michael strogoff-第30节

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His　determination　taken；　Michael　prepared　to　execute　it。

Indeed；　the　halt　would　not　be　prolonged；　and　the　pendja…baschi　did
not　intend　to　give　his　men　more　than　an　hour's　rest；　although　their
horses　could　not　have　been　changed　for　fresh　ones　since　Omsk；
and　must　be　as　much　fatigued　as　that　of　Michael　Strogoff。

There　was　not　a　moment　to　lose。　　It　was　within　an　hour　of　morning。
It　was　needful　to　profit　by　the　darkness　to　leave　the　little　wood
and　dash　along　the　road；　but　although　night　favored　it　the　success
of　such　a　flight　appeared　to　be　almost　impossible。

Not　wishing　to　do　anything　at　random；　Michael　took　time　for　reflection；
carefully　weighing　the　chances　so　as　to　take　the　best。
From　the　situation　of　the　place　the　result　was　this
that　he　could　not　escape　through　the　back　of　the　wood；　the　stream
which　bordered　it　being　not　only　deep；　but　very　wide　and　muddy。
Beneath　this　thick　water　was　a　slimy　bog；　on　which　the　foot
could　not　rest。　　There　was　only　one　way　open；　the　high…road。　To
endeavor　to　reach　it　by　creeping　round　the　edge　of　the　wood；
without　attracting　attention；　and　then　to　gallop　at　headlong　speed；
required　all　the　remaining　strength　and　energy　of　his　noble　steed。
Too　probably　it　would　fall　dead　on　reaching　the　banks　of　the　Obi；　when；
either　by　boat　or　by　swimming；　he　must　cross　this　important　river。
This　was　what　Michael　had　before　him。

His　energy　and　courage　increased　in　sight　of　danger。

His　life；　his　mission；　his　country；　perhaps　the　safety　of　his　mother；
were　at　stake。　　He　could　not　hesitate。

There　was　not　a　moment　to　be　lost。　　Already　there　was　a　slight
movement　among　the　men　of　the　detachment。　　A　few　horsemen
were　strolling　up　and　down　the　road　in　front　of　the　wood。
The　rest　were　still　lying　at　the　foot　of　the　trees；　but　their
horses　were　gradually　penetrating　towards　the　center　of　the　wood。

Michael　had　at　first　thought　of　seizing　one　of　these　horses；
but　he　recollected　that；　of　course；　they　would　be　as　fatigued
as　his　own。　　It　was　better　to　trust　to　his　own　brave　steed；
which　had　already　rendered　him　such　important　service。
The　good　animal；　hidden　behind　a　thicket；　had　escaped　the　sight
of　the　Usbecks。　　They；　besides；　had　not　penetrated　so　far
into　the　wood。

Michael　crawled　up　to　his　horse　through　the　grass；　and　found　him
lying　down。　　He　patted　and　spoke　gently　to　him；　and　managed　to　raise
him　without　noise。　　Fortunately；　the　torches　were　entirely　consumed；
and　now　went　out；　the　darkness　being　still　profound　under　shelter
of　the　larches。　　After　replacing　the　bit；　Michael　looked　to　his
girths　and　stirrups；　and　began　to　lead　his　horse　quietly　away。
The　intelligent　animal　followed　his　master　without　even　making
the　least　neigh。

A　few　Usbeck　horses　raised　their　heads；　and　began　to　wander　towards
the　edge　of　the　wood。　　Michael　held　his　revolver　in　his　hand；
ready　to　blow　out　the　brains　of　the　first　Tartar　who　should　approach　him。
But　happily　the　alarm　was　not　given；　and　he　was　able　to　gain　the　angle
made　by　the　wood　where　it　joined　the　road。

To　avoid　being　seen；　Michael's　intention　was　not　to　mount　until
after　turning　a　corner　some　two　hundred　feet　from　the　wood。
Unfortunately；　just　at　the　moment　that　he　was　issuing　from　the　wood；
an　Usbeck's　horse；　scenting　him；　neighed　and　began　to　trot　along
the　road。　　His　master　ran　to　catch　him；　and　seeing　a　shadowy　form
moving　in　the　dim　light；　〃Look　out！〃　he　shouted。

At　the　cry；　all　the　men　of　the　bivouac　jumped　up；　and　ran　to　seize
their　horses。　　Michael　leaped　on　his　steed；　and　galloped　away。
The　two　officers　of　the　detachment　urged　on　their　men　to　follow。

Michael　heard　a　report；　and　felt　a　ball　pass　through　his　tunic。
Without　turning　his　head；　without　replying；　he　spurred　on；　and；
clearing　the　brushwood　with　a　tremendous　bound；　he　galloped　at　full
speed　toward　the　Obi。

The　Usbecks'　horses　being　unsaddled　gave　him　a　small　start；
but　in　less　than　two　minutes　he　heard　the　tramp　of　several
horses　gradually　gaining　on　him。

Day　was　now　beginning　to　break；　and　objects　at　some　distance　were
becoming　visible。　　Michael　turned　his　head；　and　perceived　a　horseman
rapidly　approaching　him。　　It　was　the　deh…baschi。　Being　better　mounted；
this　officer　had　distanced　his　detachment。

Without　drawing　rein；　Michael　extended　his　revolver；　and　took
a　moment's　aim。　　The　Usbeck　officer；　hit　in　the　breast；
rolled　on　the　ground。

But　the　other　horsemen　followed　him　closely；　and　without　waiting
to　assist　the　deh…baschi；　exciting　each　other　by　their　shouts；
digging　their　spurs　into　their　horses'　sides；　they　gradually
diminished　the　distance　between　themselves　and　Michael。

For　half　an　hour　only　was　the　latter　able　to　keep　out　of　range
of　the　Tartars；　but　he　well　knew　that　his　horse　was　becoming　weaker；
and　dreaded　every　instant　that　he　would　stumble　never　to　rise　again。

It　was　now　light；　although　the　sun　had　not　yet　risen　above　the　horizon。
Two　versts　distant　could　be　seen　a　pale　line　bordered　by　a　few　trees。

This　was　the　Obi；　which　flows　from　the　southwest　to　the　northeast；
the　surface　almost　level　with　the　ground；　its　bed　being　but
the　steppe　itself。

Several　times　shots　were　fired　at　Michael；　but　without　hitting　him；
and　several　times　too　he　discharged　his　revolver　on　those　of
the　soldiers　who　pressed　him　too　closely。　　Each　time　an　Usbeck
rolled　on　the　ground；　midst　cries　of　rage　from　his　companions。
But　this　pursuit　could　only　terminate　to　Michael's　disadvantage。
His　horse　was　almost　exhausted。　　He　managed　to　reach　the　bank
of　the　river。　　The　Usbeck　detachment　was　now　not　more　than　fifty
paces　behind　him。

The　Obi　was　desertednot　a　boat　of　any　description　which　could
take　him　over　the　water！

〃Courage；　my　brave　horse！〃　cried　Michael。　　〃Come！　　A　last　effort！〃
And　he　plunged　into　the　river；　which　here　was　half　a　verst　in　width。

It　would　have　been　difficult　to　stand　against　the　current
indeed；　Michael's　horse　could　get　no　footing。　　He　must　therefore
swim　across　the　river；　although　it　was　rapid　as　a　torrent。
Even　to　attempt　it　showed　Michael's　marvelous　courage。
The　soldiers　reached　the　bank；　but　hesitated　to　plunge　in。

The　pendja…baschi　seized　his　musket　and　took　aim　at　Michael；
whom　he　could　see　in　the　middle　of　the　stream。
The　shot　was　fired；　and　Michael's　horse；　struck　in　the　side；
was　borne　away　by　the　current。

His　master；　speedily　disentangling　himself　from　his　stirrups；
struck　out　boldly　for　the　shore。　　In　the　midst　of　a　hailstorm
of　balls　he　managed　to　reach　the　opposite　side；　and　disappeared
in　the　rushes。


CHAPTER　XVII　THE　RIVALS

MICHAEL　was　in　comparative　safety；　though　his　situation　was
still　terrible。　　Now　that　the　faithful　animal　who　had　so　bravely
borne　him　had　met　his　death　in　the　waters　of　the　river；
how　was　he　to　continue　his　journey？

He　was　on　foot；　without　provisions；　in　a　country　devastated
by　the　invasion；　overrun　by　the　Emir's　scouts；　and　still　at　a
considerable　distance　from　the　place　he　was　striving　to　reach。
〃By　Heaven；　I　will　get　there！〃　he　exclaimed；　in　reply　to　all
the　reasons　for　faltering。　　〃God　will　protect　our　sacred　Russia。〃

Michael　was　out　of　reach　of　the　Usbeck　horsemen。
They　had　not　dared　to　pursue　him　through　the　river。

Once　more　on　solid　ground　Michael　stopped　to　consider　what
he　should　do　next。　　He　wished　to　avoid　Tomsk；　now　occupied
by　the　Tartar　troops。　　Nevertheless；　he　must　reach　some　town；
or　at　least　a　post…house；　where　he　could　procure　a　horse。
A　horse　once　found；　he　would　throw　himself　out　of　the　beaten　track；
and　not　again　take　to　the　Irkutsk　road　until　in　the　neighborhood
of　Krasnoiarsk。　　From　that　place；　if　he　were　quick；　he　hoped
to　find　the　way　still　open；　and　he　intended　to　go　through
the　Lake　Baikal　provinces　in　a　southeasterly　direction。

Michael　began　by　going　eastward。　　By　following　the　course
of　the　Obi　two　versts　further；　he　reached　a　picturesque　little
town　lying　on　a　small　hill。　　A　few　churches；　with　Byzantine
cupolas　colored　green　and　gold；　stood　up　against　the　gray　sky。
This　is　Kolyvan；　where　the　officers　and　people　employed　at　Kamsk
and　other　towns　take　refuge　during　the　summer　from　the　unhealthy
climate　of　the　Baraba。　　According　to　the　latest　news　obtained
by　the　Czar's　courier；　Kolyvan　could　not　be　yet　in　the　hands
of　the　invaders。　　The　Tartar　troops；　divided　into　two　columns；
had　marched　to　the　left　on　Omsk；　to　the　right　on　Tomsk；
neglecting　the　intermediate　country。

Michael　Strogoff's　plan　was　simply　thisto　reach　Kolyvan　before
the　arrival　of　the　Usbeck　horsemen；　who　would　ascend　the　other　bank
of　the　Obi　to　the　ferry。　　There　he　would　procure　clothes　and　a　horse；
and　r俿um？the　road　to　Irkutsk　across　the　southern　steppe。

It　was　now　three　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　The　neighborhood　of　Kolyvan
was　very　still；　and　appeared　to　have　been　totally　abandoned。
The　country　population　had　evidently　fled　to　the　northwards；
to　the　province　of　Yeniseisk；　dreading　the　invasion；　which　they
could　not　resist。

Michael　was　walking　at　a　rapid　pace　towards　Kolyvan　when　distant　firing
struck　his　ear。　　He　stopped；　and　clearly　distinguished　the　dull　roar
of　artillery；　and　above　it　a　crisp　rattle　which　could　not　be　mistaken。

〃It　is　cannon　and　musketry！〃　said　h