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ascertained that the berlin still preceded them on the road to Irkutsk, and
that the traveler, as hurried as they were, never lost a minute in pursuing
his way across the steppe.
At four o'clock in the evening they reached Abatskaia, fifty miles farther on,
where the Ichim, one of the principal affluents of the Irtych, had to be
crossed. This passage was rather more difficult than that of the
Tobol. Indeed the current of the Ichim was very rapid just at that place.
During the Siberian winter, the rivers being all frozen to a thickness of
several feet, they are easily practicable, and the traveler even crosses them
without being aware of the fact, for their beds have disappeared under the
snowy sheet spread uniformly over the steppe; but in summer the difficulties
of crossing are sometimes great.
Michael Strogoff
CHAPTER XIII DUTY BEFORE EVERYTHING
65
In fact, two hours were taken up in making the passage of the Ichim, which
much exasperated Michael, especially as the boatmen gave them alarming news of
the Tartar invasion. Some of FeofarKhan's scouts had already appeared on both
banks of the lower Ichim, in the southern parts of the government of Tobolsk.
Omsk was threatened. They spoke of an engagement which had taken place between
the Siberian and Tartar troops on the frontier of the great Kirghese hordean
engagement not to the advantage of the Russians, who were weak in numbers. The
troops had retreated thence, and in consequence there had been a general
emigration of all the peasants of the province. The boatmen spoke of horrible
atrocities committed by the invaders pillage, theft, incendiarism, murder.
Such was the system of Tartar warfare.
The people all fled before FeofarKhan. Michael Strogoff's great fear was lest,
in the depopulation of the towns, he should be unable to obtain the means of
transport. He was therefore extremely anxious to reach
Omsk. Perhaps there they would get the start of the Tartar scouts, who were
coming down the valley of the
Irtych, and would find the road open to Irkutsk.
Just at the place where the tarantass crossed the river ended what is called,
in military language, the "Ichim chain"a chain of towers, or little wooden
forts, extending from the southern frontier of Siberia for a distance of
nearly four hundred versts. Formerly these forts were occupied by detachments
of Cossacks, and they protected the country against the Kirghese, as well as
against the Tartars. But since the Muscovite
Government had believed these hordes reduced to absolute submission, they had
been abandoned, and now could not be used; just at the time when they were
needed. Many of these forts had been reduced to ashes;
and the boatmen even pointed out the smoke to Michael, rising in the southern
horizon, and showing the approach of the Tartar advanceguard.
As soon as the ferryboat landed the tarantass on the right bank of the Ichim,
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the journey across the steppe was resumed with all speed. Michael Strogoff
remained very silent. He was, however, always attentive to Nadia, helping her
to bear the fatigue of this long journey without break or rest; but the girl
never complained. She longed to give wings to the horses. Something told her
that her companion was even more anxious than herself to reach Irkutsk; and
how many versts were still between!
It also occurred to her that if Omsk was entered by the Tartars, Michael's
mother, who lived there, would be in danger, and that this was sufficient to
explain her son's impatience to get to her.
Nadia at last spoke to him of old Marfa, and of how unprotected she would be
in the midst of all these events.
"Have you received any news of your mother since the beginning of the
invasion?" she asked.
"None, Nadia. The last letter my mother wrote to me contained good news. Marfa
is a brave and energetic
Siberian woman. Notwithstanding her age, she has preserved all her moral
strength. She knows how to suffer."
"I shall see her, brother," said Nadia quickly. "Since you give me the name of
sister, I am Marfa's daughter."
And as Michael did not answer she added:
"Perhaps your mother has been able to leave Omsk?"
"It is possible, Nadia," replied Michael; "and I hope she may have reached
Tobolsk. Marfa hates the Tartars.
She knows the steppe, and would have no fear in just taking her staff and
going down the banks of the Irtych.
There is not a spot in all the province unknown to her. Many times has she
traveled all over the country with my father; and many times I myself, when a
mere child, have accompanied them across the Siberian desert.
Yes, Nadia, I trust that my mother has left Omsk."
Michael Strogoff
CHAPTER XIII DUTY BEFORE EVERYTHING
66
"And when shall you see her?"
"I shall see heron my return."
"If, however, your mother is still at Omsk, you will be able to spare an hour
to go to her?"
"I shall not go and see her."
"You will not see her?"
"No, Nadia," said Michael, his chest heaving as he felt he could not go on
replying to the girl's questions.
"You say no! Why, brother, if your mother is still at Omsk, for what reason
could you refuse to see her?"
"For what reason, Nadia? You ask me for what reason," exclaimed Michael, in so
changed a voice that the young girl started. "For the same reason as that
which made me patient even to cowardice with the villain who" He could not
finish his sentence.
"Calm yourself, brother," said Nadia in a gentle voice. "I only know one
thing, or rather I do not know it, I
feel it. It is that all your conduct is now directed by the sentiment of a
duty more sacredif there can be onethan that which unites the son to the
mother."
Nadia was silent, and from that moment avoided every subject which in any way
touched on Michael's peculiar situation. He had a secret motive which she must
respect. She respected it.
The next day, July 25th, at three o'clock in the morning, the tarantass
arrived at Tioukalmsk, having accomplished a distance of eighty miles since it
had crossed the Ichim. They rapidly changed horses. Here, however, for the
first time, the iemschik made difficulties about starting, declaring that
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detachments of
Tartars were roving across the steppe, and that travelers, horses, and
carriages would be a fine prize for them.
Only by dint of a large bribe could Michael get over the unwillingness of the
iemschik, for in this instance, as in many others, he did not wish to show his
podorojna. The last ukase, having been transmitted by telegraph, was known in
the Siberian provinces; and a Russian specially exempted from obeying these
words would certainly have drawn public attention to himselfa thing above all
to be avoided by the Czar's courier. As to the iemschik's hesitation, either
the rascal traded on the traveler's impatience or he really had good reason to
fear.
However, at last the tarantass started, and made such good way that by three
in the afternoon it had reached
Koulatsinskoe, fifty miles farther on. An hour after this it was on the banks
of the Irtych. Omsk was now only fourteen miles distant.
The Irtych is a large river, and one of the principal of those which flow
towards the north of Asia. Rising in the Altai Mountains, it flows from the
southeast to the northwest and empties itself into the Obi, after a course of
four thousand miles.
At this time of year, when all the rivers of the Siberian basin are much
swollen, the waters of the Irtych were very high. In consequence the current
was changed to a regular torrent, rendering the passage difficult enough. A
swimmer could not have crossed, however powerful; and even in a ferryboat
there would be some danger.
Michael Strogoff
CHAPTER XIII DUTY BEFORE EVERYTHING
67
But Michael and Nadia, determined to brave all perils whatever they might be, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]