put　into　harbor　for　an　hour；　in　order　to　make　some　repairs。
The　trunks　threatened　to　separate；　and　it　was　important　to　fasten　them
more　securely　together　to　resist　the　rapid　current　of　the　Angara。

The　old　boatman　did　not　expect　to　receive　any　fresh　fugitives
at　Livenitchnaia；　and　yet；　the　moment　the　raft　touched；
two　passengers；　issuing　from　a　deserted　house；　ran　as　fast
as　they　could　towards　the　beach。

Nadia　seated　on　the　raft；　was　abstractedly　gazing　at　the　shore。
A　cry　was　about　to　escape　her。　　She　seized　Michael's　hand；
who　at　that　moment　raised　his　head。

〃What　is　the　matter；　Nadia？〃　he　asked。

〃Our　two　traveling　companions；　Michael。〃

〃The　Frenchman　and　the　Englishman　whom　we　met　in　the　defiles
of　the　Ural？〃

〃Yes。〃

Michael　started；　for　the　strict　incognito　which　he　wished
to　keep　ran　a　risk　of　being　betrayed。　　Indeed；　it　was　no　longer
as　Nicholas　Korpanoff　that　Jolivet　and　Blount　would　now　see　him；
but　as　the　true　Michael　Strogoff；　Courier　of　the　Czar。　　The　two
correspondents　had　already　met　him　twice　since　their　separation
at　the　Ichim　post…housethe　first　time　at　the　Zabediero　camp；
when　he　laid　open　Ivan　Ogareff's　face　with　the　knout；　the　second
time　at　Tomsk；　when　he　was　condemned　by　the　Emir。　　They　therefore
knew　who　he　was　and　what　depended　on　him。

Michael　Strogoff　rapidly　made　up　his　mind。　　〃Nadia；〃　said　he；
〃when　they　step　on　board；　ask　them　to　come　to　me！〃

It　was；　in　fact；　Blount　and　Jolivet；　whom　the　course　of　events
had　brought　to　the　port　of　Livenitchnaia；　as　it　had　brought
Michael　Strogoff。　　As　we　know；　after　having　been　present
at　the　entry　of　the　Tartars　into　Tomsk；　they　had　departed
before　the　savage　execution　which　terminated　the　fete。
They　had　therefore　never　suspected　that　their　former　traveling
companion　had　not　been　put　to　death；　but　blinded　by　order
of　the　Emir。

Having　procured　horses　they　had　left　Tomsk　the　same　evening；
with　the　fixed　determination　of　henceforward　dating　their　letters
from　the　Russian　camp　of　Eastern　Siberia。　　They　proceeded
by　forced　marches　towards　Irkutsk。　　They　hoped　to　distance
Feofar…Khan；　and　would　certainly　have　done　so；　had　it　not　been
for　the　unexpected　apparition　of　the　third　column；　come　from
the　South；　up　the　valley　of　the　Yenisei。　　They　had　been　cut　off；
as　had　been　Michael；　before　being　able　even　to　reach　the　Dinka；
and　had　been　obliged　to　go　back　to　Lake　Baikal。

They　had　been　in　the　place　for　three　days　in　much　perplexity；
when　the　raft　arrived。　　The　fugitives'　plan　was　explained　to　them。
There　was　certainly　a　chance　that　they　might　be　able　to　pass　under
cover　of　the　night；　and　penetrate　into　Irkutsk。　　They　resolved
to　make　the　attempt。

Alcide　directly　communicated　with　the　old　boatman；　and　asked　a　passage
for　himself　and　his　companion；　offering　to　pay　anything　he　demanded；
whatever　it　might　be。

〃No　one　pays　here；〃　replied　the　old　man　gravely；　〃every　one　risks
his　life；　that　is　all！〃

The　two　correspondents　came　on　board；　and　Nadia　saw　them　take
their　places　in　the　forepart　of　the　raft。　　Harry　Blount　was　still
the　reserved　Englishman；　who　had　scarcely　addressed　a　word　to　her
during　the　whole　passage　over　the　Ural　Mountains。　　Alcide　Jolivet
seemed　to　be　rather　more　grave　than　usual；　and　it　may　be　acknowledged
that　his　gravity　was　justified　by　the　circumstances。

Jolivet　had；　as　has　been　said；　taken　his　seat　on　the　raft；
when　he　felt　a　hand　laid　on　his　arm。　　Turning；　he　recognized　Nadia；
the　sister　of　the　man　who　was　no　longer　Nicholas　Korpanoff；
but　Michael　Strogoff；　Courier　of　the　Czar。　　He　was　about　to　make
an　exclamation　of　surprise　when　he　saw　the　young　girl　lay　her
finger　on　her　lips。

〃Come；〃　said　Nadia。　　And　with　a　careless　air；　Alcide　rose
and　followed　her；　making　a　sign　to　Blount　to　accompany　him。

But　if　the　surprise　of　the　correspondents　had　been　great　at　meeting
Nadia　on　the　raft　it　was　boundless　when　they　perceived　Michael　Strogoff；
whom　they　had　believed　to　be　no　longer　living。

Michael　had　not　moved　at　their　approach。　　Jolivet　turned　towards
the　girl。　　〃He　does　not　see　you；　gentlemen；〃　said　Nadia。　　〃The　Tartars
have　burnt　out　his　eyes！　　My　poor　brother　is　blind！〃

A　feeling　of　lively　compassion　exhibited　itself　on　the　faces　of　Blount
and　his　companion。　　In　a　moment　they　were　seated　beside　Michael；
pressing　his　hand　and　waiting　until　he　spoke　to　them。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　Michael；　in　a　low　voice；　〃you　ought　not　to　know　who
I　am；　nor　what　I　am　come　to　do　in　Siberia。　　I　ask　you　to　keep　my　secret。
Will　you　promise　me　to　do　so？〃

〃On　my　honor；〃　answered　Jolivet。

〃On　my　word　as　a　gentleman；〃　added　Blount。

〃Good；　gentlemen。〃

〃Can　we　be　of　any　use　to　you？〃　asked　Harry　Blount。　　〃Could　we
not　help　you　to　accomplish　your　task？〃

〃I　prefer　to　act　alone；〃　replied　Michael。

〃But　those　blackguards　have　destroyed　your　sight；〃　said　Alcide。

〃I　have　Nadia；　and　her　eyes　are　enough　for　me！〃

In　half　an　hour　the　raft　left　the　little　port　of　Livenitchnaia；
and　entered　the　river。　　It　was　five　in　the　evening　and　getting　dusk。
The　night　promised　to　be　dark　and　very　cold　also；　for　the　temperature
was　already　below　zero。

Alcide　and　Blount；　though　they　had　promised　to　keep　Michael's　secret；
did　not　leave　him。　　They　talked　in　a　low　voice；　and　the
blind　man；　adding　what　they　told　him　to　what　he　already　knew；
was　able　to　form　an　exact　idea　of　the　state　of　things。
It　was　certain　that　the　Tartars　had　actually　invested　Irkutsk；
and　that　the　three　columns　had　effected　a　junction。
There　was　no　doubt　that　the　Emir　and　Ivan　Ogareff　were
before　the　capital。

But　why　did　the　Czar's　courier　exhibit　such　haste　to　get　there；
now　that　the　Imperial　letter　could　no　longer　be　given　by　him　to
the　Grand　Duke；　and　when　he　did　not　even　know　the　contents　of　it？
Alcide　Jolivet　and　Blount　could　not　understand　it　any　more　than
Nadia　had　done。

No　one　spoke　of　the　past；　except　when　Jolivet　thought　it　his　duty
to　say　to　Michael；　〃We　owe　you　some　apology　for　not　shaking　hands
with　you　when　we　separated　at　Ichim。〃

〃No；　you　had　reason　to　think　me　a　coward！〃

〃At　any　rate；〃　added　the　Frenchman；　〃you　knouted　the　face　of　that
villain　finely；　and　he　will　carry　the　mark　of　it　for　a　long　time！〃

〃No；　not　a　long　time！〃　replied　Michael　quietly。

Half　an　hour　after　leaving　Livenitchnaia；　Blount　and　his　companion
were　acquainted　with　the　cruel　trials　through　which　Michael　and　his
companion　had　successively　passed。　　They　could　not　but　heartily　admire
his　energy；　which　was　only　equaled　by　the　young　girl's　devotion。
Their　opinion　of　Michael　was　exactly　what　the　Czar　had　expressed
at　Moscow：　　〃Indeed；　this　is　a　Man！〃

The　raft　swiftly　threaded　its　way　among　the　blocks　of　ice
which　were　carried　along　in　the　current　of　the　Angara。　　A　moving
panorama　was　displayed　on　both　sides　of　the　river；　and；　by　an
optical　illusion；　it　appeared　as　if　it　was　the　raft　which
was　motionless　before　a　succession　of　picturesque　scenes。
Here　were　high　granite　cliffs；　there　wild　gorges；
down　which　rushed　a　torrent；　sometimes　appeared　a　clearing
with　a　still　smoking　village；　then　thick　pine　forests　blazing。
But　though　the　Tartars　had　left　their　traces　on　all　sides；
they　themselves　were　not　to　be　seen　as　yet；　for　they　were　more
especially　massed　at　the　approaches　to　Irkutsk。

All　this　time　the　pilgrims　were　repeating　their　prayers　aloud；
and　the　old　boatman；　shoving　away　the　blocks　of　ice　which　pressed
too　near　them；　imperturbably　steered　the　raft　in　the　middle
of　the　rapid　current　of　the　Angara。


CHAPTER　XI　BETWEEN　TWO　BANKS

BY　eight　in　the　evening；　the　country；　as　the　state　of　the　sky
had　foretold；　was　enveloped　in　complete　darkness。　　The　moon　being　new　had
not　yet　risen。　　From　the　middle　of　the　river　the　banks　were　invisible。
The　cliffs　were　confounded　with　the　heavy；　low…hanging　clouds。
At　intervals　a　puff　of　wind　came　from　the　east；　but　it　soon　died　away
in　the　narrow　valley　of　the　Angara。

The　darkness　could　not　fail　to　favor　in　a　considerable　degree
the　plans　of　the　fugitives。　　Indeed；　although　the　Tartar　outposts
must　have　been　drawn　up　on　both　banks；　the　raft　had　a　good　chance
of　passing　unperceived。　　It　was　not　likely　either　that　the　besiegers
would　have　barred　the　river　above　Irkutsk；　since　they　knew　that　the
Russians　could　not　expect　any　help　from　the　south　of　the　province。
Besides　this；　before　long　Nature　would　herself　establish　a　barrier；
by　cementing　with　frost　the　blocks　of　ice　accumulated　between
the　two　banks。

Perfect　silence　now　reigned　on　board　the　raft。　　The　voices
of　the　pilgrims　were　no　longer　heard。　　They　still　prayed；
but　their　prayer　was　but　a　murmur；　which　could　not　reach　as　far
as　either　bank。　　The　fugitives　lay　flat　on　the　platform；
so　that　the　raft　was　scarcely　above　the　level　of　the　water。
The　old　boatman　crouched　down　forward　among　his　men；
solely　occupied　in　keeping　off　the　ice　blocks；　a　maneuver
which　was　performed　without　noise。

The　drifting　of　the　ice　was　a　favorable　circumstance　so　long　as　it
did　not　offer　an　insurmountable　obstacle　to　the　passage　of　the　raft。
If　that　object　had　been　alone　on　the　water；　it　would　have　run
a　risk　of　be