CHAPTER XI TRAVELERS IN DISTRESS
DURING the momentary lull which followed, shouts could be distinctlyheard from farther on, at no great distance from the tarantass. It wasan earnest appeal, evidently from some traveler in distress.
Michael listened attentively. The iemschik also listened, but shook hishead, as though it was impossible to help.
"They are travelers calling for aid," cried Nadia.
"They can expect nothing," replied the iemschik.
"Why not?" cried Michael. "Ought not we do for them what they would forus under similar circumstances?"
"Surely you will not risk the carriage and horses!"
"I will go on foot," replied Michael, interrupting the iemschik.
"I will go, too, brother," said the young girl.
"No, remain here, Nadia. The iemschik will stay with you. I do not wishto leave him alone."
"I will stay," replied Nadia.
"Whatever happens, do not leave this spot."
"You will find me where I now am."
Michael pressed her hand, and, turning the corner of the slope,disappeared in the darkness.
"Your brother is wrong," said the iemschik.
"He is right," replied Nadia simply.
Meanwhile Strogoff strode rapidly on. If he was in a great hurry to aidthe travelers, he was also very anxious to know who it was that had notbeen hindered from starting by the storm; for he had no doubt that thecries came from the telga, which had so long preceded him.
The rain had stopped, but the storm was raging with redoubled fury. Theshouts, borne on the air, became more distinct. Nothing was to be seenof the pass in which Nadia remained. The road wound along, and thesqualls, checked by the corners, formed eddies highly dangerous, to passwhich, without being taken off his legs, Michael had to use his utmoststrength.
He soon perceived that the travelers whose shouts he had heard were atno great distance. Even then, on account of the darkness, Michael couldnot see them, yet he heard distinctly their words.
This is what he heard, and what caused him some surprise: "Are youcoming back, blockhead?"
"You shall have a taste of the knout at the next stage."
"Do you hear, you devil's postillion! Hullo! Below!"
"This is how a carriage takes you in this country!"
"Yes, this is what you call a telga!"
"Oh, that abominable driver! He goes on and does not appear to havediscovered that he has left us behind!"
"To deceive me, too! Me, an honorable Englishman! I will make acomplaint at the chancellor's office and have the fellow hanged."
This was said in a very angry tone, but was suddenly interrupted by aburst of laughter from his companion, who exclaimed, "Well! this is agood joke, I must say."
"You venture to laugh!" said the Briton angrily.
"Certainly, my dear confrere, and that most heartily. 'Pon my word Inever saw anything to come up to it."
Just then a crashing clap of thunder re-echoed through the defile, andthen died away among the distant peaks. When the sound of the last growlhad ceased, the merry voice went on: "Yes, it undoubtedly is a goodjoke. This machine certainly never came from France."
"Nor from England," replied the other.
On the road, by the light of the flashes, Michael saw, twenty yards fromhim, two travelers, seated side by side in a most peculiar vehicle, thewheels of which were deeply imbedded in the ruts formed in the road.
He approached them, the one grinning from ear to ear, and the othergloomily contemplating his situation, and recognized them as the tworeporters who had been his companions on board the Caucasus.
"Good-morning to you, sir," cried the Frenchman. "Delighted to see youhere. Let me introduce you to my intimate enemy, Mr. Blount."
The English reporter bowed, and was about to introduce in his turn hiscompanion, Alcide Jolivet, in accordance with the rules of society, whenMichael interrupted him.
"Perfectly unnecessary, sir; we already know each other, for we traveledtogether on the Volga."
"Ah, yes! exactly so! Mr.--"
"Nicholas Korpanoff, merchant, of Irkutsk. But may I know what hashappened which, though a misfortune to your companion, amuses you somuch?"
"Certainly, Mr. Korpanoff," replied Alcide. "Fancy! our driver has goneoff with the front part of this confounded carriage, and left us quietlyseated in the back part! So here we are in the worse half of a telga; nodriver, no horses. Is it not a joke?"
"No joke at all," said the Englishman.
"Indeed it is, my dear fellow. You do not know how to look at the brightside of things."
"How, pray, are we to go on?" asked Blount.
"That is the easiest thing in the world," replied Alcide. "Go andharness yourself to what remains of our cart; I will take the reins, andcall you my little pigeon, like a true iemschik, and you will trot offlike a real post-horse."
"Mr. Jolivet," replied the Englishman, "this joking is going too far, itpasses all limits and--"
"Now do be quiet, my dear sir. When you are done up, I will take yourplace; and call me a broken-winded snail and faint-hearted tortoise if Idon't take you over the ground at a rattling pace."
Alcide said all this with such perfect good-humor that Michael could nothelp smiling. "Gentlemen," said he, "here is a better plan. We have nowreached the highest ridge of the Ural chain, and thus have merely todescend the slopes of the mountain. My carriage is close by, only twohundred yards behind. I will lend you one of my horses, harness it tothe remains of the telga, and to-mor-how, if no accident befalls us, wewill arrive together at Ekaterenburg."
"That, Mr. Korpanoff," said Alcide, "is indeed a generous proposal."
"Indeed, sir," replied Michael, "I would willingly offer you places inmy tarantass, but it will only hold two, and my sister and I alreadyfill it."
"Really, sir," answered Alcide, "with your horse and our demi-telga wewill go to the world's end."
"Sir," said Harry Blount, "we most willingly accept your kind offer.And, as to that iemschik--"
"Oh! I assure you that you are not the first travelers who have met witha similar misfortune," replied Michael.
"But why should not our driver come back? He knows perfectly well thathe has left us behind, wretch that he is!"
"He! He never suspected such a thing."
"What! the fellow not know that he was leaving the better half of histelga behind?"
"Not a bit, and in all good faith is driving the fore part intoEkaterenburg."
"Did I not tell you that it was a good joke, confrere?" cried Alcide.
"Then, gentlemen, if you will follow me," said Michael, "we will returnto my carriage, and--"
"But the telga," observed the Englishman.
"There is not the slightest fear that it will fly away, my dear Blount!"exclaimed Alcide; "it has taken such good root in the ground, that if itwere left here until next spring it would begin to bud."
"Come then, gentlemen," said Michael Strogoff, "and we will bring up thetarantass."
The Frenchman and the Englishman, descending from their seats, nolonger the hinder one, since the front had taken its departure, followedMichael.
Walking along, Alcide Jolivet chattered away as usual, with hisinvariable good-humor. "Faith, Mr. Korpanoff," said he, "you have indeedgot us out of a bad scrape."
"I have only done, sir," replied Michael, "what anyone would have donein my place."
"Well, sir, you have done us a good turn, and if you are going fartherwe may possibly meet again, and--"
Alcide Jolivet did not put any direct question to Michael as to wherehe was going, but the latter, not wishing it to be suspected that he hadanything to conceal, at once replied, "I am bound for Omsk, gentlemen."
"Mr. Blount and I," replied Alcide, "go where danger is certainly to befound, and without doubt news also."
"To the invaded provinces?" asked Michael with some earnestness.
"Exactly so, Mr. Korpanoff; and we may possibly meet ther
e."
"Indeed, sir," replied Michael, "I have little love for cannon-ballsor lance points, and am by nature too great a lover of peace to venturewhere fighting is going on."
"I am sorry, sir, extremely sorry; we must only regret that we shallseparate so soon! But on leaving Ekaterenburg it may be our fortunatefate to travel together, if only for a few days?"
"Do you go on to Omsk?" asked Michael, after a moment's reflection.
"We know nothing as yet," replied Alcide; "but we shall certainly goas far as Ishim, and once there, our movements must depend oncircumstances."
"Well then, gentlemen," said Michael, "we will be fellow-travelers asfar as Ishim."
Michael would certainly have preferred to travel alone, but he couldnot, without appearing at least singular, seek to separate himself fromthe two reporters, who were taking the same road that he was. Besides,since Alcide and his companion intended to make some stay at Ishim, hethought it rather convenient than otherwise to make that part of thejourney in their company.
Then in an indifferent tone he asked, "Do you know, with any certainty,where this Tartar invasion is?"
"Indeed, sir," replied Alcide, "we only know what they said at Perm.Feofar-Khan's Tartars have invaded the whole province of Semipolatinsk,and for some days, by forced marches, have been descending the Irtish.You must hurry if you wish to get to Omsk before them."
"Indeed I must," replied Michael.
"It is reported also that Colonel Ogareff has succeeded in passing thefrontier in disguise, and that he will not be slow in joining the Tartarchief in the revolted country."
"But how do they know it?" asked Michael, whom this news, more or lesstrue, so directly concerned.
"Oh! as these things are always known," replied Alcide; "it is in theair."
"Then have you really reason to think that Colonel Ogareff is inSiberia?"
"I myself have heard it said that he was to take the road from Kasan toEkaterenburg."
"Ah! you know that, Mr. Jolivet?" said Harry Blount, roused from hissilence.
"I knew it," replied Alcide.
"And do you know that he went disguised as a gypsy!" asked Blount.
"As a gypsy!" exclaimed Michael, almost involuntarily, and he suddenlyremembered the look of the old Bohemian at Nijni-Novgorod, his voyage onboard the Caucasus, and his disembarking at Kasan.
"Just well enough to make a few remarks on the subject in a letter to mycousin," replied Alcide, smiling.
"You lost no time at Kasan," dryly observed the Englishman.
"No, my dear fellow! and while the Caucasus was laying in her supply offuel, I was employed in obtaining a store of information."
Michael no longer listened to the repartee which Harry Blount and Alcideexchanged. He was thinking of the gypsy troupe, of the old Tsigane,whose face he had not been able to see, and of the strange woman whoaccompanied him, and then of the peculiar glance which she had cast athim. Suddenly, close by he heard a pistol-shot.
"Ah! forward, sirs!" cried he.
"Hullo!" said Alcide to himself, "this quiet merchant who always avoidsbullets is in a great hurry to go where they are flying about just now!"
Quickly followed by Harry Blount, who was not a man to be behind indanger, he dashed after Michael. In another instant the three wereopposite the projecting rock which protected the tarantass at theturning of the road.
The clump of pines struck by the lightning was still burning. Therewas no one to be seen. However, Michael was not mistaken. Suddenly adreadful growling was heard, and then another report.
"A bear;" cried Michael, who could not mistake the growling. "Nadia;Nadia!" And drawing his cutlass from his belt, Michael bounded round thebuttress behind which the young girl had promised to wait.
The pines, completely enveloped in flames, threw a wild glare on thescene. As Michael reached the tarantass, a huge animal retreated towardshim.
It was a monstrous bear. The tempest had driven it from the woods, andit had come to seek refuge in this cave, doubtless its habitual retreat,which Nadia then occupied.
Two of the horses, terrified at the presence of the enormous creature,breaking their traces, had escaped, and the iemschik, thinking onlyof his beasts, leaving Nadia face to face with the bear, had gone inpursuit of them.
But the brave girl had not lost her presence of mind. The animal, whichhad not at first seen her, was attacking the remaining horse. Nadia,leaving the shelter in which she had been crouching, had run to thecarriage, taken one of Michael's revolvers, and, advancing resolutelytowards the bear, had fired close to it.
The animal, slightly wounded in the shoulder, turned on the girl, whorushed for protection behind the tarantass, but then, seeing that thehorse was attempting to break its traces, and knowing that if it did so,and the others were not recovered, their journey could not be continued,with the most perfect coolness she again approached the bear, and, as itraised its paws to strike her down, gave it the contents of the secondbarrel.
This was the report which Michael had just heard. In an instant he wason the spot. Another bound and he was between the bear and the girl. Hisarm made one movement upwards, and the enormous beast, ripped up by thatterrible knife, fell to the ground a lifeless mass. He had executed insplendid style the famous blow of the Siberian hunters, who endeavor notto damage the precious fur of the bear, which fetches a high price.
"You are not wounded, sister?" said Michael, springing to the side ofthe young girl.
"No, brother," replied Nadia.
At that moment the two journalists came up. Alcide seized the horse'shead, and, in an instant, his strong wrist mastered it. His companionand he had seen Michael's rapid stroke. "Bravo!" cried Alcide; "for asimple merchant, Mr. Korpanoff, you handle the hunter's knife in a mostmasterly fashion."
"Most masterly, indeed," added Blount.
"In Siberia," replied Michael, "we are obliged to do a little ofeverything."
Alcide regarded him attentively. Seen in the bright glare, his knifedripping with blood, his tall figure, his foot firm on the huge carcass,he was indeed worth looking at.
"A formidable fellow," said Alcide to himself. Then advancingrespectfully, he saluted the young girl.
Nadia bowed slightly.
Alcide turned towards his companion. "The sister worthy of the brother!"said he. "Now, were I a bear, I should not meddle with two so brave andso charming."
Harry Blount, perfectly upright, stood, hat in hand, at some distance.His companion's easy manners only increased his usual stiffness.
At that moment the iemschik, who had succeeded in recapturing his twohorses, reappeared. He cast a regretful glance at the magnificent animallying on the ground, loth to leave it to the birds of prey, and thenproceeded once more to harness his team.
Michael acquainted him with the travelers' situation, and his intentionof loaning one of the horses.
"As you please," replied the iemschik. "Only, you know, two carriagesinstead of one."
"All right, my friend," said Alcide, who understood the insinuation, "wewill pay double."
"Then gee up, my turtle-doves!" cried the iemschik.
Nadia again took her place in the tarantass. Michael and his companionsfollowed on foot. It was three o'clock. The storm still swept withterrific violence across the defile. When the first streaks ofdaybreak appeared the tarantass had reached the telga, which was stillconscientiously imbedded as far as the center of the wheel. Such beingthe case, it can be easily understood how a sudden jerk would separatethe front from the hinder part. One of the horses was now harnessed bymeans of cords to the remains of the telga, the reporters took theirplace on the singular equipage, and the two carriages started off. Theyhad now only to descend the Ural slopes, in doing which there was notthe slightest difficulty.
Six hours afterwards the two vehicles, the tarantass preceding thetelga, arrived at Ekaterenburg, nothing worthy of note having happenedin the descent.
The first person the reporters perceived at the door of
the post-housewas their iemschik, who appeared to be waiting for them. This worthyRussian had a fine open countenance, and he smilingly approached thetravelers, and, holding out his hand, in a quiet tone he demanded theusual "pour-boire."
This very cool request roused Blount's ire to its highest pitch, and hadnot the iemschik prudently retreated, a straight-out blow of the fist,in true British boxing style, would have paid his claim of "na vodkou."
Alcide Jolivet, at this burst of anger, laughed as he had never laughedbefore.
"But the poor devil is quite right!" he cried. "He is perfectly right,my dear fellow. It is not his fault if we did not know how to followhim!"
Then drawing several copecks from his pocket, "Here my friend," said he,handing them to the iemschik; "take them. If you have not earned them,that is not your fault."
This redoubled Mr. Blount's irritation. He even began to speak of alawsuit against the owner of the telga.
"A lawsuit in Russia, my dear fellow!" cried Alcide. "Things must indeedchange should it ever be brought to a conclusion! Did you never hear thestory of the wet-nurse who claimed payment of twelve months' nursing ofsome poor little infant?"
"I never heard it," replied Harry Blount.
"Then you do not know what that suckling had become by the time judgmentwas given in favor of the nurse?"
"What was he, pray?"
"Colonel of the Imperial Guard!"
At this reply all burst into a laugh.
Alcide, enchanted with his own joke, drew out his notebook, and in itwrote the following memorandum, destined to figure in a forthcomingFrench and Russian dictionary: "Telga, a Russian carriage with fourwheels, that is when it starts; with two wheels, when it arrives at itsdestination."