michael strogoff-第20节

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〃Oh！　as　these　things　are　always　known；〃　replied　Alcide；
〃it　is　in　the　air。〃

〃Then　have　you　really　reason　to　think　that　Colonel　Ogareff
is　in　Siberia？〃

〃I　myself　have　heard　it　said　that　he　was　to　take　the　road
from　Kasan　to　Ekaterenburg。〃

〃Ah！　you　know　that；　Mr。　Jolivet？〃　said　Harry　Blount；
roused　from　his　silence。

〃I　knew　it；〃　replied　Alcide。

〃And　do　you　know　that　he　went　disguised　as　a　gypsy！〃　asked　Blount。

〃As　a　gypsy！〃　exclaimed　Michael；　almost　involuntarily；　and　he　suddenly
remembered　the　look　of　the　old　Bohemian　at　Nijni…Novgorod；　his　voyage
on　board　the　Caucasus；　and　his　disembarking　at　Kasan。

〃Just　well　enough　to　make　a　few　remarks　on　the　subject　in　a　letter
to　my　cousin；〃　replied　Alcide；　smiling。

〃You　lost　no　time　at　Kasan；〃　dryly　observed　the　Englishman。

〃No；　my　dear　fellow！　and　while　the　Caucasus　was　laying　in　her　supply
of　fuel；　I　was　employed　in　obtaining　a　store　of　information。〃

Michael　no　longer　listened　to　the　repartee　which　Harry　Blount
and　Alcide　exchanged。　　He　was　thinking　of　the　gypsy　troupe；
of　the　old　Tsigane；　whose　face　he　had　not　been　able　to　see；
and　of　the　strange　woman　who　accompanied　him；　and　then　of　the
peculiar　glance　which　she　had　cast　at　him。　　Suddenly；　close　by
he　heard　a　pistol…shot。

〃Ah！　forward；　sirs！〃　cried　he。

〃Hullo！〃　said　Alcide　to　himself；　〃this　quiet　merchant　who　always
avoids　bullets　is　in　a　great　hurry　to　go　where　they　are　flying
about　just　now！〃

Quickly　followed　by　Harry　Blount；　who　was　not　a　man　to　be　behind
in　danger；　he　dashed　after　Michael。　　In　another　instant　the　three
were　opposite　the　projecting　rock　which　protected　the　tarantass
at　the　turning　of　the　road。

The　clump　of　pines　struck　by　the　lightning　was　still　burning。
There　was　no　one　to　be　seen。　　However；　Michael　was　not　mistaken。
Suddenly　a　dreadful　growling　was　heard；　and　then　another　report。

〃A　bear；〃　cried　Michael；　who　could　not　mistake　the　growling。
〃Nadia；　Nadia！〃　　And　drawing　his　cutlass　from　his　belt；
Michael　bounded　round　the　buttress　behind　which　the　young　girl
had　promised　to　wait。

The　pines；　completely　enveloped　in　flames；　threw　a　wild　glare
on　the　scene。　　As　Michael　reached　the　tarantass；　a　huge　animal
retreated　towards　him。

It　was　a　monstrous　bear。　　The　tempest　had　driven　it　from　the　woods；　and　it
had　come　to　seek　refuge　in　this　cave；　doubtless　its　habitual　retreat；
which　Nadia　then　occupied。

Two　of　the　horses；　terrified　at　the　presence　of　the　enormous　creature；
breaking　their　traces；　had　escaped；　and　the　iemschik；　thinking　only
of　his　beasts；　leaving　Nadia　face　to　face　with　the　bear；　had　gone
in　pursuit　of　them。

But　the　brave　girl　had　not　lost　her　presence　of　mind。
The　animal；　which　had　not　at　first　seen　her；　was　attacking
the　remaining　horse。　　Nadia；　leaving　the　shelter　in　which　she
had　been　crouching；　had　run　to　the　carriage；　taken　one　of
Michael's　revolvers；　and；　advancing　resolutely　towards　the　bear；
had　fired　close　to　it。

The　animal；　slightly　wounded　in　the　shoulder；　turned　on　the　girl；
who　rushed　for　protection　behind　the　tarantass；　but　then；
seeing　that　the　horse　was　attempting　to　break　its　traces；
and　knowing　that　if　it　did　so；　and　the　others　were　not　recovered；
their　journey　could　not　be　continued；　with　the　most　perfect
coolness　she　again　approached　the　bear；　and；　as　it　raised　its　paws
to　strike　her　down；　gave　it　the　contents　of　the　second　barrel。

This　was　the　report　which　Michael　had　just　heard。　　In　an　instant　he　was
on　the　spot。　　Another　bound　and　he　was　between　the　bear　and　the　girl。
His　arm　made　one　movement　upwards；　and　the　enormous　beast；
ripped　up　by　that　terrible　knife；　fell　to　the　ground　a　lifeless　mass。
He　had　executed　in　splendid　style　the　famous　blow　of　the　Siberian　hunters；
who　endeavor　not　to　damage　the　precious　fur　of　the　bear；　which　fetches
a　high　price。

〃You　are　not　wounded；　sister？〃　said　Michael；　springing　to　the　side
of　the　young　girl。

〃No；　brother；〃　replied　Nadia。

At　that　moment　the　two　journalists　came　up。　　Alcide　seized
the　horse's　head；　and；　in　an　instant；　his　strong　wrist　mastered　it。
His　companion　and　he　had　seen　Michael's　rapid　stroke。
〃Bravo！〃　cried　Alcide；　〃for　a　simple　merchant；　Mr。　Korpanoff；
you　handle　the　hunter's　knife　in　a　most　masterly　fashion。〃

〃Most　masterly；　indeed；〃　added　Blount。

〃In　Siberia；〃　replied　Michael；　〃we　are　obliged　to　do　a
little　of　everything。〃

Alcide　regarded　him　attentively。　　Seen　in　the　bright　glare；
his　knife　dripping　with　blood；　his　tall　figure；　his　foot　firm
on　the　huge　carcass；　he　was　indeed　worth　looking　at。

〃A　formidable　fellow；〃　said　Alcide　to　himself。
Then　advancing　respectfully；　he　saluted　the　young　girl。

Nadia　bowed　slightly。

Alcide　turned　towards　his　companion。　　〃The　sister　worthy　of　the　brother！〃
said　he。　　〃Now；　were　I　a　bear；　I　should　not　meddle　with　two　so　brave
and　so　charming。〃

Harry　Blount；　perfectly　upright；　stood；　hat　in　hand；　at　some　distance。
His　companion's　easy　manners　only　increased　his　usual　stiffness。

At　that　moment　the　iemschik；　who　had　succeeded　in　recapturing　his
two　horses；　reappeared。　　He　cast　a　regretful　glance　at　the　magnificent
animal　lying　on　the　ground；　loth　to　leave　it　to　the　birds　of　prey；
and　then　proceeded　once　more　to　harness　his　team。

Michael　acquainted　him　with　the　travelers'　situation；　and　his　intention
of　loaning　one　of　the　horses。

〃As　you　please；〃　replied　the　iemschik。　　〃Only；　you　know；
two　carriages　instead　of　one。〃

〃All　right；　my　friend；〃　said　Alcide；　who　understood　the　insinuation；
〃we　will　pay　double。〃

〃Then　gee　up；　my　turtle…doves！〃　cried　the　iemschik。

Nadia　again　took　her　place　in　the　tarantass。　　Michael　and　his
companions　followed　on　foot。　　It　was　three　o'clock。　The　storm　still
swept　with　terrific　violence　across　the　defile。　　When　the　first
streaks　of　daybreak　appeared　the　tarantass　had　reached　the　telga；
which　was　still　conscientiously　imbedded　as　far　as　the　center
of　the　wheel。　　Such　being　the　case；　it　can　be　easily　understood
how　a　sudden　jerk　would　separate　the　front　from　the　hinder　part。
One　of　the　horses　was　now　harnessed　by　means　of　cords
to　the　remains　of　the　telga；　the　reporters　took　their　place
on　the　singular　equipage；　and　the　two　carriages　started　off。
They　had　now　only　to　descend　the　Ural　slopes；　in　doing　which　there
was　not　the　slightest　difficulty。

Six　hours　afterwards　the　two　vehicles；　the　tarantass　preceding
the　telga；　arrived　at　Ekaterenburg；　nothing　worthy　of　note　having
happened　in　the　descent。

The　first　person　the　reporters　perceived　at　the　door　of　the　post…house
was　their　iemschik；　who　appeared　to　be　waiting　for　them。
This　worthy　Russian　had　a　fine　open　countenance；　and　he　smilingly
approached　the　travelers；　and；　holding　out　his　hand；　in　a　quiet
tone　he　demanded　the　usual　〃pour…boire。〃

This　very　cool　request　roused　Blount's　ire　to　its　highest　pitch；
and　had　not　the　iemschik　prudently　retreated；　a　straight…out
blow　of　the　fist；　in　true　British　boxing　style；　would　have　paid
his　claim　of　〃na　vodkou。〃

Alcide　Jolivet；　at　this　burst　of　anger；　laughed　as　he　had
never　laughed　before。

〃But　the　poor　devil　is　quite　right！〃　he　cried。
〃He　is　perfectly　right；　my　dear　fellow。　　It　is　not　his　fault
if　we　did　not　know　how　to　follow　him！〃

Then　drawing　several　copecks　from　his　pocket；　〃Here　my　friend；〃
said　he；　handing　them　to　the　iemschik；　〃take　them。
If　you　have　not　earned　them；　that　is　not　your　fault。〃

This　redoubled　Mr。　Blount's　irritation。　　He　even　began　to　speak
of　a　lawsuit　against　the　owner　of　the　telga。

〃A　lawsuit　in　Russia；　my　dear　fellow！〃　cried　Alcide。　　〃Things　must
indeed　change　should　it　ever　be　brought　to　a　conclusion！
Did　you　never　hear　the　story　of　the　wet…nurse　who　claimed　payment
of　twelve　months'　nursing　of　some　poor　little　infant？〃

〃I　never　heard　it；〃　replied　Harry　Blount。

〃Then　you　do　not　know　what　that　suckling　had　become　by　the　time
judgment　was　given　in　favor　of　the　nurse？〃

〃What　was　he；　pray？〃

〃Colonel　of　the　Imperial　Guard！〃

At　this　reply　all　burst　into　a　laugh。

Alcide；　enchanted　with　his　own　joke；　drew　out　his　notebook；
and　in　it　wrote　the　following　memorandum；　destined　to
figure　in　a　forthcoming　French　and　Russian　dictionary：
〃Telga；　a　Russian　carriage　with　four　wheels；　that　is　when　it　starts；
with　two　wheels；　when　it　arrives　at　its　destination。〃


CHAPTER　XII　PROVOCATION

EKATERENBURG；　geographically；　is　an　Asiatic　city；　for　it　is　situated
beyond　the　Ural　Mountains；　on　the　farthest　eastern　slopes　of　the　chain。
Nevertheless；　it　belongs　to　the　government　of　Perm；　and；　consequently；
is　included　in　one　of　the　great　divisions　of　European　Russia。　　It　is
as　though　a　morsel　of　Siberia　lay　in　Russian　jaws。

Neither　Michael　nor　his　companions　were　likely　to　experience
the　slightest　difficulty　in　obtaining　means　of　continuing　their
journey　in　so　large　a　town　as　Ekaterenburg。　　It　was　founded　in　1723；
and　has　since　become　a　place　of　considerable　size；　for　in　it
is　the　chief　mint　of　the　empire。　　There　also　are　the　headquarters
of　the　officials　employed　in　the　management　of　the　mines。
Thus　the　town　is　the　center　of　an　important　district；
abounding　in　manufactories　principally　for　the　working　and　refining
of　gold　and　platina。