michael strogoff-第35节

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he　could　not　mistake。　　This　kiss　made　the　lieutenant　chief　of　the　council；
and　placed　him　temporarily　above　the　khodja。

Then　Feofar　spoke。　　〃I　have　no　need　to　question　you；〃　said　he；
〃speak；　Ivan。　　You　will　find　here　ears　very　ready　to　listen　to　you。〃

〃Takhsir；〃　answered　Ogareff；　〃this　is　what　I　have　to　make
known　to　you。〃　　He　spoke　in　the　Tartar　language；　giving　to　his
phrases　the　emphatic　turn　which　distinguishes　the　languages　of
the　Orientals。　　〃Takhsir；　this　is　not　the　time　for　unnecessary　words。
What　I　have　done　at　the　head　of　your　troops；　you　know。
The　lines　of　the　Ichim　and　the　Irtych　are　now　in　our　power；　and　the
Turcoman　horsemen　can　bathe　their　horses　in　the　now　Tartar　waters。
The　Kirghiz　hordes　rose　at　the　voice　of　Feofar…Khan。　You　can
now　push　your　troops　towards　the　east；　and　where　the　sun　rises；
or　towards　the　west；　where　he　sets。〃

〃And　if　I　march　with　the　sun？〃　asked　the　Emir；　without　his　countenance
betraying　any　of　his　thoughts。

〃To　march　with　the　sun；〃　answered　Ogareff；　〃is　to　throw　yourself
towards　Europe；　it　is　to　conquer　rapidly　the　Siberian　provinces
of　Tobolsk　as　far　as　the　Ural　Mountains。〃

〃And　if　I　go　to　meet　this　luminary　of　the　heavens？〃

〃It　is　to　subdue　to　the　Tartar　dominion；　with　Irkutsk；　the　richest
countries　of　Central　Asia。〃

〃But　the　armies　of　the　Sultan　of　St。　Petersburg？〃　said　Feofar…Khan；
designating　the　Emperor　of　Russia　by　this　strange　title。

〃You　have　nothing　to　fear　from　them；〃　replied　Ivan　Ogareff。
〃The　invasion　has　been　sudden；　and　before　the　Russian　army　can
succor　them；　Irkutsk　or　Tobolsk　will　have　fallen　into　your　power。
The　Czar's　troops　have　been　overwhelmed　at　Kolyvan；　as　they
will　be　everywhere　where　yours　meet　them。〃

〃And　what　advice　does　your　devotion　to　the　Tartar　cause　suggest？〃
asked　the　Emir；　after　a　few　moments'　silence。

〃My　advice；〃　answered　Ivan　Ogareff　quickly；　〃is　to　march　to　meet　the　sun。
It　is　to　give　the　grass　of　the　eastern　steppes　to　the　Turcoman　horses
to　consume。　　It　is　to　take　Irkutsk；　the　capital　of　the　eastern　provinces；
and　with　it　a　hostage；　the　possession　of　whom　is　worth　a　whole　country。
In　the　place　of　the　Czar；　the　Grand　Duke　his　brother　must　fall
into　your　hands。〃

This　was　the　great　result　aimed　at　by　Ivan　Ogareff。　　To　listen
to　him；　one　would　have　taken　him　for　one　of　the　cruel
descendants　of　Stephan　Razine；　the　celebrated　pirate
who　ravaged　Southern　Russia　in　the　eighteenth　century。
To　seize　the　Grand　Duke；　murder　him　pitilessly；　would　fully
satisfy　his　hatred。　　Besides；　with　the　capture　of　Irkutsk；
all　Eastern　Siberia　would　pass　to　the　Tartars。

〃It　shall　be　thus；　Ivan；〃　replied　Feofar。

〃What　are　your　orders；　Takhsir？〃

〃To…day　our　headquarters　shall　be　removed　to　Tomsk。〃

Ogareff　bowed；　and；　followed　by　the　housch…begui；　he　retired
to　execute　the　Emir's　orders。

As　he　was　about　to　mount　his　horse；　to　return　to　the　outposts；
a　tumult　broke　out　at　some　distance；　in　the　part　of　the　camp　reserved
for　the　prisoners。　　Shouts　were　heard；　and　two　or　three　shots　fired。
Perhaps　it　was　an　attempt　at　revolt　or　escape；　which　must
be　summarily　suppressed。

Ivan　Ogareff　and　the　housch…begui　walked　forward　and　almost
immediately　two　men；　whom　the　soldiers　had　not　been　able　to　keep
back　appeared　before　them。

The　housch…begui；　without　more　information；　made　a　sign　which
was　an　order　for　death；　and　the　heads　of　the　two　prisoners
would　have　rolled　on　the　ground　had　not　Ogareff　uttered
a　few　words　which　arrested　the　sword　already　raised　aloft。
The　Russian　had　perceived　that　these　prisoners　were　strangers；
and　he　ordered　them　to　be　brought　to　him。

They　were　Harry　Blount　and　Alcide　jolivet。

On　Ogareff's　arrival　in　the　camp；　they　had　demanded　to　be
conducted　to　his　presence。　　The　soldiers　had　refused。
In　consequence；　a　struggle；　an　attempt　at　flight；　shots　fired
which　happily　missed　the　two　correspondents；　but　their　execution
would　not　have　been　long　delayed；　if　it　had　not　been　for
the　intervention　of　the　Emir's　lieutenant。

The　latter　observed　the　prisoners　for　some　moments；　they　being　absolutely
unknown　to　him。　　They　had　been　present　at　that　scene　in　the　post…house
at　Ichim；　in　which　Michael　Strogoff　had　been　struck　by　Ogareff；
but　the　brutal　traveler　had　paid　no　attention　to　the　persons　then
collected　in　the　common　room。

Blount　and　Jolivet；　on　the　contrary；　recognized　him　at　once；
and　the　latter　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃Hullo！　　It　seems　that　Colonel　Ogareff
and　the　rude　personage　of　Ichim　are　one！〃　　Then　he　added　in　his
companion's　ear；　〃Explain　our　affair；　Blount。　　You　will　do　me　a　service。
This　Russian　colonel　in　the　midst　of　a　Tartar　camp　disgusts　me；
and　although；　thanks　to　him；　my　head　is　still　on　my　shoulders；
my　eyes　would　exhibit　my　feelings　were　I　to　attempt　to　look　him
in　the　face。〃

So　saying；　Alcide　Jolivet　assumed　a　look　of　complete
and　haughty　indifference。

Whether　or　not　Ivan　Ogareff　perceived　that　the　prisoner's
attitude　was　insulting　towards　him；　he　did　not　let　it　appear。
〃Who　are　you；　gentlemen？〃　he　asked　in　Russian；　in　a　cold　tone；
but　free　from　its　usual　rudeness。

〃Two　correspondents　of　English　and　French　newspapers；〃
replied　Blount　laconically。

〃You　have；　doubtless；　papers　which　will　establish　your　identity？〃

〃Here　are　letters　which　accredit　us　in　Russia；　from　the　English
and　French　chancellor's　office。〃

Ivan　Ogareff　took　the　letters　which　Blount　held　out；　and　read
them　attentively。　　〃You　ask；〃　said　he；　〃authorization　to　follow
our　military　operations　in　Siberia？〃

〃We　ask　to　be　free；　that　is　all；〃　answered　the　English
correspondent　dryly。

〃You　are　so；　gentlemen；〃　answered　Ogareff；　〃I　am　curious　to　read
your　articles　in　the　Daily　Telegraph。〃

〃Sir；〃　replied　Blount；　with　the　most　imperturbable　coolness；
〃it　is　sixpence　a　number；　including　postage。〃　　And　thereupon
he　returned　to　his　companion；　who　appeared　to　approve　completely
of　his　replies。

Ivan　Ogareff；　without　frowning；　mounted　his　horse；　and　going　to　the　head
of　his　escort；　soon　disappeared　in　a　cloud　of　dust。

〃Well；　Jolivet；　what　do　you　think　of　Colonel　Ivan　Ogareff；
general…in…chief　of　the　Tartar　troops？〃　asked　Blount。

〃I　think；　my　dear　friend；〃　replied　Alcide；　smiling；　〃that　the　housch…begui
made　a　very　graceful　gesture　when　he　gave　the　order　for　our　heads
to　be　cut　off。〃

Whatever　was　the　motive　which　led　Ogareff　to　act　thus　in　regard
to　the　two　correspondents；　they　were　free　and　could　rove　at　their
pleasure　over　the　scene　of　war。　　Their　intention　was　not　to　leave　it。
The　sort　of　antipathy　which　formerly　they　had　entertained　for　each
other　had　given　place　to　a　sincere　friendship。　　Circumstances　having
brought　them　together；　they　no　longer　thought　of　separating。
The　petty　questions　of　rivalry　were　forever　extinguished。
Harry　Blount　could　never　forget　what　he　owed　his　companion；
who；　on　the　other　hand；　never　tried　to　remind　him　of　it。
This　friendship　too　assisted　the　reporting　operations；　and　was
thus　to　the　advantage　of　their　readers。

〃And　now；〃　asked　Blount；　〃what　shall　we　do　with　our　liberty？〃

〃Take　advantage　of　it；　of　course；〃　replied　Alcide；　〃and　go　quietly
to　Tomsk　to　see　what　is　going　on　there。〃

〃Until　the　timevery　near；　I　hopewhen　we　may　rejoin
some　Russian　regiment？〃

〃As　you　say；　my　dear　Blount；　it　won't　do　to　Tartarise　ourselves
too　much。　　The　best　side　is　that　of　the　most　civilized　army；
and　it　is　evident　that　the　people　of　Central　Asia　will　have
everything　to　lose　and　absolutely　nothing　to　gain　from
this　invasion；　while　the　Russians　will　soon　repulse　them。
It　is　only　a　matter　of　time。〃

The　arrival　of　Ivan　Ogareff；　which　had　given　Jolivet　and　Blount　their
liberty；　was　to　Michael　Strogoff；　on　the　contrary；　a　serious　danger。
Should　chance　bring　the　Czar's　courier　into　Ogareff's　presence；　the　latter
could　not　fail　to　recognize　in　him　the　traveler　whom　he　had　so　brutally
treated　at　the　Ichim　post…house；　and　although　Michael　had　not　replied
to　the　insult　as　he　would　have　done　under　any　other　circumstances；
attention　would　be　drawn　to　him；　and　at　once　the　accomplishment　of　his
plans　would　be　rendered　more　difficult。

This　was　the　unpleasant　side　of　the　business。　　A　favorable
result　of　his　arrival；　however；　was　the　order　which　was　given
to　raise　the　camp　that　very　day；　and　remove　the　headquarters
to　Tomsk。　　This　was　the　accomplishment　of　Michael's　most
fervent　desire。　　His　intention；　as　has　been　said；　was　to　reach
Tomsk　concealed　amongst　the　other　prisoners；　that　is　to　say；
without　any　risk　of　falling　into　the　hands　of　the　scouts
who　swarmed　about　the　approaches　to　this　important　town。
However；　in　consequence　of　the　arrival　of　Ivan　Ogareff；
he　questioned　whether　it　would　not　be　better　to　give　up　his
first　plan　and　attempt　to　escape　during　the　journey。

Michael　would；　no　doubt；　have　kept　to　the　latter　plan　had　he　not　learnt
that　Feofar…Khan　and　Ogareff　had　already　set　out　for　the　town　with
some　thousands　of　horsemen。　　〃I　will　wait；　then；〃　said　he　to　himself；
〃at　least；　unless　some　exceptional　opportunity　for　escape　occurs。
The　adverse　chances　are　numerous　on　this　side　of　Tomsk；　while　beyond
I　shall　in　a　few　hours　have　passed　the　most　advanced　Tartar　posts
to　the　east。　　Still　t