michael strogoff-第36节

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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　three　days　of　patience；　and　may　God　aid　me！〃

It　was　indeed　a　journey　of　three　days　which　the　prisoners；　under　the　guard
of　a　numerous　detachment　of　Tartars；　were　to　make　across　the　steppe。
A　hundred　and　fifty　versts　lay　between　the　camp　and　the　town
an　easy　march　for　the　Emir's　soldiers；　who　wanted　for　nothing；
but　a　wretched　journey　for　these　people；　enfeebled　by　privations。
More　than　one　corpse　would　show　the　road　they　had　traversed。

It　was　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　on　the　12th　of　August；
under　a　hot　sun　and　cloudless　sky；　that　the　toptschi…baschi
gave　the　order　to　start。

Alcide　and　Blount；　having　bought　horses；　had　already　taken　the　road
to　Tomsk；　where　events　were　to　reunite　the　principal　personages
of　this　story。

Amongst　the　prisoners　brought　by　Ivan　Ogareff　to　the　Tartar　camp
was　an　old　woman；　whose　taciturnity　seemed　to　keep　her　apart　from
all　those　who　shared　her　fate。　　Not　a　murmur　issued　from　her　lips。
She　was　like　a　statue　of　grief。　　This　woman　was　more　strictly
guarded　than　anyone　else；　and；　without　her　appearing　to　notice；
was　constantly　watched　by　the　Tsigane　Sangarre。　　Notwithstanding　her
age　she　was　compelled　to　follow　the　convoy　of　prisoners　on　foot；
without　any　alleviation　of　her　suffering。

However；　a　kind　Providence　had　placed　near　her　a　courageous；
kind…hearted　being　to　comfort　and　assist　her。　　Amongst　her　companions
in　misfortune　a　young　girl；　remarkable　for　beauty　and　taciturnity；
seemed　to　have　given　herself　the　task　of　watching　over　her。
No　words　had　been　exchanged　between　the　two　captives；　but　the　girl
was　always　at　the　old　woman's　side　when　help　was　useful。
At　first　the　mute　assistance　of　the　stranger　was　accepted　with
some　mistrust。　　Gradually；　however；　the　young　girl's　clear　glance；
her　reserve；　and　the　mysterious　sympathy　which　draws　together
those　who　are　in　misfortune；　thawed　Marfa　Strogoff's　coldness。

Nadiafor　it　was　shewas　thus　able；　without　knowing　it；　to　render
to　the　mother　those　attentions　which　she　had　herself　received
from　the　son。　　Her　instinctive　kindness　had　doubly　inspired　her。
In　devoting　herself　to　her　service；　Nadia　secured　to　her　youth
and　beauty　the　protection　afforded　by　the　age　of　the　old　prisoner。

On　the　crowd　of　unhappy　people；　embittered　by　sufferings；
this　silent　pairone　seeming　to　be　the　grandmother；　the　other
the　grand…daughterimposed　a　sort　of　respect。

After　being　carried　off　by　the　Tartar　scouts　on　the　Irtych；　Nadia　had　been
taken　to　Omsk。　　Kept　prisoner　in　the　town；　she　shared　the　fate　of　all
those　captured　by　Ivan　Ogareff；　and　consequently　that　of　Marfa　Strogoff。

If　Nadia　had　been　less　energetic；　she　would　have　succumbed　to　this
double　blow。　　The　interruption　to　her　journey；　the　death　of　Michael；
made　her　both　desperate　and　excited。　　Divided；　perhaps　forever；
from　her　father；　after　so　many　happy　efforts　had　brought　her
near　him；　and；　to　crown　her　grief；　separated　from　the　intrepid
companion　whom　God　seemed　to　have　placed　in　her　way　to　lead　her。
The　image　of　Michael　Strogoff；　struck　before　her　eyes　with
a　lance　and　disappearing　beneath　the　waters　of　the　Irtych；
never　left　her　thoughts。

Could　such　a　man　have　died　thus？　　For　whom　was　God　reserving　His
miracles　if　this　good　man；　whom　a　noble　object　was　urging　onwards；
had　been　allowed　to　perish　so　miserably？　　Then　anger　would
prevail　over　grief。　　The　scene　of　the　affront　so　strangely　borne
by　her　companion　at　the　Ichim　relay　returned　to　her　memory。
Her　blood　boiled　at　the　recollection。

〃Who　will　avenge　him　who　can　no　longer　avenge　himself？〃　she　said。

And　in　her　heart；　she　cried；　〃May　it　be　I！〃　　If　before　his　death
Michael　had　confided　his　secret　to　her；　woman；　aye　girl　though
she　was；　she　might　have　been　able　to　carry　to　a　successful
conclusion　the　interrupted　task　of　that　brother　whom　God　had
so　soon　taken　from　her。

Absorbed　in　these　thoughts；　it　can　be　understood　how　Nadia
could　remain　insensible　to　the　miseries　even　of　her　captivity。
Thus　chance　had　united　her　to　Marfa　Strogoff　without　her　having
the　least　suspicion　of　who　she　was。　　How　could　she　imagine　that
this　old　woman；　a　prisoner　like　herself；　was　the　mother　of　him；
whom　she　only　knew　as　the　merchant　Nicholas　Korpanoff？　　And　on
the　other　hand；　how　could　Marfa　guess　that　a　bond　of　gratitude
connected　this　young　stranger　with　her　son？

The　thing　that　first　struck　Nadia　in　Marfa　Strogoff　was
the　similarity　in　the　way　in　which　each　bore　her　hard　fate。
This　stoicism　of　the　old　woman　under　the　daily　hardships；
this　contempt　of　bodily　suffering；　could　only　be　caused　by　a　moral
grief　equal　to　her　own。　　So　Nadia　thought；　and　she　was　not　mistaken。
It　was　an　instinctive　sympathy　for　that　part　of　her　misery
which　Marfa　did　not　show　which　first　drew　Nadia　towards　her。
This　way　of　bearing　her　sorrow　went　to　the　proud　heart　of
the　young　girl。　　She　did　not　offer　her　services；　she　gave　them。
Marfa　had　neither　to　refuse　nor　accept　them。　　In　the　difficult
parts　of　the　journey；　the　girl　was　there　to　support　her。
When　the　provisions　were　given　out；　the　old　woman　would　not
have　moved；　but　Nadia　shared　her　small　portion　with　her；　and　thus
this　painful　journey　was　performed。　　Thanks　to　her　companion；
Marfa　was　able　to　follow　the　soldiers　who　guarded　the　prisoners
without　being　fastened　to　a　saddle…bow；　as　were　many　other
unfortunate　wretches；　and　thus　dragged　along　this　road　of　sorrow。

〃May　God　reward　you；　my　daughter；　for　what　you　have　done　for　my　old　age！〃
said　Marfa　Strogoff　once；　and　for　some　time　these　were　the　only　words
exchanged　between　the　two　unfortunate　beings。

During　these　few　days；　which　to　them　appeared　like　centuries；
it　would　seem　that　the　old　woman　and　the　girl　would　have　been　led
to　speak　of　their　situation。　　But　Marfa　Strogoff；　from　a　caution
which　may　be　easily　understood；　never　spoke　about　herself　except
with　the　greatest　brevity。　　She　never　made　the　smallest　allusion
to　her　son；　nor　to　the　unfortunate　meeting。

Nadia　also；　if　not　completely　silent；　spoke　little。　　However；　one　day
her　heart　overflowed；　and　she　told　all　the　events　which　had　occurred
from　her　departure　from　Wladimir　to　the　death　of　Nicholas　Korpanoff。

All　that　her　young　companion　told　intensely　interested
the　old　Siberian。　　〃Nicholas　Korpanoff！〃　said　she。
〃Tell　me　again　about　this　Nicholas。　　I　know　only　one　man；
one　alone；　in　whom　such　conduct　would　not　have　astonished　me。
Nicholas　Korpanoff！　　Was　that　really　his　name？　　Are　you　sure
of　it；　my　daughter？〃

〃Why　should　he　have　deceived　me　in　this；〃　replied　Nadia；
〃when　he　deceived　me　in　no　other　way？〃

Moved；　however；　by　a　kind　of　presentiment；　Marfa　Strogoff　put
questions　upon　questions　to　Nadia。

〃You　told　me　he　was　fearless；　my　daughter。　　You　have　proved
that　he　has　been　so？〃　asked　she。

〃Yes；　fearless　indeed！〃　replied　Nadia。

〃It　was　just　what　my　son　would　have　done；〃　said　Marfa　to　herself。

Then　she　resumed；　〃Did　you　not　say　that　nothing　stopped　him；
nor　astonished　him；　that　he　was　so　gentle　in　his　strength　that　you
had　a　sister　as　well　as　a　brother　in　him；　and　he　watched　over　you
like　a　mother？〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Nadia。　　〃Brother；　sister；　motherhe　has　been
all　to　me！〃

〃And　defended　you　like　a　lion？〃

〃A　lion　indeed！〃　replied　Nadia。　　〃A　lion；　a　hero！〃

〃My　son；　my　son！〃　thought　the　old　Siberian。　　〃But　you　said；　however；
that　he　bore　a　terrible　insult　at　that　post…house　in　Ichim？〃

〃He　did　bear　it；〃　answered　Nadia；　looking　down。

〃He　bore　it！〃　murmured　Marfa；　shuddering。

〃Mother；　mother；〃　cried　Nadia；　〃do　not　blame　him！　　He　had　a　secret。
A　secret　of　which　God　alone　is　as　yet　the　judge！〃

〃And；〃　said　Marfa；　raising　her　head　and　looking　at　Nadia　as　though
she　would　read　the　depths　of　her　heart；　〃in　that　hour　of　humiliation
did　you　not　despise　this　Nicholas　Korpanoff？〃

〃I　admired　without　understanding　him；〃　replied　the　girl。
〃I　never　felt　him　more　worthy　of　respect。〃

The　old　woman　was　silent　for　a　minute。

〃Was　he　tall？〃　she　asked。

〃Very　tall。〃

〃And　very　handsome？　　Come；　speak；　my　daughter。〃

〃He　was　very　handsome；〃　replied　Nadia；　blushing。

〃It　was　my　son！　　I　tell　you　it　was　my　son！〃　exclaimed　the
old　woman；　embracing　Nadia。

〃Your　son！〃　said　Nadia　amazed；　〃your　son！〃

〃Come；〃　said　Marfa；　〃let　us　get　to　the　bottom　of　this；　my　child。
Your　companion；　your　friend；　your　protector　had　a　mother。
Did　he　never　speak　to　you　of　his　mother？〃

〃Of　his　mother？〃　said　Nadia。　　〃He　spoke　to　me　of　his　mother　as　I
spoke　to　him　of　my　fatheroften；　always。　　He　adored　her。〃

〃Nadia；　Nadia；　you　have　just　told　me　about　my　own　son；〃
said　the　old　woman。

And　she　added　impetuously；　〃Was　he　not　going　to　see　this　mother；
whom　you　say　he　loved；　in　Omsk？〃

〃No；〃　answered　Nadia；　〃no；　he　was　not。〃

〃Not！〃　cried　Marfa。　　〃You　dare　to　tell　me　not！〃

〃I　say　so：　　but　it　remains　to　me　to　tell　you　that　from　motives　which
outweighed　everything　else；　motives　which　I　do　not　know；　I　understand
that　Nicholas　Korpanoff　had　to　traverse　the　country　completely　in　secret。
To　him　it　was　a　question　of　life　and　death；　and　still　more；　a　que