michael strogoff-第26节

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When　the　escort　had　disappeared；　〃Who　is　that　officer？〃
asked　Michael　Strogoff。　　And　while　putting　the　question　his　face
was　pale　as　that　of　a　corpse。

〃It　is　Ivan　Ogareff；〃　replied　the　Siberian；　in　a　deep　voice
which　breathed　hatred。

〃He！〃　cried　Michael　Strogoff；　from　whom　the　word　escaped　with
a　fury　he　could　not　conquer。　　He　had　just　recognized　in　this
officer　the　traveler　who　had　struck　him　at　the　posting…house
of　Ichim。　　And；　although　he　had　only　caught　a　glimpse　of　him；
it　burst　upon　his　mind；　at　the　same　time；　that　this　traveler
was　the　old　Zingari　whose　words　he　had　overheard　in　the　market
place　of　Nijni…Novgorod。

Michael　Strogoff　was　not　mistaken。　　The　two　men　were　one　and　the　same。
It　was　under　the　garb　of　a　Zingari；　mingling　with　the　band　of　Sangarre；
that　Ivan　Ogareff　had　been　able　to　leave　the　town　of　Nijni…Novgorod；
where　he　had　gone　to　seek　his　confidants。　　Sangarre　and　her　Zingari；
well　paid　spies；　were　absolutely　devoted　to　him。　　It　was　he　who；
during　the　night；　on　the　fair…ground　had　uttered　that　singular　sentence；
which　Michael　Strogoff　could　not　understand；　it　was　he　who　was
voyaging　on　board　the　Caucasus；　with　the　whole　of　the　Bohemian　band；
it　was　he　who；　by　this　other　route；　from　Kasan　to　Ichim；　across　the　Urals；
had　reached　Omsk；　where　now　he　held　supreme　authority。

Ivan　Ogareff　had　been　barely　three　days　at　Omsk；　and　had　it　not　been
for　their　fatal　meeting　at　Ichim；　and　for　the　event　which　had　detained
him　three　days　on　the　banks　of　the　Irtych；　Michael　Strogoff　would
have　evidently　beaten　him　on　the　way　to　Irkutsk。

And　who　knows　how　many　misfortunes　would　have　been　avoided　in　the　future！
In　any　caseand　now　more　than　everMichael　Strogoff　must　avoid
Ivan　Ogareff；　and　contrive　not　to　be　seen。　　When　the　moment　of
encountering　him　face　to　face　should　arrive；　he　knew　how　to　meet　it；
even　should　the　traitor　be　master　of　the　whole　of　Siberia。

The　mujik　and　Michael　resumed　their　way　and　arrived　at
the　posting…house。　To　leave　Omsk　by　one　of　the　breaches
would　not　be　difficult　after　nightfall。　　As　for　purchasing
a　carriage　to　replace　the　tarantass；　that　was　impossible。
There　were　none　to　be　let　or　sold。　　But　what　want　had　Michael　Strogoff
now　for　a　carriage？　　Was　he　not　alone；　alas？　　A　horse　would
suffice　him；　and；　very　fortunately；　a　horse　could　be　had。
It　was　an　animal　of　strength　and　mettle；　and　Michael　Strogoff；
accomplished　horseman　as　he　was；　could　make　good　use　of　it。

It　was　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　　Michael　Strogoff；
compelled　to　wait　till　nightfall；　in　order　to　pass　the　fortifications；
but　not　desiring　to　show　himself；　remained　in　the　posting…house；
and　there　partook　of　food。

There　was　a　great　crowd　in　the　public　room。　　They　were　talking
of　the　expected　arrival　of　a　corps　of　Muscovite　troops；
not　at　Omsk；　but　at　Tomska　corps　intended　to　recapture
that　town　from　the　Tartars　of　Feofar…Khan。

Michael　Strogoff　lent　an　attentive　ear；　but　took　no　part
in　the　conversation。　　Suddenly　a　cry　made　him　tremble；　a　cry
which　penetrated　to　the　depths　of　his　soul；　and　these　two　words
rushed　into　his　ear：　　〃My　son！〃

His　mother；　the　old　woman　Marfa；　was　before　him！　　Trembling；　she　smiled
upon　him。　　She　stretched　forth　her　arms　to　him。　　Michael　Strogoff　arose。
He　was　about　to　throw　himself

The　thought　of　duty；　the　serious　danger　for　his　mother　and
himself　in　this　unfortunate　meeting；　suddenly　stopped　him；
and　such　was　his　command　over　himself　that　not　a　muscle　of　his
face　moved。　　There　were　twenty　people　in　the　public　room。
Among　them　were；　perhaps；　spies；　and　was　it　not　known　in
the　town　that　the　son　of　Marfa　Strogoff　belonged　to　the　corps
of　the　couriers　of　the　Czar？

Michael　Strogoff　did　not　move。

〃Michael！〃　cried　his　mother。

〃Who　are　you；　my　good　lady？〃　　Michael　Strogoff　stammered；
unable　to　speak　in　his　usual　firm　tone。

〃Who　am　I；　thou　askest！　　Dost　thou　no　longer　know　thy　mother？〃

〃You　are　mistaken；〃　coldly　replied　Michael　Strogoff。　　〃A　resemblance
deceives　you。〃

The　old　Marfa　went　up　to　him；　and；　looking　straight　into　his　eyes；
said；　〃Thou　art　not　the　son　of　Peter　and　Marfa　Strogoff？〃

Michael　Strogoff　would　have　given　his　life　to　have　locked
his　mother　in　his　arms；　but　if　he　yielded　it　was　all　over
with　him；　with　her；　with　his　mission；　with　his　oath！
Completely　master　of　himself；　he　closed　his　eyes；
in　order　not　to　see　the　inexpressible　anguish　which　agitated
the　revered　countenance　of　his　mother。　　He　drew　back　his　hands；
in　order　not　to　touch　those　trembling　hands　which　sought　him。
〃I　do　not　know　in　truth　what　it　is　you　say；　my　good　woman；〃
he　replied；　stepping　back。

〃Michael！〃　again　cried　his　aged　mother。

〃My　name　is　not　Michael。　　I　never　was　your　son！　　I　am　Nicholas　Korpanoff；
a　merchant　at　Irkutsk。〃

And　suddenly　he　left　the　public　room；　whilst　for　the　last　time
the　words　re…echoed；　〃My　son！　my　son！〃

Michael　Strogoff；　by　a　desperate　effort；　had　gone。　　He　did　not　see
his　old　mother；　who　had　fallen　back　almost　inanimate　upon　a　bench。
But　when　the　postmaster　hastened　to　assist　her；　the　aged
woman　raised　herself。　　Suddenly　a　thought　occurred　to　her。
She　denied　by　her　son！　　It　was　not　possible。　　As　for　being
herself　deceived；　and　taking　another　for　him；　equally　impossible。
It　was　certainly　her　son　whom　she　had　just　seen；　and　if　he　had　not
recognized　her　it　was　because　he　would　not；　it　was　because　he　ought　not；
it　was　because　he　had　some　cogent　reasons　for　acting　thus！
And　then；　her　mother's　feelings　arising　within　her；　she　had　only
one　thought〃Can　I；　unwittingly；　have　ruined　him？〃

〃I　am　mad；〃　she　said　to　her　interrogators。　　〃My　eyes　have　deceived　me！
This　young　man　is　not　my　child。　　He　had　not　his　voice。　　Let　us　think
no　more　of　it；　if　we　do　I　shall　end　by　finding　him　everywhere。〃

Less　than　ten　minutes　afterwards　a　Tartar　officer　appeared
in　the　posting…house。　〃Marfa　Strogoff？〃　he　asked。

〃It　is　I；〃　replied　the　old　woman；　in　a　tone　so　calm；　and　with　a　face
so　tranquil；　that　those　who　had　witnessed　the　meeting　with　her　son
would　not　have　known　her。

〃Come；〃　said　the　officer；

Marfa　Strogoff；　with　firm　step；　followed　the　Tartar。　　Some　moments
afterwards　she　found　herself　in　the　chief　square　in　the　presence
of　Ivan　Ogareff；　to　whom　all　the　details　of　this　scene　had
been　immediately　reported。

Ogareff；　suspecting　the　truth；　interrogated　the　old　Siberian　woman。
〃Thy　name？〃　he　asked　in　a　rough　voice。

〃Marfa　Strogoff。〃

〃Thou　hast　a　son？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃He　is　a　courier　of　the　Czar？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Where　is　he？〃

〃At　Moscow。〃

〃Thou　hast　no　news　of　him？〃

〃No　news。〃

〃Since　how　long？〃

〃Since　two　months。〃

〃Who；　then；　was　that　young　man　whom　thou　didst　call　thy　son　a　few
moments　ago　at　the　posting…house？〃

〃A　young　Siberian　whom　I　took　for　him；〃　replied　Marfa　Strogoff。　　〃This　is
the　tenth　man　in　whom　I　have　thought　I　recognized　my　son　since　the　town
has　been　so　full　of　strangers。　　I　think　I　see　him　everywhere。〃

〃So　this　young　man　was　not　Michael　Strogoff？〃

〃It　was　not　Michael　Strogoff。〃

〃Dost　thou　know；　old　woman；　that　I　can　torture　thee　until　thou
avowest　the　truth？〃

〃I　have　spoken　the　truth；　and　torture　will　not　cause　me　to　alter
my　words　in　any　way。〃

〃This　Siberian　was　not　Michael　Strogoff？〃　asked　a　second
time　Ivan　Ogareff。

〃No；　it　was　not　he；〃　replied　a　second　time　Marfa　Strogoff。　　〃Do　you
think　that　for　anything　in　the　world　I　would　deny　a　son　whom　God
has　given　me？〃

Ivan　Ogareff　regarded　with　an　evil　eye　the　old　woman　who　braved
him　to　the　face。　　He　did　not　doubt　but　that　she　had　recognized　her
son　in　this　young　Siberian。　　Now　if　this　son　had　first　renounced
his　mother；　and　if　his　mother　renounced　him　in　her　turn；　it　could
occur　only　from　the　most　weighty　motive。　　Ogareff　had　therefore
no　doubt　that　the　pretended　Nicholas　Korpanoff　was　Michael　Strogoff；
courier　of　the　Czar；　seeking　concealment　under　a　false　name；
and　charged　with　some　mission　which　it　would　have　been　important
for　him　to　know。　　He　therefore　at　once　gave　orders　for　his　pursuit。
Then　〃Let　this　woman　be　conducted　to　Tomsk；〃　he　said。

While　the　soldiers　brutally　dragged　her　off；　he　added　between　his　teeth；
〃When　the　moment　arrives　I　shall　know　how　to　make　her　speak；
this　old　sorceress！〃


CHAPTER　XV　THE　MARSHES　OF　THE　BARABA

IT　was　fortunate　that　Michael　Strogoff　had　left　the　posting…house
so　promptly。　　The　orders　of　Ivan　Ogareff　had　been　immediately
transmitted　to　all　the　approaches　of　the　city；　and　a　full
description　of　Michael　sent　to　all　the　various　commandants；
in　order　to　prevent　his　departure　from　Omsk。　　But　he　had
already　passed　through　one　of　the　breaches　in　the　wall；
his　horse　was　galloping　over　the　steppe；　and　the　chances
of　escape　were　in　his　favor。

It　was　on　the　29th　of　July；　at　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening；
that　Michael　Strogoff　had　left　Omsk。　　This　town　is　situated　about　halfway
between　Moscow　and　Irkutsk；　where　it　was　necessary　that　he　should　arrive
within　ten　days　if　he　wished　to　get　ahead　of　the　Tartar　columns。
It　was　evident　that　the　unlucky　chance　which　had　brought　him
into　the　presence　of　his　mother　had　betrayed　his　incognito。
Ivan　Ogareff　was　no　longer　ignorant　of　the　fact　that　a　courier　of　the　Czar
ha