michael strogoff-第15节

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from　the　effects　of　the　steam。　　She　was　ready　to　start。
Passengers　going　from　Kasan　to　Perm　were　crowding　on　the　deck。

Michael　noticed　that　of　the　two　reporters　Blount　alone　had　rejoined
the　steamer。　　Was　Alcide　Jolivet　about　to　miss　his　passage？

But　just　as　the　ropes　were　being　cast　off；　Jolivet　appeared；
tearing　along。　　The　steamer　was　already　sheering　off；　the　gangway
had　been　drawn　onto　the　quay；　but　Alcide　Jolivet　would　not　stick
at　such　a　little　thing　as　that；　so；　with　a　bound　like　a　harlequin；
he　alighted　on　the　deck　of　the　Caucasus　almost　in　his　rival's　arms。

〃I　thought　the　Caucasus　was　going　without　you；〃　said　the　latter。

〃Bah！〃　answered　Jolivet；　〃I　should　soon　have　caught　you　up　again；
by　chartering　a　boat　at　my　cousin's　expense；　or　by　traveling　post
at　twenty　copecks　a　verst；　and　on　horseback。　　What　could　I　do？
It　was　so　long　a　way　from　the　quay　to　the　telegraph　office。〃

〃Have　you　been　to　the　telegraph　office？〃　asked　Harry　Blount；
biting　his　lips。

〃That's　exactly　where　I　have　been！〃　answered　Jolivet；　with　his
most　amiable　smile。

〃And　is　it　still　working　to　Kolyvan？〃

〃That　I　don't　know；　but　I　can　assure　you；　for　instance；
that　it　is　working　from　Kasan　to　Paris。〃

〃You　sent　a　dispatch　to　your　cousin？〃

〃With　enthusiasm。〃

〃You　had　learnt　then？〃

〃Look　here；　little　father；　as　the　Russians　say；〃　replied　Alcide　Jolivet；
〃I'm　a　good　fellow；　and　I　don't　wish　to　keep　anything　from　you。
The　Tartars；　and　Feofar…Khan　at　their　head；　have　passed　Semipolatinsk；
and　are　descending　the　Irtish。　　Do　what　you　like　with　that！〃

What！　such　important　news；　and　Harry　Blount　had　not　known　it；
and　his　rival；　who　had　probably　learned　it　from　some　inhabitant　of　Kasan；
had　already　transmitted　it　to　Paris。　　The　English　paper　was　distanced！
Harry　Blount；　crossing　his　hands　behind　him；　walked　off　and　seated
himself　in　the　stern　without　uttering　a　word。

About　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning；　the　young　Livonian；　leaving　her　cabin；
appeared　on　deck。　　Michael　Strogoff　went　forward　and　took　her　hand。
〃Look；　sister！〃　said　he；　leading　her　to　the　bows　of　the　Caucasus。

The　view　was　indeed　well　worth　seeing。　　The　Caucasus　had　reached
the　confluence　of　the　Volga　and　the　Kama。　　There　she　would　leave
the　former　river；　after　having　descended　it　for　nearly　three
hundred　miles；　to　ascend　the　latter　for　a　full　three　hundred。

The　Kama　was　here　very　wide；　and　its　wooded　banks　lovely。
A　few　white　sails　enlivened　the　sparkling　water。
The　horizon　was　closed　by　a　line　of　hills　covered　with　aspens；
alders；　and　sometimes　large　oaks。

But　these　beauties　of　nature　could　not　distract　the　thoughts
of　the　young　Livonian　even　for　an　instant。　　She　had　left　her　hand
in　that　of　her　companion；　and　turning　to　him；　〃At　what　distance
are　we　from　Moscow？〃　she　asked。

〃Nine　hundred　versts；〃　answered　Michael。

〃Nine　hundred；　out　of　seven　thousand！〃　murmured　the　girl。

The　bell　now　announced　the　breakfast　hour。　　Nadia　followed
Michael　Strogoff　to　the　restaurant。　　She　ate　little；　and　as　a　poor
girl　whose　means　are　small　would　do。　　Michael　thought　it　best
to　content　himself　with　the　fare　which　satisfied　his　companion；
and　in　less　than　twenty　minutes　he　and　Nadia　returned　on　deck。
There　they　seated　themselves　in　the　stern；　and　without　preamble；
Nadia；　lowering　her　voice　to　be　heard　by　him　alone；　began：

〃Brother；　I　am　the　daughter　of　an　exile。　　My　name　is
Nadia　Fedor。　　My　mother　died　at　Riga　scarcely　a　month　ago；　and　I
am　going　to　Irkutsk　to　rejoin　my　father　and　share　his　exile。〃

〃I；　too；　am　going　to　Irkutsk；〃　answered　Michael；　〃and　I　shall
thank　Heaven　if　it　enables　me　to　give　Nadia　Fedor　safe　and　sound
into　her　father's　hands。〃

〃Thank　you；　brother；〃　replied　Nadia。

Michael　Strogoff　then　added　that　he　had　obtained　a　special
podorojna　for　Siberia；　and　that　the　Russian　authorities　could
in　no　way　hinder　his　progress。

Nadia　asked　nothing　more。　　She　saw　in　this　fortunate　meeting　with　Michael
a　means　only　of　accelerating　her　journey　to　her　father。

〃I　had；〃　said　she；　〃a　permit　which　authorized　me　to　go　to　Irkutsk；
but　the　new　order　annulled　that；　and　but　for　you；　brother；　I　should
have　been　unable　to　leave　the　town；　in　which；　without　doubt；
I　should　have　perished。〃

〃And　dared　you；　alone；　Nadia；〃　said　Michael；　〃attempt　to　cross
the　steppes　of　Siberia？〃

〃The　Tartar　invasion　was　not　known　when　I　left　Riga。　　It　was　only
at　Moscow　that　I　learnt　the　news。〃

〃And　despite　it；　you　continued　your　journey？〃

〃It　was　my　duty。〃

The　words　showed　the　character　of　the　brave　girl。

She　then　spoke　of　her　father；　Wassili　Fedor。　　He　was　a　much…esteemed
physician　at　Riga。　　But　his　connection　with　some　secret　society　having
been　asserted；　he　received　orders　to　start　for　Irkutsk。　　The　police
who　brought　the　order　conducted　him　without　delay　beyond　the　frontier。

Wassili　Fedor　had　but　time　to　embrace　his　sick　wife　and　his　daughter；
so　soon　to　be　left　alone；　when；　shedding　bitter　tears；　he　was　led　away。
A　year　and　a　half　after　her　husband's　departure；　Madame　Fedor　died　in
the　arms　of　her　daughter；　who　was　thus　left　alone　and　almost　penniless。
Nadia　Fedor　then　asked；　and　easily　obtained　from　the　Russian　government；
an　authorization　to　join　her　father　at　Irkutsk。　　She　wrote　and　told　him
she　was　starting。　　She　had　barely　enough　money　for　this　long　journey；　and
yet　she　did　not　hesitate　to　undertake　it。　　She　would　do　what　she　could。
God　would　do　the　rest。


CHAPTER　IX　DAY　AND　NIGHT　IN　A　TARANTASS

THE　next　day；　the　19th　of　July；　the　Caucasus　reached　Perm；
the　last　place　at　which　she　touched　on　the　Kama。

The　government　of　which　Perm　is　the　capital　is　one　of　the　largest
in　the　Russian　Empire；　and；　extending　over　the　Ural　Mountains；
encroaches　on　Siberian　territory。　　Marble　quarries；　mines　of　salt；
platina；　gold；　and　coal　are　worked　here　on　a　large　scale。
Although　Perm；　by　its　situation；　has　become　an　important　town；　it　is
by　no　means　attractive；　being　extremely　dirty；　and　without　resources。
This　want　of　comfort　is　of　no　consequence　to　those　going　to　Siberia；
for　they　come　from　the　more　civilized　districts；　and　are　supplied
with　all　necessaries。

At　Perm　travelers　from　Siberia　resell　their　vehicles；
more　or　less　damaged　by　the　long　journey　across　the　plains。
There；　too；　those　passing　from　Europe　to　Asia　purchase　carriages；
or　sleighs　in　the　winter　season。

Michael　Strogoff　had　already　sketched　out　his　programme。
A　vehicle　carrying　the　mail　usually　runs　across　the　Ural　Mountains；
but　this；　of　course；　was　discontinued。　　Even　if　it　had　not　been　so；
he　would　not　have　taken　it；　as　he　wished　to　travel　as　fast　as　possible；
without　depending　on　anyone。　　He　wisely　preferred　to　buy　a　carriage；
and　journey　by　stages；　stimulating　the　zeal　of　the　postillions
by　well…applied　〃na　vodkou；〃　or　tips。

Unfortunately；　in　consequence　of　the　measures　taken　against　foreigners
of　Asiatic　origin；　a　large　number　of　travelers　had　already　left　Perm；
and　therefore　conveyances　were　extremely　rare。　　Michael　was
obliged　to　content　himself　with　what　had　been　rejected　by　others。
As　to　horses；　as　long　as　the　Czar's　courier　was　not　in　Siberia；
he　could　exhibit　his　podorojna；　and　the　postmasters　would　give　him
the　preference。　　But；　once　out　of　Europe；　he　had　to　depend　alone
on　the　power　of　his　roubles。

But　to　what　sort　of　a　vehicle　should　he　harness　his　horses？
To　a　telga　or　to　a　tarantass？　　The　telga　is　nothing
but　an　open　four…wheeled　cart；　made　entirely　of　wood；
the　pieces　fastened　together　by　means　of　strong　rope。
Nothing　could　be　more　primitive；　nothing　could　be　less　comfortable；
but；　on　the　other　hand；　should　any　accident　happen　on　the　way；
nothing　could　be　more　easily　repaired。　　There　is　no　want　of　firs
on　the　Russian　frontier；　and　axle…trees　grow　naturally　in　forests。
The　post　extraordinary；　known　by　the　name　of　〃perck…ladnoi；〃
is　carried　by　the　telga；　as　any　road　is　good　enough　for　it。
It　must　be　confessed　that　sometimes　the　ropes　which　fasten
the　concern　together　break；　and　whilst　the　hinder　part　remains　stuck
in　some　bog；　the　fore…part　arrives　at　the　post…house　on　two　wheels；
but　this　result　is　considered　quite　satisfactory。

Michael　Strogoff　would　have　been　obliged　to　employ　a　telga；
if　he　had　not　been　lucky　enough　to　discover　a　tarantass。
It　is　to　be　hoped　that　the　invention　of　Russian　coach…builders
will　devise　some　improvement　in　this　last…named　vehicle。
Springs　are　wanting　in　it　as　well　as　in　the　telga；
in　the　absence　of　iron；　wood　is　not　spared；　but　its　four　wheels；
with　eight　or　nine　feet　between　them；　assure　a　certain
equilibrium　over　the　jolting　rough　roads。　　A　splash…board
protects　the　travelers　from　the　mud；　and　a　strong　leathern　hood；
which　may　be　pulled　quite　over　the　occupiers；　shelters　them
from　the　great　heat　and　violent　storms　of　the　summer。
The　tarantass　is　as　solid　and　as　easy　to　repair　as　the　telga；
and　is；　moreover；　less　addicted　to　leaving　its　hinder　part
in　the　middle　of　the　road。

It　was　not　without　careful　search　that　Michael　managed　to
discover　this　tarantass；　and　there　was　probably　not　a　second
to　be　found　in　all　Perm。　　He　haggled　long　about　the　price；
for　form's　sake；　to　act　up　to　his　part　as　Nicholas　Korpanoff；
a　plain　merchan