michael strogoff-第32节

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〃Fugitives　are　escaping　from　the　town。　　Russians　defeated。
Fiercely　pursued　by　the　Tartar　cavalry。〃

And　as　Harry　Blount　returned　he　heard　Jolivet　completing　his　telegram
by　singing　in　a　mocking　tone：

〃II　est　un　petit　homme；　Tout　habille　de　gris；　Dans　Paris！〃

Imitating　his　rival；　Alcide　Jolivet　had　used　a　merry　refrain　of　Beranger。

〃Hallo！〃　said　Harry　Blount。

〃Just　so；〃　answered　Jolivet。

In　the　meantime　the　situation　at　Kolyvan　was　alarming　in　the　extreme。
The　battle　was　raging　nearer；　and　the　firing　was　incessant。

At　that　moment　the　telegraph　office　shook　to　its　foundations。
A　shell　had　made　a　hole　in　the　wall；　and　a　cloud　of　dust
filled　the　office。

Alcide　was　just　finishing　writing　his　lines；　but　to　stop；　dart　on
the　shell；　seize　it　in　both　hands；　throw　it　out　of　the　window；
and　return　to　the　wicket；　was　only　the　affair　of　a　moment。

Five　seconds　later　the　shell　burst　outside。　　Continuing　with
the　greatest　possible　coolness；　Alcide　wrote：　　〃A　six…inch
shell　has　just　blown　up　the　wall　of　the　telegraph　office。
Expecting　a　few　more　of　the　same　size。〃

Michael　Strogoff　had　no　doubt　that　the　Russians　were　driven
out　of　Kolyvan。　　His　last　resource　was　to　set　out　across
the　southern　steppe。

Just　then　renewed　firing　broke　out　close　to　the　telegraph　house；
and　a　perfect　shower　of　bullets　smashed　all　the　glass　in　the　windows。
Harry　Blount　fell　to　the　ground　wounded　in　the　shoulder。

Jolivet　even　at　such　a　moment；　was　about　to　add　this　postscript
to　his　dispatch：　　〃Harry　Blount；　correspondent　of　the　Daily　Telegraph；
has　fallen　at　my　side　struck　by〃　when　the　imperturbable　clerk
said　calmly：　　〃Sir；　the　wire　has　broken。〃　　And；　leaving　his　wicket；
he　quietly　took　his　hat；　brushed　it　round　with　his　sleeve；　and；
still　smiling；　disappeared　through　a　little　door　which　Michael
had　not　before　perceived。

The　house　was　surrounded　by　Tartar　soldiers；　and　neither　Michael
nor　the　reporters　could　effect　their　retreat。

Alcide　Jolivet；　his　useless　dispatch　in　his　hand；　had　run
to　Blount；　stretched　on　the　ground；　and　had　bravely　lifted
him　on　his　shoulders；　with　the　intention　of　flying　with　him。
He　was　too　late！

Both　were　prisoners；　and；　at　the　same　time；　Michael；　taken　unawares
as　he　was　about　to　leap　from　the　window；　fell　into　the　hands
of　the　Tartars！

END　OF　BOOK　I



BOOK　II

CHAPTER　I　A　TARTAR　CAMP

AT　a　day's　march　from　Kolyvan；　several　versts　beyond
the　town　of　Diachinks；　stretches　a　wide　plain；　planted　here
and　there　with　great　trees；　principally　pines　and　cedars。
This　part　of　the　steppe　is　usually　occupied　during　the　warm
season　by　Siberian　shepherds；　and　their　numerous　flocks。
But　now　it　might　have　been　searched　in　vain　for　one　of　its
nomad　inhabitants。　　Not　that　the　plain　was　deserted。
It　presented　a　most　animated　appearance。

There　stood　the　Tartar　tents；　there　Feofar…Khan；　the　terrible
Emir　of　Bokhara；　was　encamped；　and　there　on　the　following　day；
the　7th　of　August；　were　brought　the　prisoners　taken　at　Kolyvan
after　the　annihilation　of　the　Russian　force；　which　had
vainly　attempted　to　oppose　the　progress　of　the　invaders。
Of　the　two　thousand　men　who　had　engaged　with　the　two　columns
of　the　enemy；　the　bases　of　which　rested　on　Tomsk　and　Omsk；
only　a　few　hundred　remained。　　Thus　events　were　going　badly；
and　the　imperial　government　appeared　to　have　lost　its　power　beyond
the　frontiers　of　the　Uralfor　a　time　at　least；　for　the　Russians　could
not　fail　eventually　to　defeat　the　savage　hordes　of　the　invaders。
But　in　the　meantime　the　invasion　had　reached　the　center
of　Siberia；　and　it　was　spreading　through　the　revolted
country　both　to　the　eastern；　and　the　western　provinces。
If　the　troops　of　the　Amoor　and　the　province　of　Takutsk　did　not　arrive
in　time　to　occupy　it；　Irkutsk；　the　capital　of　Asiatic　Russia；
being　insufficiently　garrisoned；　would　fall　into　the　hands
of　the　Tartars；　and　the　Grand　Duke；　brother　of　the　Emperor；
would　be　sacrificed　to　the　vengeance　of　Ivan　Ogareff。

What　had　become　of　Michael　Strogoff？　　Had　he　broken　down　under
the　weight　of　so　many　trials？　　Did　he　consider　himself　conquered
by　the　series　of　disasters　which；　since　the　adventure　of　Ichim；
had　increased　in　magnitude？　　Did　he　think　his　cause　lost？　that　his
mission　had　failed？　that　his　orders　could　no　longer　be　obeyed？

Michael　was　one　of　those　men　who　never　give　in　while　life　exists。
He　was　yet　alive；　he　still　had　the　imperial　letter　safe；　his　disguise
had　been　undiscovered。　　He　was　included　amongst　the　numerous
prisoners　whom　the　Tartars　were　dragging　with　them　like　cattle；
but　by　approaching　Tomsk　he　was　at　the　same　time　drawing　nearer
to　Irkutsk。　　Besides；　he　was　still　in　front　of　Ivan　Ogareff。

〃I　will　get　there！〃　he　repeated　to　himself。

Since　the　affair　of　Kolyvan　all　the　powers　of　his　mind　were
concentrated　on　one　objectto　become　free！　　How　should　he　escape
from　the　Emir's　soldiers？

Feofar's　camp　presented　a　magnificent　spectacle。

Numberless　tents；　of　skin；　felt；　or　silk；　glistened　in　the　rays
of　the　sun。　　The　lofty　plumes　which　surmounted　their　conical
tops　waved　amidst　banners；　flags；　and　pennons　of　every　color。
The　richest　of　these　tents　belonged　to　the　Seides　and　Khodjas；
who　are　the　principal　personages　of　the　khanat。
A　special　pavilion；　ornamented　with　a　horse's　tail　issuing
from　a　sheaf　of　red　and　white　sticks　artistically　interlaced；
indicated　the　high　rank　of　these　Tartar　chiefs。
Then　in　the　distance　rose　several　thousand　of　the　Turcoman　tents；
called　〃karaoy；〃　which　had　been　carried　on　the　backs　of　camels。

The　camp　contained　at　least　a　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　soldiers；
as　many　foot　as　horse　soldiers；　collected　under　the　name
of　Alamanes。　　Amongst　them；　and　as　the　principal　types
of　Turkestan；　would　have　been　directly　remarked　the　Tadjiks；
from　their　regular　features；　white　skin；　tall　forms；　and　black
eyes　and　hair；　they　formed　the　bulk　of　the　Tartar　army；
and　of　them　the　khanats　of　Khokhand　and　Koundouge　had　furnished
a　contingent　nearly　equal　to　that　of　Bokhara。　　With　the　Tadjiks
were　mingled　specimens　of　different　races　who　either　reside
in　Turkestan　or　whose　native　countries　border　on　it。
There　were　Usbecks；　red…bearded；　small　in　stature；
similar　to　those　who　had　pursued　Michael。　　Here　were　Kirghiz；
with　flat　faces　like　the　Kalmucks；　dressed　in　coats　of　mail：
some　carried　the　lance；　bows；　and　arrows　of　Asiatic　manufacture；
some　the　saber；　a　matchlock　gun；　and　the　〃tschakane；〃　a　little
short…handled　ax；　the　wounds　from　which　invariably　prove　fatal。
There　were　Mongolsof　middle　height；　with　black　hair　plaited
into　pigtails；　which　hung　down　their　back；　round　faces；
swarthy　complexions；　lively　deep…set　eyes；　scanty　beards
dressed　in　blue　nankeen　trimmed　with　black　plush；　sword…belts　of
leather　with　silver　buckles；　coats　gayly　braided；　and　silk
caps　edged　with　fur　and　three　ribbons　fluttering　behind。
Brown…skinned　Afghans；　too；　might　have　been　seen。
Arabs；　having　the　primitive　type　of　the　beautiful　Semitic　races；
and　Turcomans；　with　eyes　which　looked　as　if　they　had　lost
the　pupil；all　enrolled　under　the　Emir's　flag；　the　flag
of　incendiaries　and　devastators。

Among　these　free　soldiers　were　a　certain　number　of　slave　soldiers；
principally　Persians；　commanded　by　officers　of　the　same　nation；
and　they　were　certainly　not　the　least　esteemed　of　Feofar…Khan's　army。

If　to　this　list　are　added　the　Jews；　who　acted　as　servants；
their　robes　confined　with　a　cord；　and　wearing　on　their　heads　instead
of　the　turban；　which　is　forbidden　them；　little　caps　of　dark　cloth；
if　with　these　groups　are　mingled　some　hundreds　of　〃kalenders；〃　a　sort
of　religious　mendicants；　clothed　in　rags；　covered　by　a　leopard　skin；
some　idea　may　be　formed　of　the　enormous　agglomerations　of　different
tribes　included　under　the　general　denomination　of　the　Tartar　army。

Nothing　could　be　more　romantic　than　this　picture；　in　delineating
which　the　most　skillful　artist　would　have　exhausted　all　the　colors
of　his　palette。

Feofar's　tent　overlooked　the　others。　　Draped　in　large　folds
of　a　brilliant　silk　looped　with　golden　cords　and　tassels；
surmounted　by　tall　plumes　which　waved　in　the　wind　like　fans；
it　occupied　the　center　of　a　wide　clearing；　sheltered　by　a　grove
of　magnificent　birch　and　pine　trees。　　Before　this　tent；　on　a　japanned
table　inlaid　with　precious　stones；　was　placed　the　sacred　book　of
the　Koran；　its　pages　being　of　thin　gold…leaf　delicately　engraved。
Above　floated　the　Tartar　flag；　quartered　with　the　Emir's　arms。

In　a　semicircle　round　the　clearing　stood　the　tents　of　the　great
functionaries　of　Bokhara。　　There　resided　the　chief　of　the　stables；
who　has　the　right　to　follow　the　Emir　on　horseback　even　into　the　court
of　his　palace；　the　grand　falconer；　the　〃housch…begui；〃　bearer　of
the　royal　seal；　the　〃toptschi…baschi；〃　grand　master　of　the　artillery；
the　〃khodja；〃　chief　of　the　council；　who　receives　the　prince's　kiss；
and　may　present　himself　before　him　with　his　girdle　untied；
the　〃scheikh…oul…islam；〃　chief　of　the　Ulemas；　representing　the　priests；
the　〃cazi…askev；〃　who；　in　the　Emir's　absence　settles　all　disputes
raised　among　the　soldiers；　and　lastly；　the　chief　of　the　astrologers；
whose　great　business　is　to　consult　the　stars　every　time　the　Khan