michael strogoff-第5节

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which　can　neither　be　stopped　by　the　rigors　of　winter　nor　the　heat
of　summer；　and　which　flies　with　the　rapidity　of　lightning
the　electric　currentwas　prevented　from　traversing　the　steppes；
and　it　was　no　longer　possible　to　warn　the　Grand　Duke；　shut　up
in　Irkutsk；　of　the　danger　threatening　him　from　the　treason
of　Ivan　Ogareff。

A　courier　only　could　supply　the　place　of　the　interrupted　current。
It　would　take　this　man　some　time　to　traverse　the　five　thousand　two　hundred
versts　between　Moscow　and　Irkutsk。　　To　pass　the　ranks　of　the　rebels
and　invaders　he　must　display　almost　superhuman　courage　and　intelligence。
But　with　a　clear　head　and　a　firm　heart　much　can　be　done。

〃Shall　I　be　able　to　find　this　head　and　heart？〃　thought　the　Czar。


CHAPTER　III　MICHAEL　STROGOFF　MEETS　THE　CZAR

THE　door　of　the　imperial　cabinet　was　again　opened　and
General　Kissoff　was　announced。

〃The　courier？〃　inquired　the　Czar　eagerly。

〃He　is　here；　sire；〃　replied　General　Kissoff。

〃Have　you　found　a　fitting　man？〃

〃I　will　answer　for　him　to　your　majesty。〃

〃Has　he　been　in　the　service　of　the　Palace？〃

〃Yes；　sire。〃

〃You　know　him？〃

〃Personally；　and　at　various　times　he　has　fulfilled　difficult
missions　with　success。〃

〃Abroad？〃

〃In　Siberia　itself。〃

〃Where　does　he　come　from？〃

〃From　Omsk。　　He　is　a　Siberian。〃

〃Has　he　coolness；　intelligence；　courage？〃

〃Yes；　sire；　he　has　all　the　qualities　necessary　to　succeed；
even　where　others　might　possibly　fail。〃

〃What　is　his　age？〃

〃Thirty。〃

〃Is　he　strong　and　vigorous？〃

〃Sire；　he　can　bear　cold；　hunger；　thirst；　fatigue；　to　the
very　last　extremities。〃

〃He　must　have　a　frame　of　iron。〃

〃Sire；　he　has。〃

〃And　a　heart？〃

〃A　heart　of　gold。〃

〃His　name？〃

〃Michael　Strogoff。〃

〃Is　he　ready　to　set　out？〃

〃He　awaits　your　majesty's　orders　in　the　guard…room。〃

〃Let　him　come　in；〃　said　the　Czar。

In　a　few　moments　Michael　Strogoff；　the　courier；　entered　the　imperial
library。　　He　was　a　tall；　vigorous；　broad…shouldered；　deep…chested　man。
His　powerful　head　possessed　the　fine　features　of　the　Caucasian　race。
His　well…knit　frame　seemed　built　for　the　performance　of　feats
of　strength。　　It　would　have　been　a　difficult　task　to　move　such　a　man
against　his　will；　for　when　his　feet　were　once　planted　on　the　ground；
it　was　as　if　they　had　taken　root。　　As　he　doffed　his　Muscovite　cap；
locks　of　thick　curly　hair　fell　over　his　broad；　massive　forehead。
When　his　ordinarily　pale　face　became　at　all　flushed；
it　arose　solely　from　a　more　rapid　action　of　the　heart。
His　eyes；　of　a　deep　blue；　looked　with　clear；　frank；　firm　gaze。
The　slightly…contracted　eyebrows　indicated　lofty　heroism〃the　hero's
cool　courage；〃　according　to　the　definition　of　the　physiologist。
He　possessed　a　fine　nose；　with　large　nostrils；　and　a　well…shaped　mouth；
with　the　slightly…projecting　lips　which　denote　a　generous
and　noble　heart。

Michael　Strogoff　had　the　temperament　of　the　man　of　action；　who　does
not　bite　his　nails　or　scratch　his　head　in　doubt　and　indecision。
Sparing　of　gestures　as　of　words；　he　always　stood　motionless　like　a　soldier
before　his　superior；　but　when　he　moved；　his　step　showed　a　firmness；
a　freedom　of　movement；　which　proved　the　confidence　and　vivacity
of　his　mind。

Michael　Strogoff　wore　a　handsome　military　uniform　something
resembling　that　of　a　light…cavalry　officer　in　the　field
boots；　spurs；　half　tightly…fitting　trousers；　brown　pelisse；
trimmed　with　fur　and　ornamented　with　yellow　braid。
On　his　breast　glittered　a　cross　and　several　medals。

Michael　Strogoff　belonged　to　the　special　corps　of　the　Czar's
couriers；　ranking　as　an　officer　among　those　picked　men。
His　most　discernible　characteristicparticularly　in　his　walk；
his　face；　in　the　whole　man；　and　which　the　Czar　perceived
at　a　glancewas；　that　he　was　〃a　fulfiller　of　orders。〃
He　therefore　possessed　one　of　the　most　serviceable　qualities
in　Russiaone　which；　as　the　celebrated　novelist　Tourgueneff　says；
〃will　lead　to　the　highest　positions　in　the　Muscovite　empire。〃

In　short；　if　anyone　could　accomplish　this　journey　from　Moscow
to　Irkutsk；　across　a　rebellious　country；　surmount　obstacles；
and　brave　perils　of　all　sorts；　Michael　Strogoff　was　the　man。

A　circumstance　especially　favorable　to　the　success　of　his　plan　was；
that　he　was　thoroughly　acquainted　with　the　country　which　he　was
about　to　traverse；　and　understood　its　different　dialects
not　only　from　having　traveled　there　before；　but　because　he　was
of　Siberian　origin。

His　fatherold　Peter　Strogoff；　dead　ten　years　since
inhabited　the　town　of　Omsk；　situated　in　the　government　of　the
same　name；　and　his　mother；　Marfa　Strogoff；　lived　there　still。
There；　amid　the　wild　steppes　of　the　provinces　of　Omsk　and　Tobolsk；
had　the　famous　huntsman　brought　up　his　son　Michael　to　endure　hardship。
Peter　Strogoff　was　a　huntsman　by　profession。　　Summer　and　winter
in　the　burning　heat；　as　well　as　when　the　cold　was　sometimes　fifty
degrees　below　zerohe　scoured　the　frozen　plains；　the　thickets　of
birch　and　larch；　the　pine　forests；　setting　traps；　watching　for　small
game　with　his　gun；　and　for　large　game　with　the　spear　or　knife。
The　large　game　was　nothing　less　than　the　Siberian　bear；　a　formidable
and　ferocious　animal；　in　size　equaling　its　fellow　of　the　frozen　seas。
Peter　Strogoff　had　killed　more　than　thirty…nine　bearsthat　is
to　say；　the　fortieth　had　fallen　under　his　blows；　and；　according　to
Russian　legends；　most　huntsmen　who　have　been　lucky　enough　up
to　the　thirty…ninth　bear；　have　succumbed　to　the　fortieth。

Peter　Strogoff　had；　however；　passed　the　fatal　number　without　even
a　scratch。　　From　that　time；　his　son　Michael；　aged　eleven　years；
never　failed　to　accompany　him　to　the　hunt；　carrying　the　ragatina
or　spear　to　aid　his　father；　who　was　armed　only　with　the　knife。
When　he　was　fourteen；　Michael　Strogoff　had　killed　his　first　bear；
quite　alonethat　was　nothing；　but　after　stripping　it　he　dragged
the　gigantic　animal's　skin　to　his　father's　house；　many　versts　distant；
exhibiting　remarkable　strength　in　a　boy　so　young。

This　style　of　life　was　of　great　benefit　to　him；　and　when　he　arrived
at　manhood　he　could　bear　any　amount　of　cold；　heat；　hunger；　thirst；
or　fatigue。　　Like　the　Yakout　of　the　northern　countries；　he　was
made　of　iron。　　He　could　go　four…and…twenty　hours　without　eating；
ten　nights　without　sleeping；　and　could　make　himself　a　shelter
in　the　open　steppe　where　others　would　have　been　frozen　to　death。
Gifted　with　marvelous　acuteness；　guided　by　the　instinct　of　the　Delaware
of　North　America；　over　the　white　plain；　when　every　object　is　hidden
in　mist；　or　even　in　higher　latitudes；　where　the　polar　night　is
prolonged　for　many　days；　he　could　find　his　way　when　others　would
have　had　no　idea　whither　to　turn。　　All　his　father's　secrets　were
known　to　him。　　He　had　learnt　to　read　almost　imperceptible　signs
the　forms　of　icicles；　the　appearance　of　the　small　branches　of　trees；
mists　rising　far　away　in　the　horizon；　vague　sounds　in　the　air；
distant　reports；　the　flight　of　birds　through　the　foggy　atmosphere；
a　thousand　circumstances　which　are　so　many　words　to　those　who　can
decipher　them。　　Moreover；　tempered　by　snow　like　a　Damascus　blade
in　the　waters　of　Syria；　he　had　a　frame　of　iron；　as　General　Kissoff
had　said；　and；　what　was　no　less　true；　a　heart　of　gold。

The　only　sentiment　of　love　felt　by　Michael　Strogoff　was　that　which
he　entertained　for　his　mother；　the　aged　Marfa；　who　could　never　be
induced　to　leave　the　house　of　the　Strogoffs；　at　Omsk；　on　the　banks　of
the　Irtish；　where　the　old　huntsman　and　she　had　lived　so　long　together。
When　her　son　left　her；　he　went　away　with　a　full　heart；　but　promising
to　come　and　see　her　whenever　he　could　possibly　do　so；　and　this　promise
he　had　always　religiously　kept。

When　Michael　was　twenty；　it　was　decided　that　he　should　enter
the　personal　service　of　the　Emperor　of　Russia；　in　the　corps
of　the　couriers　of　the　Czar。　　The　hardy；　intelligent；　zealous；
well…conducted　young　Siberian　first　distinguished　himself　especially；
in　a　journey　to　the　Caucasus；　through　the　midst　of　a　difficult　country；
ravaged　by　some　restless　successors　of　Schamyl；　then　later；
in　an　important　mission　to　Petropolowski；　in　Kamtschatka；
the　extreme　limit　of　Asiatic　Russia。　　During　these　long　journeys
he　displayed　such　marvelous　coolness；　prudence；　and　courage；
as　to　gain　him　the　approbation　and　protection　of　his　chiefs；
who　rapidly　advanced　him　in　his　profession。

The　furloughs　which　were　his　due　after　these　distant　missions；
he　never　failed　to　devote　to　his　old　mother。　　Having　been　much　employed
in　the　south　of　the　empire；　he　had　not　seen　old　Marfa　for　three　years
three　ages！the　first　time　in　his　life　he　had　been　so　long　absent
from　her。　　Now；　however；　in　a　few　days　he　would　obtain　his　furlough；
and　he　had　accordingly　already　made　preparations　for　departure
for　Omsk；　when　the　events　which　have　been　related　occurred。
Michael　Strogoff　was　therefore　introduced　into　the　Czar's　presence
in　complete　ignorance　of　what　the　emperor　expected　from　him。

The　Czar　fixed　a　penetrating　look　upon　him　without　uttering　a　word；
whilst　Michael　stood　perfectly　motionless。

The　Czar；　apparently　satisfied　with　his　scrutiny；　motioned　to　the　chief
of　police　to　seat　himself；　and　dictated　in　a　low　voice　a　letter　of　not