michael strogoff-第44章

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and　of　all　those　which　it　carried。

But；　happily；　the　breeze　did　not　blow　from　that　side。
It　came　from　the　east；　and　drove　the　flames　towards　the　left。
It　was　just　possible　that　the　fugitives　would　escape　this　danger。
The　blazing　town　was　at　last　passed。　　Little　by　little　the　glare
grew　dimmer；　the　crackling　became　fainter；　and　the　flames　at
last　disappeared　behind　the　high　cliffs　which　arose　at　an　abrupt
turn　of　the　river。

By　this　time　it　was　nearly　midnight。　　The　deep　gloom　again　threw　its
protecting　shadows　over　the　raft。　　The　Tartars　were　there；　going　to　and
fro　near　the　river。　　They　could　not　be　seen；　but　they　could　be　heard。
The　fires　of　the　outposts　burned　brightly。

In　the　meantime　it　had　become　necessary　to　steer　more
carefully　among　the　blocks　of　ice。　　The　old　boatman　stood　up；
and　the　moujiks　resumed　their　poles。　　They　had　plenty　of　work；
the　management　of　the　raft　becoming　more　and　more　difficult
as　the　river　was　further　obstructed。

Michael　had　crept　forward；　Jolivet　followed；　both　listened
to　what　the　old　boatman　and　his　men　were　saying。

〃Look　out　on　the　right！〃

〃There　are　blocks　drifting　on　to　us　on　the　left！〃

〃Fend！　fend　off　with　your　boat…hook！〃

〃Before　an　hour　is　past　we　shall　be　stopped！〃

〃If　it　is　God's　will！〃　answered　the　old　man。　　〃Against　His　will　there
is　nothing　to　be　done。〃

〃You　hear　them；〃　said　Alcide。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Michael；　〃but　God　is　with　us！〃

The　situation　became　more　and　more　serious。　　Should　the　raft
be　stopped；　not　only　would　the　fugitives　not　reach　Irkutsk；
but　they　would　be　obliged　to　leave　their　floating　platform；
for　it　would　be　very　soon　smashed　to　pieces　in　the　ice。
The　osier　ropes　would　break；　the　fir　trunks　torn　asunder　would
drift　under　the　hard　crust；　and　the　unhappy　people　would　have
no　refuge　but　the　ice　blocks　themselves。　　Then；　when　day　came；
they　would　be　seen　by　the　Tartars；　and　massacred　without　mercy！

Michael　returned　to　the　spot　where　Nadia　was　waiting　for　him。
He　approached　the　girl；　took　her　hand；　and　put　to　her
the　invariable　question：　　〃Nadia；　are　you　ready？〃　to　which　she
replied　as　usual；　〃I　am　ready！〃

For　a　few　versts　more　the　raft　continued　to　drift　amongst
the　floating　ice。　　Should　the　river　narrow；　it　would　soon　form
an　impassable　barrier。　　Already　they　seemed　to　drift　slower。
Every　moment　they　encountered　severe　shocks　or　were　compelled
to　make　detours；　now；　to　avoid　running　foul　of　a　block；　there　to
enter　a　channel；　of　which　it　was　necessary　to　take　advantage。
At　length　the　stoppages　became　still　more　alarming。
There　were　only　a　few　more　hours　of　night。　　Could　the　fugitives
not　reach　Irkutsk　by　five　o'clock　in　the　morning；　they　must
lose　all　hope　of　ever　getting　there　at　all。

At　half…past　one；　notwithstanding　all　efforts；　the　raft
came　up　against　a　thick　barrier　and　stuck　fast。　　The　ice；
which　was　drifting　down　behind　it；　pressed　it　still　closer；
and　kept　it　motionless；　as　though　it　had　been　stranded。

At　this　spot　the　Angara　narrowed；　it　being　half　its　usual　breadth。
This　was　the　cause　of　the　accumulation　of　ice；　which　became　gradually
soldered　together；　under　the　double　influence　of　the　increased　pressure
and　of　the　cold。　　Five　hundred　feet　beyond；　the　river　widened　again；
and　the　blocks；　gradually　detaching　themselves　from　the　floe；
continued　to　drift　towards　Irkutsk。　　It　was　probable　that　had
the　banks　not　narrowed；　the　barrier　would　not　have　formed。
But　the　misfortune　was　irreparable；　and　the　fugitives　must　give　up
all　hope　of　attaining　their　object。

Had　they　possessed　the　tools　usually　employed　by　whalers　to　cut
channels　through　the　ice…fieldshad　they　been　able　to　get
through　to　where　the　river　widenedthey　might　have　been　saved。
But　they　had　nothing　which　could　make　the　least　incision
in　the　ice；　hard　as　granite　in　the　excessive　frost。
What　were　they　to　do？

At　that　moment　several　shots　on　the　right　bank　startled
the　unhappy　fugitives。　　A　shower　of　balls　fell　on　the　raft。
The　devoted　passengers　had　been　seen。　　Immediately　afterwards
shots　were　heard　fired　from　the　left　bank。　　The　fugitives；
taken　between　two　fires；　became　the　mark　of　the　Tartar　sharpshooters。
Several　were　wounded；　although　in　the　darkness　it　was　only
by　chance　that　they　were　hit。

〃Come；　Nadia；〃　whispered　Michael　in　the　girl's　ear。

Without　making　a　single　remark；　〃ready　for　anything；〃
Nadia　took　Michael's　hand。

〃We　must　cross　the　barrier；〃　he　said　in　a　low　tone。
〃Guide　me；　but　let　no　one　see　us　leave　the　raft。〃

Nadia　obeyed。　　Michael　and　she　glided　rapidly　over　the　floe
in　the　obscurity；　only　broken　now　and　again　by　the　flashes　from
the　muskets。　　Nadia　crept　along　in　front　of　Michael。　　The　shot
fell　around　them　like　a　tempest　of　hail；　and　pattered　on　the　ice。
Their　hands　were　soon　covered　with　blood　from　the　sharp　and　rugged
ice　over　which　they　clambered；　but　still　on　they　went。

In　ten　minutes；　the　other　side　of　the　barrier　was　reached。
There　the　waters　of　the　Angara　again　flowed　freely。
Several　pieces　of　ice；　detached　gradually　from　the　floe；
were　swept　along　in　the　current　down　towards　the　town。
Nadia　guessed　what　Michael　wished　to　attempt。　　One　of　the　blocks
was　only　held　on　by　a　narrow　strip。

〃Come；〃　said　Nadia。　　And　the　two　crouched　on　the　piece　of　ice；
which　their　weight　detached　from　the　floe。

It　began　to　drift。　　The　river　widened；　the　way　was　open。
Michael　and　Nadia　heard　the　shots；　the　cries　of　distress；
the　yells　of　the　Tartars。　　Then；　little　by　little；　the　sounds
of　agony　and　of　ferocious　joy　grew　faint　in　the　distance。

〃Our　poor　companions！〃　murmured　Nadia。

For　half　an　hour　the　current　hurried　along　the　block　of　ice　which
bore　Michael　and　Nadia。　　They　feared　every　moment　that　it　would
give　way　beneath　them。　　Swept　along　in　the　middle　of　the　current；
it　was　unnecessary　to　give　it　an　oblique　direction　until　they　drew
near　the　quays　of　Irkutsk。　　Michael；　his　teeth　tight　set；　his　ear　on
the　strain；　did　not　utter　a　word。　　Never　had　he　been　so　near　his　object。
He　felt　that　he　was　about　to　attain　it！

Towards　two　in　the　morning　a　double　row　of　lights　glittered
on　the　dark　horizon　in　which　were　confounded　the　two　banks
of　the　Angara。　　On　the　right　hand　were　the　lights　of　Irkutsk；
on　the　left；　the　fires　of　the　Tartar　camp。

Michael　Strogoff　was　not　more　than　half　a　verst　from　the　town。
〃At　last！〃　he　murmured。

But　suddenly　Nadia　uttered　a　cry。

At　the　cry　Michael　stood　up　on　the　ice；　which　was　wavering。
His　hand　was　extended　up　the　Angara。　　His　face；　on　which　a　bluish
light　cast　a　peculiar　hue；　became　almost　fearful　to　look　at；
and　then；　as　if　his　eyes　had　been　opened　to　the　bright　blaze
spreading　across　the　river；　〃Ah！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃then　Heaven
itself　is　against　us！〃


CHAPTER　XII　IRKUTSK

IRKUTSK；　the　capital　of　Eastern　Siberia；　is　a　populous　town；
containing；　in　ordinary　times；　thirty　thousand　inhabitants。
On　the　right　side　of　the　Angara　rises　a　hill；　on　which　are　built
numerous　churches；　a　lofty　cathedral；　and　dwellings　disposed
in　picturesque　disorder。

Seen　at　a　distance；　from　the　top　of　the　mountain　which　rises
at　about　twenty　versts　off　along　the　Siberian　highroad；
this　town；　with　its　cupolas；　its　bell…towers；　its　steeples
slender　as　minarets；　its　domes　like　pot…bellied　Chinese　jars；
presents　something　of　an　oriental　aspect。　　But　this　similarity
vanishes　as　the　traveler　enters。

The　town；　half　Byzantine；　half　Chinese；　becomes　European　as　soon
as　he　sees　its　macadamized　roads；　bordered　with　pavements；
traversed　by　canals；　planted　with　gigantic　birches；　its　houses
of　brick　and　wood；　some　of　which　have　several　stories；
the　numerous　equipages　which　drive　along；　not　only　tarantasses
but　broughams　and　coaches；　lastly；　its　numerous　inhabitants　far
advanced　in　civilization；　to　whom　the　latest　Paris　fashions
are　not　unknown。

Being　the　refuge　for　all　the　Siberians　of　the　province；　Irkutsk　was
at　this　time　very　full。　　Stores　of　every　kind　had　been　collected
in　abundance。　　Irkutsk　is　the　emporium　of　the　innumerable　kinds
of　merchandise　which　are　exchanged　between　China；　Central　Asia；
and　Europe。　　The　authorities　had　therefore　no　fear　with　regard
to　admitting　the　peasants　of　the　valley　of　the　Angara；　and　leaving
a　desert　between　the　invaders　and　the　town。

Irkutsk　is　the　residence　of　the　governor…general　of
Eastern　Siberia。　　Below　him　acts　a　civil　governor；　in　whose　hands
is　the　administration　of　the　province；　a　head　of　police；　who　has
much　to　do　in　a　town　where　exiles　abound；　and；　lastly；　a　mayor；
chief　of　the　merchants；　and　a　person　of　some　importance；
from　his　immense　fortune　and　the　influence　which　he　exercises
over　the　people。

The　garrison　of　Irkutsk　was　at　that　time　composed　of　an　infantry
regiment　of　Cossacks；　consisting　of　two　thousand　men；　and　a　body
of　police　wearing　helmets　and　blue　uniforms　laced　with　silver。
Besides；　as　has　been　said；　in　consequence　of　the　events　which
had　occurred；　the　brother　of　the　Czar　had　been　shut　up　in　the　town
since　the　beginning　of　the　invasion。

A　journey　of　political　importance　had　taken　the　Grand　Duke
to　these　distant　provinces　of　Central　Asia。　　After　passing
through　the　principal　Siberian　cities；　the　Grand　Duke；
who　traveled　en　militaire　rather　than　en　prince；　without　any　parade；
accompanied　by　his　officers；　and　escorted　by　a　regiment
of　Cossacks；　arrived　in　the　Trans…Baikalcine　provinces。
Nikolaevsk；　the　last　Russian　town　situated　on　the　shore
of　the　Sea　of　Okhotsk；　had　been　honored　by　a　visit　from　him。
Arrived　on　the　confines　of　the　immense　Muscovite　Empire；
the　Grand　Duke　was　returning　towards　Irkutsk；　from　which　place
he　intended　to　retake　the　road　to　Moscow；　when；　sudden　as　a
thunder　clap；　came　the　news　of　the　invasion。

He　hastened　to　the　capital；　but　only　reached　it　just　before
communication　with　Russia　had　been　interrupted。　　There　was　time
to　receive　only　a　few　telegrams　from　St。　Petersburg　and　Moscow；
and　with　difficulty　to　answer　them　before　the　wire　was　cut。
Irkutsk　was　isolated　from　the　rest　of　the　world。

The　Grand　Duke　had　now　only　to　prepare　for　resistance；
and　this　he　did　with　that　determination　and　coolness　of　which；
under　other　circumstances；　he　had　given　incontestable　proofs。
The　news　of　the　taking　of　Ichim；　Omsk；　and　Tomsk；
successively　reached　Irkutsk。　　It　was　necessary　at　any　price
to　save　the　capital　of　Siberia。　　Reinforcements　could　not
be　expected　for　some　time。　　The　few　troops　scattered　about
in　the　provinces　of　Siberia　could　not　arrive　in　sufficiently
large　numbers　to　arrest　the　progress　of　the　Tartar　columns。
Since　therefore　it　was　impossible　for　Irkutsk　to　escape　attack；
the　most　important　thing　to　be　done　was　to　put　the　town　in　a　state
to　sustain　a　siege　of　some　duration。

The　preparations　were　begun　on　the　day　Tomsk　fell　into　the　hands
of　the　Tartars。　　At　the　same　time　with　this　last　news；
the　Grand　Duke　heard　that　the　Emir　of　Bokhara　and　the　allied　Khans
were　directing　the　invasion　in　person；　but　what　he　did　not　know　was；
that　the　lieutenant　of　these　barbarous　chiefs　was　Ivan　Ogareff；
a　Russian　officer　whom　he　had　himself　reduced　to　the　ranks；
but　with　whose　person　he　was　not　acquainted。

First　of　all；　as　we　have　seen；　the　inhabitants　of　the　province　of　Irkutsk
were　compelled　to