michael strogoff-第45章

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First　of　all；　as　we　have　seen；　the　inhabitants　of　the　province　of　Irkutsk
were　compelled　to　abandon　the　towns　and　villages。　　Those　who　did
not　take　refuge　in　the　capital　had　to　retire　beyond　Lake　Baikal；
a　district　to　which　the　invasion　would　probably　not　extend　its　ravages。
The　harvests　of　corn　and　fodder　were　collected　and　stored　up　in　the　town；
and　Irkutsk；　the　last　bulwark　of　the　Muscovite　power　in　the　Far　East；
was　put　in　a　condition　to　resist　the　enemy　for　a　lengthened　period。

Irkutsk；　founded　in　1611；　is　situated　at　the　confluence　of
the　Irkut　and　the　Angara；　on　the　right　bank　of　the　latter　river。
Two　wooden　draw…bridges；　built　on　piles；　connected　the　town　with
its　suburbs　on　the　left　bank。　　On　this　side；　defence　was　easy。
The　suburbs　were　abandoned；　the　bridges　destroyed。
The　Angara　being　here　very　wide；　it　would　not　be　possible
to　pass　it　under　the　fire　of　the　besieged。

But　the　river　might　be　crossed　both　above　and　below　the　town；
and　consequently；　Irkutsk　ran　a　risk　of　being　attacked　on　its
east　side；　on　which　there　was　no　wall　to　protect　it。

The　whole　population　were　immediately　set　to　work　on　the　fortifications。
They　labored　day　and　night。　　The　Grand　Duke　observed　with　satisfaction
the　zeal　exhibited　by　the　people　in　the　work；　whom　ere　long　he　would
find　equally　courageous　in　the　defense。　　Soldiers；　merchants；　exiles；
peasants；　all　devoted　themselves　to　the　common　safety。　　A　week　before
the　Tartars　appeared　on　the　Angara；　earth…works　had　been　raised。
A　fosse；　flooded　by　the　waters　of　the　Angara；　was　dug　between　the　scarp
and　counterscarp。　　The　town　could　not　now　be　taken　by　a　coup　de　main。
It　must　be　invested　and　besieged。

The　third　Tartar　columnthe　one　which　came　up　the　valley　of　the　Yenisei
on　the　24th　of　Septemberappeared　in　sight　of　Irkutsk。　　It　immediately
occupied　the　deserted　suburbs；　every　building　in　which　had　been
destroyed　so　as　not　to　impede　the　fire　of　the　Grand　Duke's　guns；
unfortunately　but　few　in　number　and　of　small　caliber。
The　Tartar　troops　as　they　arrived　organized　a　camp　on　the　bank
of　the　Angara；　whilst　waiting　the　arrival　of　the　two　other　columns；
commanded　by　the　Emir　and　his　allies。

The　junction　of　these　different　bodies　was　effected　on　the　25th
of　September；　in　the　Angara　camp；　and　the　whole　of　the　invading　army；
except　the　garrisons　left　in　the　principal　conquered　towns；
was　concentrated　under　the　command　of　Feofar…Khan。

The　passage　of　the　Angara　in　front　of　Irkutsk　having　been　regarded
by　Ogareff　as　impracticable；　a　strong　body　of　troops　crossed；
several　versts　up　the　river；　by　means　of　bridges　formed　with　boats。
The　Grand　Duke　did　not　attempt　to　oppose　the　enemy　in　their　passage。
He　could　only　impede；　not　prevent　it；　having　no　field…artillery
at　his　disposal；　and　he　therefore　remained　in　Irkutsk。

The　Tartars　now　occupied　the　right　bank　of　the　river；
then；　advancing　towards　the　town；　they　burnt；　in　passing；
the　summer…house　of　the　governor…general；　and　at　last　having
entirely　invested　Irkutsk；　took　up　their　positions　for　the　siege。

Ivan　Ogareff；　who　was　a　clever　engineer；　was　perfectly　competent
to　direct　a　regular　siege；　but　he　did　not　possess　the　materials
for　operating　rapidly。　　He　was　disappointed　too　in　the　chief
object　of　all　his　effortsthe　surprise　of　Irkutsk。　　Things　had
not　turned　out　as　he　hoped。　　First；　the　march　of　the　Tartar
army　was　delayed　by　the　battle　of　Tomsk；　and　secondly；
the　preparations　for　the　defense　were　made　far　more　rapidly　than
he　had　supposed　possible；　these　two　things　had　balked　his　plans。
He　was　now　under　the　necessity　of　instituting　a　regular　siege
of　the　town。

However；　by　his　suggestion；　the　Emir　twice　attempted　the　capture
of　the　place；　at　the　cost　of　a　large　sacrifice　of　men。
He　threw　soldiers　on　the　earth…works　which　presented　any　weak　point；
but　these　two　assaults　were　repulsed　with　the　greatest　courage。
The　Grand　Duke　and　his　officers　did　not　spare　themselves　on
this　occasion。　　They　appeared　in　person；　they　led　the　civil　population
to　the　ramparts。　　Citizens　and　peasants　both　did　their　duty。

At　the　second　attack；　the　Tartars　managed　to　force　one　of　the　gates。
A　fight　took　place　at　the　head　of　Bolchaia　Street；　two　versts　long；
on　the　banks　of　the　Angara。　　But　the　Cossacks；　the　police；　the　citizens；
united　in　so　fierce　a　resistance　that　the　Tartars　were　driven　out。

Ivan　Ogareff　then　thought　of　obtaining　by　stratagem　what　he　could
not　gain　by　force。　　We　have　said　that　his　plan　was　to　penetrate　into
the　town；　make　his　way　to　the　Grand　Duke；　gain　his　confidence；　and；
when　the　time　came；　give　up　the　gates　to　the　besiegers；　and；　that　done；
wreak　his　vengeance　on　the　brother　of　the　Czar。　　The　Tsigane　Sangarre；
who　had　accompanied　him　to　the　Angara；　urged　him　to　put　this
plan　in　execution。

Indeed；　it　was　necessary　to　act　without　delay。
The　Russian　troops　from　the　government　of　Yakutsk　were
advancing　towards　Irkutsk。　　They　had　concentrated　along
the　upper　course　of　the　Lena。　　In　six　days　they　would　arrive。
Therefore；　before　six　days　had　passed；　Irkutsk　must　be　betrayed。
Ogareff　hesitated　no　longer。

One　evening；　the　2d　of　October；　a　council　of　war　was　held　in　the
grand　saloon　of　the　palace　of　the　governor…general。　This　palace；
standing　at　the　end　of　Bolchaia　Street；　overlooked　the　river。
From　its　windows　could　be　seen　the　camp　of　the　Tartars；
and　had　the　invaders　possessed　guns　of　wider　range；　they　would
have　rendered　the　palace　uninhabitable。

The　Grand　Duke；　General　Voranzoff；　the　governor　of　the　town；
and　the　chief　of　the　merchants；　with　several　officers；
had　collected　to　determine　upon　various　proposals。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　the　Grand　Duke；　〃you　know　our　situation　exactly。
I　have　the　firm　hope　that　we　shall　be　able　to　hold　out　until
the　arrival　of　the　Yakutsk　troops。　　We　shall　then　be　able　to　drive
off　these　barbarian　hordes；　and　it　will　not　be　my　fault　if　they
do　not　pay　dearly　for　this　invasion　of　the　Muscovite　territory。〃

〃Your　Highness　knows　that　all　the　population　of　Irkutsk　may　be　relied　on；〃
said　General　Voranzoff。

〃Yes；　general；〃　replied　the　Grand　Duke；　〃and　I　do　justice
to　their　patriotism。　　Thanks　to　God；　they　have　not　yet
been　subjected　to　the　horrors　of　epidemic　and　famine；
and　I　have　reason　to　hope　that　they　will　escape　them；
but　I　cannot　admire　their　courage　on　the　ramparts　enough。
You　hear　my　words；　Sir　Merchant；　and　I　beg　you　to　repeat
such　to　them。〃

〃I　thank　your　Highness　in　the　name　of　the　town；〃　answered　the
merchant　chief。　　〃May　I　ask　you　what　is　the　most　distant　date
when　we　may　expect　the　relieving　army？〃

〃Six　days　at　most；　sir；〃　replied　the　Grand　Duke。　　〃A　brave　and　clever
messenger　managed　this　morning　to　get　into　the　town；　and　he　told　me
that　fifty　thousand　Russians　under　General　Kisselef；　are　advancing
by　forced　marches。　　Two　days　ago；　they　were　on　the　banks　of　the　Lena；
at　Kirensk；　and　now；　neither　frost　nor　snow　will　keep　them　back。
Fifty　thousand　good　men；　taking　the　Tartars　on　the　flank；　will　soon
set　us　free。〃

〃I　will　add；〃　said　the　chief　of　the　merchants；　〃that　we　shall
be　ready　to　execute　your　orders；　any　day　that　your　Highness
may　command　a　sortie。〃

〃Good；　sir；〃　replied　the　Grand　Duke。　　〃Wait　till　the　heads
of　the　relieving　columns　appear　on　the　heights；　and　we　will
speedily　crush　these　invaders。〃

Then　turning　to　General　Voranzoff；　〃To…morrow；〃　said　he；　〃we　will
visit　the　works　on　the　right　bank。　　Ice　is　drifting　down　the　Angara；
which　will　not　be　long　in　freezing；　and　in　that　case　the　Tartars
might　perhaps　cross。〃

〃Will　your　Highness　allow　me　to　make　an　observation？〃
said　the　chief　of　the　merchants。

〃Do　so；　sir。〃

〃I　have　more　than　once　seen　the　temperature　fall　to　thirty
and　forty　degrees　below　zero；　and　the　Angara　has　still
carried　down　drifting　ice　without　entirely　freezing。
This　is　no　doubt　owing　to　the　swiftness　of　its　current。
If　therefore　the　Tartars　have　no　other　means　of　crossing　the　river；
I　can　assure　your　Highness　that　they　will　not　enter　Irkutsk
in　that　way。〃

The　governor…general　confirmed　this　assertion。

〃It　is　a　fortunate　circumstance；〃　responded　the　Grand　Duke。
〃Nevertheless；　we　must　hold　ourselves　ready　for　any　emergency。〃

He　then；　turning　towards　the　head　of　the　police；　asked；　〃Have　you
nothing　to　say　to　me；　sir？〃

〃I　have　your　Highness；〃　answered　the　head　of　police；　〃a　petition
which　is　addressed　to　you　through　me。〃

〃Addressed　by　whom？〃

〃By　the　Siberian　exiles；　whom；　as　your　Highness　knows；　are　in　the　town
to　the　number　of　five　hundred。〃

The　political　exiles；　distributed　over　the　province；　had　been
collected　in　Irkutsk；　from　the　beginning　of　the　invasion。
They　had　obeyed　the　order　to　rally　in　the　town；　and　leave
the　villages　where　they　exercised　their　different　professions；
some　doctors；　some　professors；　either　at　the　Gymnasium；　or　at
the　Japanese　School；　or　at　the　School　of　Navigation。　　The　Grand　Duke；
trusting　like　the　Czar　in　their　patriotism；　had　armed　them；
and　they　had　thoroughly　proved　their　bravery。

〃What　do　the　exiles　ask？〃　said　the　Grand　Duke。

〃They　ask　the　consent　of　your　Highness；〃　answered　the　head　of　police；
〃to　their　forming　a　special　corps　and　being　placed　in　the　front
of　the　first　sortie。〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　Grand　Duke　with　an　emotion　which　he　did　not　seek
to　hide；　〃these　exiles　are　Russians；　and　it　is　their　right　to　fight
for　their　country！〃

〃I　believe　I　may　assure　your　Highness；〃　said　the　governor…general；
〃you　will　have　no　better　soldiers。〃

〃But　they　must　have　a　chief；〃　said　the　Grand　Duke；　〃who　will　he　be？〃

〃They　wish　to　recommend　to　your　Highness；〃　said　the　head　of　police；
〃one　of　their　number；　who　has　distinguished　himself　on　several　occasions。〃

〃Is　he　a　Russian？〃

〃Yes；　a　Russian　from　the　Baltic　provinces。〃

〃His　name？〃

〃Is　Wassili　Fedor。〃

This　exile　was　Nadia's　father。　　Wassili　Fedor；　as　we　have　already　said；
followed　his　profession　of　a　medical　man　in　Irkutsk。　　He　was
clever　and　charitable；　and　also　possessed　the　greatest　courage
and　most　sincere　patriotism。　　All　the　time　which　he　did　not
devote　to　the　sick　he　employed　in　organizing　the　defense。
It　was　he　who　had　united　his　companions　in　exile　in　the　common　cause。
The　exiles；　till　then　mingled　with　the　population；　had　behaved
in　such　a　way　as　to　draw　on　themselves　the　attention　of　the
Grand　Duke。　　In　several　sorties；　they　had　paid　with　their　blood　their
debt　to　holy　Russiaholy　as　they　believe；　and　adored　by　her　children！
Wassili　Fedor　had　behaved　heroically；　his　name　had　been　mentioned
several　times；　but　he　never　asked　either　thanks　or　favors；
and　when　the　exiles　of　Irkutsk　thought　of　forming　themselves　into
a　special　corps；　he　was　ignorant　of　their　intention　of　choosing
him　for　their　captain。

When　the　head　of　police　mentioned　this　name；　the　Grand　Duke　answered
that　it　was　not　unknown　to　him。

〃Indeed；〃　remarked　General　Voranzoff；　〃Wassili　Fedor　is　a　man
of　worth　and　courage。　　His　influence　over　his　companions　has
always　been　very　great。〃

〃How　long　has　he　been　at　Irkutsk？〃　asked　the　Duke。

〃For　two　years。〃

〃And　his　conduct？〃

〃His　conduct；〃　answered　the　head　of　police；　〃is　that　of　a　man
obedient　to　the　special　laws　which　govern　him。〃

〃General；〃　said　the　Grand　Duke；　〃Gen