michael strogoff-第43章

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If　that　object　had　been　alone　on　the　water；　it　would　have　run
a　risk　of　being　seen；　even　in　the　darkness；　but；　as　it　was；
it　was　confounded　with　these　moving　masses；　of　all　shapes　and　sizes；
and　the　tumult　caused　by　the　crashing　of　the　blocks　against　each
other　concealed　likewise　any　suspicious　noises。

There　was　a　sharp　frost。　　The　fugitives　suffered　cruelly；
having　no　other　shelter　than　a　few　branches　of　birch。
They　cowered　down　together；　endeavoring　to　keep　each　other　warm；
the　temperature　being　now　ten　degrees　below　freezing　point。
The　wind；　though　slight；　having　passed　over　the　snow…clad
mountains　of　the　east；　pierced　them　through　and　through。

Michael　and　Nadia；　lying　in　the　afterpart　of　the　raft；
bore　this　increase　of　suffering　without　complaint。
Jolivet　and　Blount；　placed　near　them；　stood　these　first　assaults
of　the　Siberian　winter　as　well　as　they　could。　　No　one　now　spoke；
even　in　a　low　voice。　　Their　situation　entirely　absorbed　them。
At　any　moment　an　incident　might　occur；　which　they　could
not　escape　unscathed。

For　a　man　who　hoped　soon　to　accomplish　his　mission；
Michael　was　singularly　calm。　　Even　in　the　gravest　conjunctures；
his　energy　had　never　abandoned　him。　　He　already　saw　the　moment
when　he　would　be　at　last　allowed　to　think　of　his　mother；　of　Nadia；
of　himself！　　He　now　only　dreaded　one　final　unhappy　chance；
this　was；　that　the　raft　might　be　completely　barred　by　ice　before
reaching　Irkutsk。　　He　thought　but　of　this；　determined　beforehand；
if　necessary；　to　attempt　some　bold　stroke。

Restored　by　a　few　hours'　rest；　Nadia　had　regained　the　physical　energy
which　misery　had　sometimes　overcome；　although　without　ever　having
shaken　her　moral　energy。　　She　thought；　too；　that　if　Michael　had　to　make
any　fresh　effort　to　attain　his　end；　she　must　be　there　to　guide　him。
But　in　proportion　as　she　drew　nearer　to　Irkutsk；　the　image　of　her
father　rose　more　and　more　clearly　before　her　mind。　　She　saw　him　in
the　invested　town；　far　from　those　he　loved；　but；　as　she　never　doubted；
struggling　against　the　invaders　with　all　the　spirit　of　his　patriotism。
In　a　few　hours；　if　Heaven　favored　them；　she　would　be　in　his　arms；　giving
him　her　mother's　last　words；　and　nothing　should　ever　separate　them　again。
If　the　term　of　Wassili　Fedor's　exile　should　never　come　to　an　end；
his　daughter　would　remain　exiled　with　him。　　Then；　by　a　natural　transition；
she　came　back　to　him　who　would　have　enabled　her　to　see　her　father
once　more；　to　that　generous　companion；　that　〃brother；〃　who；　the　Tartars
driven　back；　would　retake　the　road　to　Moscow；　whom　she　would　perhaps
never　meet　again！

As　to　Alcide　Jolivet　and　Harry　Blount；　they　had　one　and　the　same　thought；
which　was；　that　the　situation　was　extremely　dramatic；　and　that；
well　worked　up；　it　would　furnish　a　most　deeply　interesting　article。
The　Englishman　thought　of　the　readers　of　the　Daily　Telegraph；
and　the　Frenchman　of　those　of　his　Cousin　Madeleine。　　At　heart；
both　were　not　without　feeling　some　emotion。

〃Well；　so　much　the　better！〃　thought　Alcide　Jolivet；　〃to　move　others；
one　must　be　moved　one's　self！　　I　believe　there　is　some　celebrated
verse　on　the　subject；　but　hang　me　if　I　can　recollect　it！〃
And　with　his　well…practiced　eyes　he　endeavored　to　pierce　the　gloom
of　the　river。

Every　now　and　then　a　burst　of　light　dispelling　the　darkness
for　a　time；　exhibited　the　banks　under　some　fantastic　aspect
either　a　forest　on　fire；　or　a　still　burning　village。
The　Angara　was　occasionally　illuminated　from　one　bank　to　the　other。
The　blocks　of　ice　formed　so　many　mirrors；　which；　reflecting　the
flames　on　every　point　and　in　every　color；　were　whirled　along
by　the　caprice　of　the　current。　　The　raft　passed　unperceived
in　the　midst　of　these　floating　masses。

The　danger　was　not　at　these　points。

But　a　peril　of　another　nature　menaced　the　fugitives。　　One　that　they
could　not　foresee；　and；　above　all；　one　that　they　could　not　avoid。
Chance　discovered　it　to　Alcide　Jolivet　in　this　way：Lying　at
the　right　side　of　the　raft；　he　let　his　hand　hang　over　into　the　water。
Suddenly　he　was　surprised　by　the　impression　made　on　it　by　the　current。
It　seemed　to　be　of　a　slimy　consistency；　as　if　it　had　been　made
of　mineral　oil。　　Alcide；　aiding　his　touch　by　his　sense　of　smell；
could　not　be　mistaken。　　It　was　really　a　layer　of　liquid　naphtha；
floating　on　the　surface　of　the　river！

Was　the　raft　really　floating　on　this　substance；　which　is　in　the
highest　degree　combustible？　　Where　had　this　naphtha　come　from？
Was　it　a　natural　phenomenon　taking　place　on　the　surface　of　the　Angara；
or　was　it　to　serve　as　an　engine　of　destruction；　put　in　motion　by
the　Tartars？　　Did　they　intend　to　carry　conflagration　into　Irkutsk？

Such　were　the　questions　which　Alcide　asked　himself；　but　he　thought
it　best　to　make　this　incident　known　only　to　Harry　Blount；　and　they
both　agreed　in　not　alarming　their　companions　by　revealing　to　them
this　new　danger。

It　is　known　that　the　soil　of　Central　Asia　is　like　a　sponge
impregnated　with　liquid　hydrogen。　　At　the　port　of　Bakou；
on　the　Persian　frontier；　on　the　Caspian　Sea；　in　Asia　Minor；
in　China；　on　the　Yuen…Kiang；　in　the　Burman　Empire；　springs　of
mineral　oil　rise　in　thousands　to　the　surface　of　the　ground。
It　is　an　〃oil　country；〃　similar　to　the　one　which　bears　this
name　in　North　America。

During　certain　religious　festivals；　principally　at　the　port
of　Bakou；　the　natives；　who　are　fire…worshipers；　throw　liquid
naphtha　on　the　surface　of　the　sea；　which　buoys　it　up；
its　density　being　inferior　to　that　of　water。　　Then　at　nightfall；
when　a　layer　of　mineral　oil　is　thus　spread　over　the　Caspian；
they　light　it；　and　exhibit　the　matchless　spectacle　of　an　ocean
of　fire　undulating　and　breaking　into　waves　under　the　breeze。

But　what　is　only　a　sign　of　rejoicing　at　Bakou；　might　prove
a　fearful　disaster　on　the　waters　of　the　Angara。　　Whether　it
was　set　on　fire　by　malevolence　or　imprudence；　in　the　twinkling
of　an　eye　a　conflagration　might　spread　beyond　Irkutsk。　　On　board
the　raft　no　imprudence　was　to　be　feared；　but　everything　was　to　be
dreaded　from　the　conflagrations　on　both　banks　of　the　Angara；
for　should　a　lighted　straw　or　even　a　spark　blow　into　the　water；
it　would　inevitably　set　the　whole　current　of　naphtha　in　a　blaze。

The　apprehensions　of　Jolivet　and　Blount　may　be　better　understood
than　described。　　Would　it　not　be　prudent；　in　face　of　this
new　danger；　to　land　on　one　of　the　banks　and　wait　there？
〃At　any　rate；〃　said　Alcide；　〃whatever　the　danger　may　be；
I　know　some　one　who　will　not　land！〃

He　alluded　to　Michael　Strogoff。

In　the　meantime；　on　glided　the　raft　among　the　masses　of　ice
which　were　gradually　getting　closer　and　closer　together。
Up　till　then；　no　Tartar　detachment　had　been　seen；
which　showed　that　the　raft　was　not　abreast　of　the　outposts。
At　about　ten　o'clock；　however；　Harry　Blount　caught　sight
of　a　number　of　black　objects　moving　on　the　ice　blocks。
Springing　from　one　to　the　other；　they　rapidly　approached。

〃Tartars！〃　he　thought。　　And　creeping　up　to　the　old　boatman；
he　pointed　out　to　him　the　suspicious　objects。

The　old　man　looked　attentively。　　〃They　are　only　wolves！〃　said　he。
〃I　like　them　better　than　Tartars。　　But　we　must　defend　ourselves；
and　without　noise！〃

The　fugitives　would　indeed　have　to　defend　themselves　against　these
ferocious　beasts；　whom　hunger　and　cold　had　sent　roaming　through
the　province。　　They　had　smelt　out　the　raft；　and　would　soon　attack　it。
The　fugitives　must　struggle　without　using　firearms；　for　they　could
not　now　be　far　from　the　Tartar　posts。　　The　women　and　children　were
collected　in　the　middle　of　the　raft；　and　the　men；　some　armed　with　poles；
others　with　their　knives；　stood　prepared　to　repulse　their　assailants。
They　did　not　make　a　sound；　but　the　howls　of　the　wolves　filled　the　air。

Michael　did　not　wish　to　remain　inactive。　　He　lay　down　at
the　side　attacked　by　the　savage　pack。　　He　drew　his　knife；
and　every　time　that　a　wolf　passed　within　his　reach；　his　hand
found　out　the　way　to　plunge　his　weapon　into　its　throat。
Neither　were　Jolivet　and　Blount　idle；　but　fought　bravely
with　the　brutes。　　Their　companions　gallantly　seconded　them。
The　battle　was　carried　on　in　silence；　although　many　of　the　fugitives
received　severe　bites。

The　struggle　did　not　appear　as　if　it　would　soon　terminate。
The　pack　was　being　continually　reinforced　from　the　right　bank
of　the　Angara。　　〃This　will　never　be　finished！〃　said　Alcide；
brandishing　his　dagger；　red　with　blood。

In　fact；　half　an　hour　after　the　commencement　of　the　attack；
the　wolves　were　still　coming　in　hundreds　across　the　ice。　　The　exhausted
fugitives　were　getting　weaker。　　The　fight　was　going　against　them。
At　that　moment；　a　group　of　ten　huge　wolves；　raging　with　hunger；
their　eyes　glowing　in　the　darkness　like　red　coals；　sprang　onto　the　raft。
Jolivet　and　his　companion　threw　themselves　into　the　midst　of
the　fierce　beasts；　and　Michael　was　finding　his　way　towards　them；
when　a　sudden　change　took　place。

In　a　few　moments　the　wolves　had　deserted　not　only　the　raft；
but　also　the　ice　on　the　river。　　All　the　black　bodies　dispersed；
and　it　was　soon　certain　that　they　had　in　all　haste　regained　the　shore。
Wolves；　like　other　beasts　of　prey；　require　darkness　for　their　proceedings；
and　at　that　moment　a　bright　light　illuminated　the　entire　river。

It　was　the　blaze　of　an　immense　fire。　　The　whole　of　the　small
town　of　Poshkavsk　was　burning。　　The　Tartars　were　indeed　there；
finishing　their　work。　　From　this　point；　they　occupied　both
banks　beyond　Irkutsk。　　The　fugitives　had　by　this　time　reached
the　dangerous　part　of　their　voyage；　and　they　were　still　twenty
miles　from　the　capital。

It　was　now　half　past　eleven。　　The　raft　continued　to　glide　on　amongst
the　ice；　with　which　it　was　quite　mingled；　but　gleams　of　light　sometimes
fell　upon　it。　　The　fugitives　stretched　on　the　platform　did　not　permit
themselves　to　make　a　movement　by　which　they　might　be　betrayed。

The　conflagration　was　going　on　with　frightful　rapidity。
The　houses；　built　of　fir…wood；　blazed　like　torchesa　hundred
and　fifty　flaming　at　once。　　With　the　crackling　of　the　fire　was
mingled　the　yells　of　the　Tartars。　　The　old　boatman；　getting　a
foothold　on　a　near　piece　of　ice；　managed　to　shove　the　raft　towards
the　right　bank；　by　doing　which　a　distance　of　from　three　to　four
hundred　feet　divided　it　from　the　flames　of　Poshkavsk。

Nevertheless；　the　fugitives；　lighted　every　now　and　then　by　the　glare；
would　have　been　undoubtedly　perceived　had　not　the　incendiaries　been
too　much　occupied　in　their　work　of　destruction。

It　may　be　imagined　what　were　the　apprehensions　of　Jolivet　and　Blount；
when　they　thought　of　the　combustible　liquid　on　which　the　raft　floated。
Sparks　flew　in　millions　from　the　houses；　which　resembled　so　many
glowing　furnaces。　　They　rose　among　the　volumes　of　smoke　to　a　height　of
five　or　six　hundred　feet。　　On　the　right　bank；　the　trees　and　cliffs　exposed
to　the　fire　looked　as　if　they　likewise　were　burning。　　A　spark　falling
on　the　surface　of　the　Angara　would　be　sufficient　to　spread　the　flames
along　the　current；　and　to　carry　disaster　from　one　bank　to　the　other。
The　result　of　this　would　be　in　a　short　time　the　destruction　of　the　raft
and　of　all　those　which　it　carried。

But；　happily；　the　breeze　did　not　blow　from　that　side。
It　came　from　the　east；　and　drove　the