michael strogoff-第42节

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All　his　life　was　in　that　last　look。

Marfa　Strogoff；　her　eyes　open　wide；　her　arms　extended　towards
where　he　stood；　was　gazing　at　him。　　The　incandescent　blade　passed
before　Michael's　eyes。

A　despairing　cry　was　heard。　　His　aged　mother　fell　senseless
to　the　ground。　　Michael　Strogoff　was　blind。

His　orders　executed；　the　Emir　retired　with　his　train。
There　remained　in　the　square　only　Ivan　Ogareff　and　the　torch　bearers。
Did　the　wretch　intend　to　insult　his　victim　yet　further；
and　yet　to　give　him　a　parting　blow？

Ivan　Ogareff　slowly　approached　Michael；　who；　feeling　him　coming；
drew　himself　up。　　Ivan　drew　from　his　pocket　the　Imperial　letter；
he　opened　it；　and　with　supreme　irony　he　held　it　up　before
the　sightless　eyes　of　the　Czar's　courier；　saying；　〃Read；　now；
Michael　Strogoff；　read；　and　go　and　repeat　at　Irkutsk　what　you　have　read。
The　true　Courier　of　the　Czar　is　Ivan　Ogareff。〃

This　said；　the　traitor　thrust　the　letter　into　his　breast。
Then；　without　looking　round　he　left　the　square；　followed
by　the　torch…bearers。

Michael　was　left　alone；　at　a　few　paces　from　his　mother；　lying　lifeless；
perhaps　dead。　　He　heard　in　the　distance　cries　and　songs；　the　varied
noises　of　a　wild　debauch。　　Tomsk；　illuminated；　glittered　and　gleamed。

Michael　listened。　　The　square　was　silent　and　deserted。　　He　went；
groping　his　way；　towards　the　place　where　his　mother　had　fallen。
He　found　her　with　his　hand；　he　bent　over　her；　he　put　his　face
close　to　hers；　he　listened　for　the　beating　of　her　heart。
Then　he　murmured　a　few　words。

Did　Marfa　still　live；　and　did　she　hear　her　son's　words？
Whether　she　did　so　or　not；　she　made　not　the　slightest　movement。
Michael　kissed　her　forehead　and　her　white　locks。　　He　then
raised　himself；　and；　groping　with　his　foot；　trying　to　stretch
out　his　hand　to　guide　himself；　he　walked　by　degrees　to　the　edge
of　the　square。

Suddenly　Nadia　appeared。　　She　walked　straight　to　her　companion。
A　knife　in　her　hand　cut　the　cords　which　bound　Michael's　arms。
The　blind　man　knew　not　who　had　freed　him；　for　Nadia　had　not
spoken　a　word。

But　this　done：　　〃Brother！〃　said　she。

〃Nadia！〃　murmured　Michael；　〃Nadia！〃

〃Come；　brother；〃　replied　Nadia；　〃use　my　eyes　whilst　yours　sleep。
I　will　lead　you　to　Irkutsk。〃


CHAPTER　VI　A　FRIEND　ON　THE　HIGHWAY

HALF　an　hour　afterwards；　Michael　and　Nadia　had　left　Tomsk。

Many　others　of　the　prisoners　were　that　night　able　to　escape
from　the　Tartars；　for　officers　and　soldiers；　all　more　or
less　intoxicated；　had　unconsciously　relaxed　the　vigilant　guard
which　they　had　hitherto　maintained。　　Nadia；　after　having
been　carried　off　with　the　other　prisoners；　had　been　able
to　escape　and　return　to　the　square；　at　the　moment　when　Michael
was　led　before　the　Emir。　　There；　mingling　with　the　crowd；
she　had　witnessed　the　terrible　scene。　　Not　a　cry　escaped　her
when　the　scorching　blade　passed　before　her　companion's　eyes。
She　kept；　by　her　strength　of　will；　mute　and　motionless。
A　providential　inspiration　bade　her　restrain　herself　and　retain
her　liberty　that　she　might　lead　Marfa's　son　to　that　goal　which
he　had　sworn　to　reach。　　Her　heart　for　an　instant　ceased　to　beat
when　the　aged　Siberian　woman　fell　senseless　to　the　ground；
but　one　thought　restored　her　to　her　former　energy。
〃I　will　be　the　blind　man's　dog；〃　said　she。

On　Ogareff's　departure；　Nadia　had　concealed　herself　in　the　shade。
She　had　waited　till　the　crowd　left　the　square。　　Michael；　abandoned　as
a　wretched　being　from　whom　nothing　was　to　be　feared；　was　alone。
She　saw　him　draw　himself　towards　his　mother；　bend　over　her；
kiss　her　forehead；　then　rise　and　grope　his　way　in　flight。

A　few　instants　later；　she　and　he；　hand　in　hand；　had　descended
the　steep　slope；　when；　after　having　followed　the　high　banks
of　the　Tom　to　the　furthest　extremity　of　the　town；　they　happily
found　a　breach　in　the　inclosure。

The　road　to　Irkutsk　was　the　only　one　which　penetrated　towards　the　east。
It　could　not　be　mistaken。　　It　was　possible　that　on　the　morrow；
after　some　hours　of　carousal；　the　scouts　of　the　Emir；　once　more
scattering　over　the　steppes；　might　cut　off　all　communication。
It　was　of　the　greatest　importance　therefore　to　get　in　advance　of　them。
How　could　Nadia　bear　the　fatigues　of　that　night；　from　the　l6th
to　the　17th　of　August？　　How　could　she　have　found　strength　for　so　long
a　stage？　　How　could　her　feet；　bleeding　under　that　forced　march；
have　carried　her　thither？　　It　is　almost　incomprehensible。
But　it　is　none　the　less　true　that　on　the　next　morning；　twelve　hours
after　their　departure　from　Tomsk；　Michael　and　she　reached　the　town
of　Semilowskoe；　after　a　journey　of　thirty…five　miles。

Michael　had　not　uttered　a　single　word。　　It　was　not　Nadia　who　held
his　hand；　it　was　he　who　held　that　of　his　companion　during　the　whole
of　that　night；　but；　thanks　to　that　trembling　little　hand　which　guided　him；
he　had　walked　at　his　ordinary　pace。

Semilowskoe　was　almost　entirely　abandoned。　　The　inhabitants　had　fled。
Not　more　than　two　or　three　houses　were　still　occupied。
All　that　the　town　contained；　useful　or　precious；　had　been　carried　off
in　wagons。　　However；　Nadia　was　obliged　to　make　a　halt　of　a　few　hours。
They　both　required　food　and　rest。

The　young　girl　led　her　companion　to　the　extremity　of　the　town。
There　they　found　an　empty　house；　the　door　wide　open。
An　old　rickety　wooden　bench　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room；
near　the　high　stove　which　is　to　be　found　in　all　Siberian　houses。
They　silently　seated　themselves。

Nadia　gazed　in　her　companion's　face　as　she　had　never　before　gazed。
There　was　more　than　gratitude；　more　than　pity；　in　that　look。
Could　Michael　have　seen　her；　he　would　have　read　in　that　sweet
desolate　gaze　a　world　of　devotion　and　tenderness。

The　eyelids　of　the　blind　man；　made　red　by　the　heated　blade；
fell　half　over　his　eyes。　　The　pupils　seemed　to　be　singularly　enlarged。
The　rich　blue　of　the　iris　was　darker　than　formerly。　　The　eyelashes
and　eyebrows　were　partly　burnt；　but　in　appearance；　at　least；
the　old　penetrating　look　appeared　to　have　undergone　no　change。
If　he　could　no　longer　see；　if　his　blindness　was　complete；
it　was　because　the　sensibility　of　the　retina　and　optic　nerve
was　radically　destroyed　by　the　fierce　heat　of　the　steel。

Then　Michael　stretched　out　his　hands。

〃Are　you　there；　Nadia？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　young　girl；　〃I　am　close　to　you；　and　I　will　not　go
away　from　you；　Michael。〃

At　his　name；　pronounced　by　Nadia　for　the　first　time；　a　thrill　passed
through　Michael's　frame。　　He　perceived　that　his　companion　knew　all；
who　he　was。

〃Nadia；〃　replied　he；　〃we　must　separate！〃

〃We　separate？　　How　so；　Michael？〃

〃I　must　not　be　an　obstacle　to　your　journey！　　Your　father　is　waiting
for　you　at　Irkutsk！　　You　must　rejoin　your　father！〃

〃My　father　would　curse　me；　Michael；　were　I　to　abandon　you　now；
after　all　you　have　done　for　me！〃

〃Nadia；　Nadia；〃　replied　Michael；　〃you　should　think　only　of　your　father！〃

〃Michael；〃　replied　Nadia；　〃you　have　more　need　of　me　than　my　father。
Do　you　mean　to　give　up　going　to　Irkutsk？〃

〃Never！〃　cried　Michael；　in　a　tone　which　plainly　showed　that　none
of　his　energy　was　gone。

〃But　you　have　not　the　letter！〃

〃That　letter　of　which　Ivan　Ogareff　robbed　me！　　Well！　　I　shall
manage　without　it；　Nadia！　　They　have　treated　me　as　a　spy！
I　will　act　as　a　spy！　　I　will　go　and　repeat　at　Irkutsk　all　I
have　seen；　all　I　have　heard；　I　swear　it　by　Heaven　above！
The　traitor　shall　meet　me　one　day　face　to　face！　　But　I　must
arrive　at　Irkutsk　before　him。〃

〃And　yet　you　speak　of　our　separating；　Michael？〃

〃Nadia；　they　have　taken　everything　from　me！〃

〃I　have　some　roubles　still；　and　my　eyes！　　I　can　see　for　you；　Michael；
and　I　will　lead　you　thither；　where　you　could　not　go　alone！〃

〃And　how　shall　we　go？〃

〃On　foot。〃

〃And　how　shall　we　live？〃

〃By　begging。〃

〃Let　us　start；　Nadia。〃

〃Come；　Michael。〃

The　two　young　people　no　longer　kept　the　names　〃brother〃　and　〃sister。〃
In　their　common　misfortune；　they　felt　still　closer　united。
They　left　the　house　after　an　hour's　repose。　　Nadia　had　procured
in　the　town　some　morsels　of　〃tchornekhleb；〃　a　sort　of　barley　bread；
and　a　little　mead；　called　〃meod〃　in　Russia。　　This　had　cost
her　nothing；　for　she　had　already　begun　her　plan　of　begging。
The　bread　and　mead　had　in　some　degree　appeased　Michael's　hunger
and　thirst。　　Nadia　gave　him　the　lion's　share　of　this　scanty　meal。
He　ate　the　pieces　of　bread　his　companion　gave　him；　drank　from
the　gourd　she　held　to　his　lips。

〃Are　you　eating；　Nadia？〃　he　asked　several　times。

〃Yes；　Michael；〃　invariably　replied　the　young　girl；　who　contented
herself　with　what　her　companion　left。

Michael　and　Nadia　quitted　Semilowskoe；　and　once　more　set
out　on　the　laborious　road　to　Irkutsk。　　The　girl　bore　up
in　a　marvelous　way　against　fatigue。　　Had　Michael　seen　her；
perhaps　he　would　not　have　had　the　courage　to　go　on。
But　Nadia　never　complained；　and　Michael；　hearing　no　sigh；
walked　at　a　speed　he　was　unable　to　repress。　　And　why？
Did　he　still　expect　to　keep　before　the　Tartars？　　He　was　on　foot；
without　money；　he　was　blind；　and　if　Nadia；　his　only　guide；
were　to　be　separated　from　him；　he　could　only　lie　down
by　the　side　of　the　road　and　there　perish　miserably。
But　if；　on　the　other　hand；　by　energetic　perseverance　he　could
reach　K