CHAPTER XII PROVOCATION
EKATERENBURG, geographically, is an Asiatic city; for it is situatedbeyond the Ural Mountains, on the farthest eastern slopes of the chain.Nevertheless, it belongs to the government of Perm; and, consequently,is included in one of the great divisions of European Russia. It is asthough a morsel of Siberia lay in Russian jaws.
Neither Michael nor his companions were likely to experience theslightest difficulty in obtaining means of continuing their journey inso large a town as Ekaterenburg. It was founded in 1723, and has sincebecome a place of considerable size, for in it is the chief mint of theempire. There also are the headquarters of the officials employed inthe management of the mines. Thus the town is the center of an importantdistrict, abounding in manufactories principally for the working andrefining of gold and platina.
Just now the population of Ekaterenburg had greatly increased; manyRussians and Siberians, menaced by the Tartar invasion, having collectedthere. Thus, though it had been so troublesome a matter to find horsesand vehicles when going to Ekaterenburg, there was no difficulty inleaving it; for under present circumstances few travelers cared toventure on the Siberian roads.
So it happened that Blount and Alcide had not the slightest trouble inreplacing, by a sound telga, the famous demi-carriage which had managedto take them to Ekaterenburg. As to Michael, he retained his tarantass,which was not much the worse for its journey across the Urals; and hehad only to harness three good horses to it to take him swiftly over theroad to Irkutsk.
As far as Tioumen, and even up to Novo-Zaimskoe, this road has slightinclines, which gentle undulations are the first signs of the slopes ofthe Ural Mountains. But after Novo-Zaimskoe begins the immense steppe.
At Ichim, as we have said, the reporters intended to stop, that isat about four hundred and twenty miles from Ekaterenburg. There theyintended to be guided by circumstances as to their route across theinvaded country, either together or separately, according as theirnews-hunting instinct set them on one track or another.
This road from Ekaterenburg to Ichim--which passes through Irkutsk--wasthe only one which Michael could take. But, as he did not run afternews, and wished, on the contrary, to avoid the country devastated bythe invaders, he determined to stop nowhere.
"I am very happy to make part of my journey in your company," said he tohis new companions, "but I must tell you that I am most anxious to reachOmsk; for my sister and I are going to rejoin our mother. Who cansay whether we shall arrive before the Tartars reach the town! I musttherefore stop at the post-houses only long enough to change horses, andmust travel day and night."
"That is exactly what we intend doing," replied Blount.
"Good," replied Michael; "but do not lose an instant. Buy or hire acarriage whose--"
"Whose hind wheels," added Alcide, "are warranted to arrive at the sametime as its front wheels."
Half an hour afterwards the energetic Frenchman had found a tarantass inwhich he and his companion at once seated themselves. Michael and Nadiaonce more entered their own carriage, and at twelve o'clock the twovehicles left the town of Ekaterenburg together.
Nadia was at last in Siberia, on that long road which led to Irkutsk.What must then have been the thoughts of the young girl? Three strongswift horses were taking her across that land of exile where her parentwas condemned to live, for how long she knew not, and so far from hisnative land. But she scarcely noticed those long steppes over which thetarantass was rolling, and which at one time she had despaired of everseeing, for her eyes were gazing at the horizon, beyond which she knewher banished father was. She saw nothing of the country across which shewas traveling at the rate of fifteen versts an hour; nothing of theseregions of Western Siberia, so different from those of the east. Here,indeed, were few cultivated fields; the soil was poor, at least at thesurface, but in its bowels lay hid quantities of iron, copper, platina,and gold. How can hands be found to cultivate the land, when it paysbetter to burrow beneath the earth? The pickaxe is everywhere at work;the spade nowhere.
However, Nadia's thoughts sometimes left the provinces of Lake Baikal,and returned to her present situation. Her father's image faded away,and was replaced by that of her generous companion as he first appearedon the Vladimir railroad. She recalled his attentions during thatjourney, his arrival at the police-station, the hearty simplicity withwhich he had called her sister, his kindness to her in the descent ofthe Volga, and then all that he did for her on that terrible night ofthe storm in the Urals, when he saved her life at the peril of his own.
Thus Nadia thought of Michael. She thanked God for having given her sucha gallant protector, a friend so generous and wise. She knew that shewas safe with him, under his protection. No brother could have donemore than he. All obstacles seemed cleared away; the performance of herjourney was but a matter of time.
Michael remained buried in thought. He also thanked God for havingbrought about this meeting with Nadia, which at the same time enabledhim to do a good action, and afforded him additional means forconcealing his true character. He delighted in the young girl's calmintrepidity. Was she not indeed his sister? His feeling towards hisbeautiful and brave companion was rather respect than affection. He feltthat hers was one of those pure and rare hearts which are held by all inhigh esteem.
However, Michael's dangers were now beginning, since he had reachedSiberian ground. If the reporters were not mistaken, if Ivan Ogareff hadreally passed the frontier, all his actions must be made with extremecaution. Things were now altered; Tartar spies swarmed in the Siberianprovinces. His incognito once discovered, his character as courier ofthe Czar known, there was an end of his journey, and probably of hislife. Michael felt now more than ever the weight of his responsibility.
While such were the thoughts of those occupying the first carriage, whatwas happening in the second? Nothing out of the way. Alcide spoke insentences; Blount replied by monosyllables. Each looked at everythingin his own light, and made notes of such incidents as occurred on thejourney--few and but slightly varied--while they crossed the provincesof Western Siberia.
At each relay the reporters descended from their carriage and foundthemselves with Michael. Except when meals were to be taken at thepost-houses, Nadia did not leave the tarantass. When obliged tobreakfast or dine, she sat at table, but was always very reserved, andseldom joined in conversation.
Alcide, without going beyond the limits of strict propriety, showed thathe was greatly struck by the young girl. He admired the silent energywhich she showed in bearing all the fatigues of so difficult a journey.
The forced stoppages were anything but agreeable to Michael; so hehastened the departure at each relay, roused the innkeepers, urged onthe iemschiks, and expedited the harnessing of the tarantass. Then thehurried meal over--always much too hurried to agree with Blount, who wasa methodical eater--they started, and were driven as eagles, for theypaid like princes.
It need scarcely be said that Blount did not trouble himself about thegirl at table. That gentleman was not in the habit of doing two thingsat once. She was also one of the few subjects of conversation which hedid not care to discuss with his companion.
Alcide having asked him, on one occasion, how old he thought the girl,"What girl?" he replied, quite seriously.
"Why, Nicholas Korpanoff's sister."
"Is she his sister?"
"No; his grandmother!" replied Alcide, angry at his indifference. "Whatage should you consider her?"
"Had I been present at her birth I might have known."
Very few of the Siberian peasants were to be seen in the fields. Thesepeasants are remarkable for their pale, grave faces, which a celebratedtraveler has compared to those of the Castilians, without thehaughtiness of the latter. Here and there some villages already desertedindicated the approach of the Tartar hordes. The inhabitants, havingdriven off their flocks of sheep, their camels, and their horses, weretaking refuge in the plains of the north. Some tribes of the wanderingKirghiz, who remained faithful, ha
d transported their tents beyond theIrtych, to escape the depredations of the invaders.
Happily, post traveling was as yet uninterrupted; and telegraphiccommunication could still be effected between places connected with thewire. At each relay horses were to be had on the usual conditions. Ateach telegraphic station the clerks transmitted messages delivered tothem, delaying for State dispatches alone.
Thus far, then, Michael's journey had been accomplished satisfactorily.The courier of the Czar had in no way been impeded; and, if he couldonly get on to Krasnoiarsk, which seemed the farthest point attained byFeofar-Khan's Tartars, he knew that he could arrive at Irkutsk, beforethem. The day after the two carriages had left Ekaterenburg they reachedthe small town of Toulouguisk at seven o'clock in the morning, havingcovered two hundred and twenty versts, no event worthy of mention havingoccurred. The same evening, the 22d of July, they arrived at Tioumen.
Tioumen, whose population is usually ten thousand inhabitants,then contained double that number. This, the first industrial townestablished by the Russians in Siberia, in which may be seen a finemetal-refining factory and a bell foundry, had never before presentedsuch an animated appearance. The correspondents immediately went offafter news. That brought by Siberian fugitives from the seat of war wasfar from reassuring. They said, amongst other things, that Feofar-Khan'sarmy was rapidly approaching the valley of the Ichim, and they confirmedthe report that the Tartar chief was soon to be joined by ColonelOgareff, if he had not been so already. Hence the conclusion wasthat operations would be pushed in Eastern Siberia with the greatestactivity. However, the loyal Cossacks of the government of Tobolsk wereadvancing by forced marches towards Tomsk, in the hope of cutting offthe Tartar columns.
At midnight the town of Novo-Saimsk was reached; and the travelers nowleft behind them the country broken by tree-covered hills, the lastremains of the Urals.
Here began the regular Siberian steppe which extends to the neighborhoodof Krasnoiarsk. It is a boundless plain, a vast grassy desert; earthand sky here form a circle as distinct as that traced by a sweep of thecompasses. The steppe presents nothing to attract notice but the longline of the telegraph posts, their wires vibrating in the breeze likethe strings of a harp. The road could be distinguished from the rest ofthe plain only by the clouds of fine dust which rose under the wheelsof the tarantass. Had it not been for this white riband, which stretchedaway as far as the eye could reach, the travelers might have thoughtthemselves in a desert.
Michael and his companions again pressed rapidly forward. The horses,urged on by the iemschik, seemed to fly over the ground, for therewas not the slightest obstacle to impede them. The tarantass was goingstraight for Ichim, where the two correspondents intended to stop, ifnothing happened to make them alter their plans.
A hundred and twenty miles separated Novo-Saimsk from the town of Ichim,and before eight o'clock the next evening the distance could and shouldbe accomplished if no time was lost. In the opinion of the iemschiks,should the travelers not be great lords or high functionaries, they wereworthy of being so, if it was only for their generosity in the matter of"na vodkou."
On the afternoon of the next day, the 23rd of July, the two carriageswere not more than thirty versts from Ichim. Suddenly Michaelcaught sight of a carriage--scarcely visible among the clouds ofdust--preceding them along the road. As his horses were evidently lessfatigued than those of the other traveler, he would not be longin overtaking it. This was neither a tarantass nor a telga, buta post-berlin, which looked as if it had made a long journey. Thepostillion was thrashing his horses with all his might, and only keptthem at a gallop by dint of abuse and blows. The berlin had certainlynot passed through Novo-Saimsk, and could only have struck the Irkutskroad by some less frequented route across the steppe.
Our travelers' first thought, on seeing this berlin, was to get infront of it, and arrive first at the relay, so as to make sure of freshhorses. They said a word to their iemschiks, who soon brought them upwith the berlin.
Michael Strogoff came up first. As he passed, a head was thrust out ofthe window of the berlin.
He had not time to see what it was like, but as he dashed by hedistinctly heard this word, uttered in an imperious tone: "Stop!"
But they did not stop; on the contrary, the berlin was soon distanced bythe two tarantasses.
It now became a regular race; for the horses of the berlin--no doubtexcited by the sight and pace of the others--recovered their strengthand kept up for some minutes. The three carriages were hidden in acloud of dust. From this cloud issued the cracking of whips mingled withexcited shouts and exclamations of anger.
Nevertheless, the advantage remained with Michael and his companions,which might be very important to them if the relay was poorly providedwith horses. Two carriages were perhaps more than the postmaster couldprovide for, at least in a short space of time.
Half an hour after the berlin was left far behind, looking only a speckon the horizon of the steppe.
It was eight o'clock in the evening when the two carriages reachedIchim. The news was worse and worse with regard to the invasion. Thetown itself was menaced by the Tartar vanguard; and two days before theauthorities had been obliged to retreat to Tobolsk. There was not anofficer nor a soldier left in Ichim.
On arriving at the relay, Michael Strogoff immediately asked for horses.He had been fortunate in distancing the berlin. Only three horses werefit to be harnessed. The others had just come in worn out from a longstage.
As the two correspondents intended to stop at Ichim, they had not totrouble themselves to find transport, and had their carriage put away.In ten minutes Michael was told that his tarantass was ready to start.
"Good," said he.
Then turning to the two reporters: "Well, gentlemen, the time is comefor us to separate."
"What, Mr. Korpanoff," said Alcide Jolivet, "shall you not stop even foran hour at Ichim?"
"No, sir; and I also wish to leave the post-house before the arrival ofthe berlin which we distanced."
"Are you afraid that the traveler will dispute the horses with you?"
"I particularly wish to avoid any difficulty."
"Then, Mr. Korpanoff," said Jolivet, "it only remains for us to thankyou once more for the service you rendered us, and the pleasure we havehad in traveling with you."
"It is possible that we shall meet you again in a few days at Omsk,"added Blount.
"It is possible," answered Michael, "since I am going straight there."
"Well, I wish you a safe journey, Mr. Korpanoff," said Alcide, "andHeaven preserve you from telgas."
The two reporters held out their hands to Michael with the intention ofcordially shaking his, when the sound of a carriage was heard outside.Almost immediately the door was flung open and a man appeared.
It was the traveler of the berlin, a military-looking man, apparentlyabout forty years of age, tall, robust in figure, broad-shouldered, witha strongly-set head, and thick mus-taches meeting red whiskers. He worea plain uniform. A cavalry saber hung at his side, and in his hand heheld a short-handled whip.
"Horses," he demanded, with the air of a man accustomed to command.
"I have no more disposable horses," answered the postmaster, bowing.
"I must have some this moment."
"It is impossible."
"What are those horses which have just been harnessed to the tarantass Isaw at the door?"
"They belong to this traveler," answered the postmaster, pointing toMichael Strogoff.
"Take them out!" said the traveler in a tone which admitted of no reply.
Michael then advanced.
"These horses are engaged by me," he said.
"What does that matter? I must have them. Come, be quick; I have no timeto lose."
"I have no time to lose either," replied Michael, restraining himselfwith difficulty.
Nadia was near him, calm also, but secretly uneasy at a scene which itwould have been better to avoid.
"Enough!" s
aid the traveler. Then, going up to the postmaster, "Let thehorses be put into my berlin," he exclaimed with a threatening gesture.
The postmaster, much embarrassed, did not know whom to obey, and lookedat Michael, who evidently had the right to resist the unjust demands ofthe traveler.
Michael hesitated an instant. He did not wish to make use of hispodorojna, which would have drawn attention to him, and he was mostunwilling also, by giving up his horses, to delay his journey, and yethe must not engage in a struggle which might compromise his mission.
The two reporters looked at him ready to support him should he appeal tothem.
"My horses will remain in my carriage," said Michael, but withoutraising his tone more than would be suitable for a plain Irkutskmerchant.
The traveler advanced towards Michael and laid his hand heavily on hisshoulder. "Is it so?" he said roughly. "You will not give up your horsesto me?"
"No," answered Michael.
"Very well, they shall belong to whichever of us is able to start.Defend yourself; I shall not spare you!"
So saying, the traveler drew his saber from its sheath, and Nadia threwherself before Michael.
Blount and Alcide Jolivet advanced towards him.
"I shall not fight," said Michael quietly, folding his arms across hischest.
"You will not fight?"
"No."
"Not even after this?" exclaimed the traveler. And before anyone couldprevent him, he struck Michael's shoulder with the handle of the whip.At this insult Michael turned deadly pale. His hands moved convulsivelyas if he would have knocked the brute down. But by a tremendous efforthe mastered himself. A duel! it was more than a delay; it was perhapsthe failure of his mission. It would be better to lose some hours. Yes;but to swallow this affront!
"Will you fight now, coward?" repeated the traveler, adding coarsenessto brutality.
"No," answered Michael, without moving, but looking the other straightin the face.
"The horses this moment," said the man, and left the room.
The postmaster followed him, after shrugging his shoulders and bestowingon Michael a glance of anything but approbation.
The effect produced on the reporters by this incident was not toMichael's advantage. Their discomfiture was visible. How could thisstrong young man allow himself to be struck like that and not demandsatisfaction for such an insult? They contented themselves with bowingto him and retired, Jolivet remarking to Harry Blount
"I could not have believed that of a man who is so skillful in finishingup Ural Mountain bears. Is it the case that a man can be courageous atone time and a coward at another? It is quite incomprehensible."
A moment afterwards the noise of wheels and whip showed that the berlin,drawn by the tarantass' horses, was driving rapidly away from thepost-house.
Nadia, unmoved, and Michael, still quivering, remained alone in theroom. The courier of the Czar, his arms crossed over his chest wasseated motionless as a statue. A color, which could not have been theblush of shame, had replaced the paleness on his countenance.
Nadia did not doubt that powerful reasons alone could have allowed himto suffer so great a humiliation from such a man. Going up to him as hehad come to her in the police-station at Nijni-Novgorod:
"Your hand, brother," said she.
And at the same time her hand, with an almost maternal gesture, wipedaway a tear which sprang to her companion's eye.