michael strogoff-第9节

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Both　remained　quiet。

〃A　determined　nature！〃　thought　Michael　Strogoff。

However；　all　danger　had　quickly　disappeared。　　A　breakage　of
the　coupling　of　the　luggage…van　had　first　caused　the　shock　to；
and　then　the　stoppage　of；　the　train；　which　in　another　instant
would　have　been　thrown　from　the　top　of　the　embankment　into　a　bog。
There　was　an　hour's　delay。　　At　last；　the　road　being　cleared；
the　train　proceeded；　and　at　half…past　eight　in　the　evening
arrived　at　the　station　of　Nijni…Novgorod。


Before　anyone　could　get　out　of　the　carriages；　the　inspectors　of　police
presented　themselves　at　the　doors　and　examined　the　passengers。

Michael　Strogoff　showed　his　podorojna；　made　out　in　the　name
of　Nicholas　Korpanoff。　　He　had　consequently　no　difficulty。
As　to　the　other　travelers　in　the　compartment；　all　bound
for　Nijni…Novgorod；　their　appearance；　happily　for　them；
was　in　nowise　suspicious。

The　young　girl　in　her　turn；　exhibited；　not　a　passport；　since　passports
are　no　longer　required　in　Russia；　but　a　permit　indorsed　with　a
private　seal；　and　which　seemed　to　be　of　a　special　character。
The　inspector　read　the　permit　with　attention。　　Then；　having　attentively
examined　the　person　whose　description　it　contained：

〃You　are　from　Riga？〃　he　said。

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　young　girl。

〃You　are　going　to　Irkutsk？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃By　what　route？〃

〃By　Perm。〃

〃Good！〃　replied　the　inspector。　　〃Take　care　to　have　your　permit　vised；
at　the　police　station　of　Nijni…Novgorod。〃

The　young　girl　bent　her　head　in　token　of　assent。

Hearing　these　questions　and　replies；　Michael　Strogoff
experienced　a　mingled　sentiment　both　of　surprise　and　pity。
What！　this　young　girl；　alone；　journeying　to　that　far…off　Siberia；
and　at　a　time　when；　to　its　ordinary　dangers；　were　added　all　the
perils　of　an　invaded　country　and　one　in　a　state　of　insurrection！
How　would　she　reach　it？　　What　would　become　of　her？

The　inspection　ended；　the　doors　of　the　carriages　were　then　opened；　but；
before　Michael　Strogoff　could　move　towards　her；　the　young　Livonian；
who　had　been　the　first　to　descend；　had　disappeared　in　the　crowd
which　thronged　the　platforms　of　the　railway　station。

CHAPTER　V　THE　TWO　ANNOUNCEMENTS

NIJNI…NOVGOROD；　Lower　Novgorod；　situate　at　the　junction　of　the　Volga
and　the　Oka；　is　the　chief　town　in　the　district　of　the　same　name。
It　was　here　that　Michael　Strogoff　was　obliged　to　leave　the　railway；
which　at　the　time　did　not　go　beyond　that　town。　　Thus；　as　he　advanced；
his　traveling　would　become　first　less　speedy　and　then　less　safe。

Nijni…Novgorod；　the　fixed　population　of　which　is　only　from　thirty
to　thirty…five　thousand　inhabitants；　contained　at　that　time
more　than　three　hundred　thousand；　that　is　to　say；　the　population
was　increased　tenfold。　　This　addition　was　in　consequence　of　the
celebrated　fair；　which　was　held　within　the　walls　for　three　weeks。
Formerly　Makariew　had　the　benefit　of　this　concourse　of　traders；
but　since　1817　the　fair　had　been　removed　to　Nijni…Novgorod。

Even　at　the　late　hour　at　which　Michael　Strogoff　left　the　platform；
there　was　still　a　large　number　of　people　in　the　two　towns；
separated　by　the　stream　of　the　Volga；　which　compose
Nijni…Novgorod。　The　highest　of　these　is　built　on　a　steep　rock。
and　defended　by　a　fort　called　in　Russia　〃kreml。〃

Michael　Strogoff　expected　some　trouble　in　finding　a　hotel；
or　even　an　inn；　to　suit　him。　　As　he　had　not　to　start　immediately；
for　he　was　going　to　take　a　steamer；　he　was　compelled　to　look
out　for　some　lodging；　but；　before　doing　so；　he　wished　to　know
exactly　the　hour　at　which　the　steamboat　would　start。
He　went　to　the　office　of　the　company　whose　boats　plied　between
Nijni…Novgorod　and　Perm。　　There；　to　his　great　annoyance；
he　found　that　no　boat　started　for　Perm　till　the　following
day　at　twelve　o'clock。　Seventeen　hours　to　wait！
It　was　very　vexatious　to　a　man　so　pressed　for　time。
However；　he　never　senselessly　murmured。　　Besides；　the　fact　was
that　no　other　conveyance　could　take　him　so　quickly　either　to　Perm
or　Kasan。　　It　would　be　better；　then；　to　wait　for　the　steamer；
which　would　enable　him　to　regain　lost　time。

Here；　then；　was　Michael　Strogoff；　strolling　through　the　town
and　quietly　looking　out　for　some　inn　in　which　to　pass　the　night。
However；　he　troubled　himself　little　on　this　score；　and；　but　that
hunger　pressed　him；　he　would　probably　have　wandered　on　till
morning　in　the　streets　of　Nijni…Novgorod。　He　was　looking
for　supper　rather　than　a　bed。　　But　he　found　both　at　the　sign
of　the　City　of　Constantinople。　　There；　the　landlord　offered　him
a　fairly　comfortable　room；　with　little　furniture；　it　is　true；
but　not　without　an　image　of　the　Virgin；　and　a　few　saints　framed
in　yellow　gauze。

A　goose　filled　with　sour　stuffing　swimming　in　thick　cream；
barley　bread；　some　curds；　powdered　sugar　mixed　with　cinnamon；
and　a　jug　of　kwass；　the　ordinary　Russian　beer；　were　placed
before　him；　and　sufficed　to　satisfy　his　hunger。　　He　did　justice
to　the　meal；　which　was　more　than　could　be　said　of　his　neighbor
at　table；　who；　having；　in　his　character　of　〃old　believer〃
of　the　sect　of　Raskalniks；　made　the　vow　of　abstinence；
rejected　the　potatoes　in　front　of　him；　and　carefully　refrained
from　putting　sugar　in　his　tea。

His　supper　finished；　Michael　Strogoff；　instead　of　going　up　to　his　bedroom；
again　strolled　out　into　the　town。　　But；　although　the　long　twilight
yet　lingered；　the　crowd　was　already　dispersing；　the　streets　were　gradually
becoming　empty；　and　at　length　everyone　retired　to　his　dwelling。

Why　did　not　Michael　Strogoff　go　quietly　to　bed；　as　would　have　seemed
more　reasonable　after　a　long　railway　journey？　　Was　he　thinking
of　the　young　Livonian　girl　who　had　been　his　traveling　companion？
Having　nothing　better　to　do；　he　WAS　thinking　of　her。　　Did　he　fear　that；
lost　in　this　busy　city；　she　might　be　exposed　to　insult？　　He　feared　so；
and　with　good　reason。　　Did　he　hope　to　meet　her；　and；　if　need　were；
to　afford　her　protection？　　No。　To　meet　would　be　difficult。
As　to　protectionwhat　right　had　he

〃Alone；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃alone；　in　the　midst　of　these
wandering　tribes！　　And　yet　the　present　dangers　are　nothing
compared　to　those　she　must　undergo。　　Siberia！　　Irkutsk！　　I　am
about　to　dare　all　risks　for　Russia；　for　the　Czar；　while　she
is　about　to　do　soFor　whom？　　For　what？　　She　is　authorized
to　cross　the　frontier！　　The　country　beyond　is　in　revolt！
The　steppes　are　full　of　Tartar　bands！〃

Michael　Strogoff　stopped　for　an　instant；　and　reflected。

〃Without　doubt；〃　thought　he；　〃she　must　have　determined　on
undertaking　her　journey　before　the　invasion。　　Perhaps　she　is
even　now　ignorant　of　what　is　happening。　　But　no；　that　cannot　be；
the　merchants　discussed　before　her　the　disturbances　in　Siberia
and　she　did　not　seem　surprised。　　She　did　not　even　ask　an　explanation。
She　must　have　known　it　then；　and　knowing　it；　is　still　resolute。
Poor　girl！　　Her　motive　for　the　journey　must　be　urgent　indeed！
But　though　she　may　be　braveand　she　certainly　is　soher　strength
must　fail　her；　and；　to　say　nothing　of　dangers　and　obstacles；
she　will　be　unable　to　endure　the　fatigue　of　such　a　journey。
Never　can　she　reach　Irkutsk！〃

Indulging　in　such　reflections；　Michael　Strogoff　wandered
on　as　chance　led　him；　being　well　acquainted　with　the　town；
he　knew　that　he　could　easily　retrace　his　steps。

Having　strolled　on　for　about　an　hour；　he　seated　himself
on　a　bench　against　the　wall　of　a　large　wooden　cottage；
which　stood；　with　many　others；　on　a　vast　open　space。
He　had　scarcely　been　there　five　minutes　when　a　hand　was　laid
heavily　on　his　shoulder。

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　roughly　demanded　a　tall　and　powerful　man；
who　had　approached　unperceived。

〃I　am　resting；〃　replied　Michael　Strogoff。

〃Do　you　mean　to　stay　all　night　on　the　bench？〃

〃Yes；　if　I　feel　inclined　to　do　so；〃　answered　Michael　Strogoff；　in　a　tone
somewhat　too　sharp　for　the　simple　merchant　he　wished　to　personate。

〃Come　forward；　then；　so　I　can　see　you；〃　said　the　man。

Michael　Strogoff；　remembering　that；　above　all；　prudence　was　requisite；
instinctively　drew　back。　　〃It　is　not　necessary；〃　he　replied；
and　calmly　stepped　back　ten　paces。

The　man　seemed；　as　Michael　observed　him　well；　to　have　the　look
of　a　Bohemian；　such　as　are　met　at　fairs；　and　with　whom　contact；
either　physical　or　moral；　is　unpleasant。　　Then；　as　he　looked
more　attentively　through　the　dusk；　he　perceived；　near　the　cottage；
a　large　caravan；　the　usual　traveling　dwelling　of　the　Zingaris　or　gypsies；
who　swarm　in　Russia　wherever　a　few　copecks　can　be　obtained。

As　the　gypsy　took　two　or　three　steps　forward；　and　was　about　to　interrogate
Michael　Strogoff　more　closely；　the　door　of　the　cottage　opened。
He　could　just　see　a　woman；　who　spoke　quickly　in　a　language　which
Michael　Strogoff　knew　to　be　a　mixture　of　Mongol　and　Siberian。

〃Another　spy！　　Let　him　alone；　and　come　to　supper。
The　papluka　is　waiting　for　you。〃

Michael　Strogoff　could　not　help　smiling　at　the　epithet　bestowed　on　him；
dreading　spies　as　he　did　above　all　else。

In　the　same　dialect；　although　his　accent　was　very　different；
the　Bohemian　replied　in　words　which　signify；　〃You　are
right；　Sangarre！　　Besides；　we　start　to…morrow。〃

〃To…morrow？〃　repeated　the　woman　in　surprise。

〃Yes；　Sangarre；〃　replied　the　Bohemian；　〃to…morrow；　and　the