michael strogoff-第48章

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there　was　good　reason　to　hope　that　the　expected　attack　would　be　repulsed。
In　that　case　the　Tartars；　momentarily　discouraged；　would　no　doubt
not　make　another　attempt　against　the　town　for　several　days。
Now　the　troops　expected　by　the　Grand　Duke　might　arrive　at　any　hour。
The　safety　or　the　loss　of　Irkutsk　hung　only　by　a　thread。

On　this　day；　the　sun　which　had　risen　at　twenty　minutes　to　six；
set　at　forty　minutes　past　five；　having　traced　its　diurnal
arc　for　eleven　hours　above　the　horizon。　　The　twilight　would
struggle　with　the　night　for　another　two　hours。　　Then　it　would　be
intensely　dark；　for　the　sky　was　cloudy；　and　there　would　be　no　moon。
This　gloom　would　favor　the　plans　of　Ivan　Ogareff。

For　a　few　days　already　a　sharp　frost　had　given　warning　of
the　approaching　rigor　of　the　Siberian　winter；　and　this　evening
it　was　especially　severe。　　The　Russians　posted　by　the　bank　of
the　Angara；　obliged　to　conceal　their　position；　lighted　no　fires。
They　suffered　cruelly　from　the　low　temperature。　　A　few　feet
below　them；　the　ice　in　large　masses　drifted　down　the　current。
All　day　these　masses　had　been　seen　passing　rapidly　between
the　two　banks。

This　had　been　considered　by　the　Grand　Duke　and　his　officers　as　fortunate。
Should　the　channel　of　the　Angara　continue　to　be　thus　obstructed；
the　passage　must　be　impracticable。　　The　Tartars　could　use　neither
rafts　nor　boats。　　As　to　their　crossing　the　river　on　the　ice；
that　was　not　possible。　　The　newly…frozen　plain　could　not　bear
the　weight　of　an　assaulting　column。

This　circumstance；　as　it　appeared　favorable　to　the　defenders
of　Irkutsk；　Ogareff　might　have　regretted。　　He　did　not　do　so；　however。
The　traitor　knew　well　that　the　Tartars　would　not　try　to　pass　the　Angara；
and　that；　on　its　side　at　least；　their　attempt　was　only　a　feint。

About　ten　in　the　evening；　the　state　of　the　river　sensibly　improved；　to　the
great　surprise　of　the　besieged　and　still　more　to　their　disadvantage。
The　passage　till　then　impracticable；　became　all　at　once　possible。
The　bed　of　the　Angara　was　clear。　　The　blocks　of　ice；　which　had　for　some
days　drifted　past　in　large　numbers；　disappeared　down　the　current；
and　five　or　six　only　now　occupied　the　space　between　the　banks。
The　Russian　officers　reported　this　change　in　the　river　to
the　Grand　Duke。　　They　suggested　that　it　was　probably　caused
by　the　circumstance　that　in　some　narrower　part　of　the　Angara；
the　blocks　had　accumulated　so　as　to　form　a　barrier。

We　know　this　was　the　case。　　The　passage　of　the　Angara　was　thus
open　to　the　besiegers。　　There　was　great　reason　for　the　Russians
to　be　on　their　guard。

Up　to　midnight　nothing　had　occurred。　　On　the　Eastern　side；
beyond　the　Bolchaia　Gate；　all　was　quiet。　　Not　a　glimmer　was　seen
in　the　dense　forest；　which　appeared　confounded　on　the　horizon
with　the　masses　of　clouds　hanging　low　down　in　the　sky。
Lights　flitting　to　and　fro　in　the　Angara　camp；　showed　that　a
considerable　movement　was　taking　place。　　From　a　verst　above　and　below
the　point　where　the　scarp　met　the　river's　bank；　came　a　dull　murmur；
proving　that　the　Tartars　were　on　foot；　expecting　some　signal。
An　hour　passed。　　Nothing　new。

The　bell　of　the　Irkutsk　cathedral　was　about　to　strike　two　o'clock
in　the　morning；　and　not　a　movement　amongst　the　besiegers　had　yet
shown　that　they　were　about　to　commence　the　assault。　　The　Grand　Duke
and　his　officers　began　to　suspect　that　they　had　been　mistaken。
Had　it　really　been　the　Tartars'　plan　to　surprise　the　town？
The　preceding　nights　had　not　been　nearly　so　quietmusketry　rattling
from　the　outposts；　shells　whistling　through　the　air；　and　this
time；　nothing。　　The　officers　waited；　ready　to　give　their　orders；
according　to　circumstances。

We　have　said　that　Ogareff　occupied　a　room　in　the　palace。
It　was　a　large　chamber　on　the　ground　floor；　its　windows　opening
on　a　side　terrace。　　By　taking　a　few　steps　along　this　terrace；
a　view　of　the　river　could　be　obtained。

Profound　darkness　reigned　in　the　room。　　Ogareff　stood　by　a　window；
awaiting　the　hour　to　act。　　The　signal；　of　course；　could　come
from　him；　alone。　　This　signal　once　given；　when　the　greater　part
of　the　defenders　of　Irkutsk　would　be　summoned　to　the　points
openly　attacked；　his　plan　was　to　leave　the　palace　and　hurry
to　the　Bolchaia　Gate。　　If　it　was　unguarded；　he　would　open　it；
or　at　least　he　would　direct　the　overwhelming　mass　of　its　assailants
against　the　few　defenders。

He　now　crouched　in　the　shadow；　like　a　wild　beast　ready　to　spring
on　its　prey。　　A　few　minutes　before　two　o'clock；　the　Grand　Duke
desired　that　Michael　Strogoffwhich　was　the　only　name　they
could　give　to　Ivan　Ogareffshould　be　brought　to　him。
An　aide…de…camp　came　to　the　room；　the　door　of　which　was　closed。
He　called。

Ogareff；　motionless　near　the　window；　and　invisible　in　the　shade　did
not　answer。　　The　Grand　Duke　was　therefore　informed　that　the　Czar's
courier　was　not　at　that　moment　in　the　palace。

Two　o'clock　struck。　　Now　was　the　time　to　cause　the　diversion
agreed　upon　with　the　Tartars；　waiting　for　the　assault。
Ivan　Ogareff　opened　the　window　and　stationed　himself　at　the　North
angle　of　the　side　terrace。

Below　him　flowed　the　roaring　waters　of　the　Angara。　　Ogareff　took
a　match　from　his　pocket；　struck　it　and　lighted　a　small　bunch　of　tow；
impregnated　with　priming　powder；　which　he　threw　into　the　river。

It　was　by　the　orders　of　Ivan　Ogareff　that　the　torrents　of　mineral　oil
had　been　thrown　on　the　surface　of　the　Angara！　　There　are　numerous
naphtha　springs　above　Irkutsk；　on　the　right　bank；　between　the　suburb
of　Poshkavsk　and　the　town。　　Ogareff　had　resolved　to　employ　this　terrible
means　to　carry　fire　into　Irkutsk。　　He　therefore　took　possession
of　the　immense　reservoirs　which　contained　the　combustible　liquid。
It　was　only　necessary　to　demolish　a　piece　of　wall　in　order　to　allow
it　to　flow　out　in　a　vast　stream。

This　had　been　done　that　night；　a　few　hours　previously；　and　this
was　the　reason　that　the　raft　which　carried　the　true　Courier　of
the　Czar；　Nadia；　and　the　fugitives；　floated　on　a　current　of　mineral　oil。
Through　the　breaches　in　these　reservoirs　of　enormous　dimensions　rushed
the　naphtha　in　torrents；　and；　following　the　inclination　of　the　ground；
it　spread　over　the　surface　of　the　river；　where　its　density　allowed
it　to　float。　　This　was　the　way　Ivan　Ogareff　carried　on　warfare！
Allied　with　Tartars；　he　acted　like　a　Tartar；　and　against
his　own　countrymen！

The　tow　had　been　thrown　on　the　waters　of　the　Angara。　　In　an　instant；
with　electrical　rapidity；　as　if　the　current　had　been　of　alcohol；
the　whole　river　was　in　a　blaze　above　and　below　the　town。
Columns　of　blue　flames　ran　between　the　two　banks。　　Volumes　of　vapor
curled　up　above。　　The　few　pieces　of　ice　which　still　drifted　were　seized
by　the　burning　liquid；　and　melted　like　wax　on　the　top　of　a　furnace；
the　evaporated　water　escaping　in　shrill　hisses。

At　the　same　moment；　firing　broke　out　on　the　North　and　South　of　the　town。
The　enemy's　batteries　discharged　their　guns　at　random。
Several　thousand　Tartars　rushed　to　the　assault　of　the　earth…works。
The　houses　on　the　bank；　built　of　wood；　took　fire　in　every　direction。
A　bright　light　dissipated　the　darkness　of　the　night。

〃At　last！〃　said　Ivan　Ogareff。

He　had　good　reason　for　congratulating　himself。　　The　diversion　which
he　had　planned　was　terrible。　　The　defenders　of　Irkutsk　found　themselves
between　the　attack　of　the　Tartars　and　the　fearful　effects　of　fire。
The　bells　rang；　and　all　the　able…bodied　of　the　population　ran；
some　towards　the　points　attacked；　and　others　towards　the　houses
in　the　grasp　of　the　flames；　which　it　seemed　too　probable　would　ere
long　envelop　the　whole　town。

The　Gate　of　Bolchaia　was　nearly　free。　　Only　a　very　small
guard　had　been　left　there。　　And　by　the　traitor's　suggestion；
and　in　order　that　the　event　might　be　explained　apart　from　him；
as　if　by　political　hate；　this　small　guard　had　been　chosen
from　the　little　band　of　exiles。

Ogareff　re…entered　his　room；　now　brilliantly　lighted　by
the　flames　from　the　Angara；　then　he　made　ready　to　go　out。
But　scarcely　had　he　opened　the　door；　when　a　woman　rushed　into
the　room；　her　clothes　drenched；　her　hair　in　disorder。

〃Sangarre！〃　exclaimed　Ogareff；　in　the　first　moment　of　surprise；
and　not　supposing　that　it　could　be　any　other　woman　than　the　gypsy。

It　was　not　Sangarre；　it　was　Nadia！

At　the　moment　when；　floating　on　the　ice；　the　girl　had　uttered
a　cry　on　seeing　the　fire　spreading　along　the　current；
Michael　had　seized　her　in　his　arms；　and　plunged　with　her　into
the　river　itself　to　seek　a　refuge　in　its　depths　from　the　flames。
The　block　which　bore　them　was　not　thirty　fathoms　from　the　first
quay　of　Irkutsk。

Swimming　beneath　the　water；　Michael　managed　to　get　a　footing　with
Nadia　on　the　quay。　　Michael　Strogoff　had　reached　his　journey's　end！
He　was　in　Irkutsk！

〃To　the　governor's　palace！〃　said　he　to　Nadia。

In　less　than　ten　minutes；　they　arrived　at　the　entrance　to　the　palace。
Long　tongues　of　flame　from　the　Angara　licked　its　walls；　but　were　powerless
to　set　it　on　fire。　　Beyond　the　houses　on　the　bank　were　in　a　blaze。

The　palace　being　open　to　all；　Michael　and　Nadia　entered
without　difficulty。　　In　the　confusion；　no　one　remarked　them；
although　their　garments　were　dripping。　　A　crowd　of　officers
coming　for　orders；　and　of　soldiers　running　to　execute　them；
filled　the　great　hall　on　the　ground　floor。　　There；　in　a　sudden
eddy　of　the　confused　multitude；　Michael　and　the　young　girl
were　separated　from　each　other。

Nadia　ran　distracted　through　the　passages；　calling　her　companion；
and　asking　to　be　taken　to　the　Grand　Duke。　　A　door　into　a　room　flooded
with　light　opened　before　her。　　She　entered；　and　found　herself
suddenly　face　to　face　with　the　man　whom　she　had　met　at　Ichim；
whom　she　had　seen　at　Tomsk；　face　to　face　with　the　one　whose
villainous　hand　would　an　instant　later　betray　the　town！

〃Ivan　Ogareff！〃　she　cried。

On　hearing　his　name　pronounced；　the　wretch　started。　　His　real　name　known；
all　his　plans　would　be　balked。　　There　was　but　one　thing　to　be　done：
to　kill　the　person　who　had　just　uttered　it。　　Ogareff　darted　at　Nadia；
but　the　girl；　a　knife　in　her　hand；　retreated　against　the　wall；
determined　to　defend　herself。

〃Ivan　Ogareff！〃　again　cried　Nadia；　knowing　well　that　so　detested
a　name　would　soon　bring　her　help。

〃Ah！　　Be　silent！〃　hissed　out　the　traitor　between　his　clenched　teeth。

〃Ivan　Ogareff！〃　exclaimed　a　third　time　the　brave　young　girl；
in　a　voice　to　which　hate　had　added　ten…fold　strength。

Mad　with　fury；　Ogareff；　drawing　a　dagger　from　his　belt；　again　rushed
at　Nadia　and　compelled　her　to　retreat　into　a　corner　of　the　room。
Her　last　hope　appeared　gone；　when　the　villain；　suddenly　lifted
by　an　irresistible　force；　was　dashed　to　the　ground。

〃Michael！〃　cried　Nadia。

It　was　Michael　Strogoff。　　Michael　had　heard　Nadia's　call。
Guided　by　her　voice；　he　had　just　in　time　reached　Ivan　Ogareff's　room；
and　entered　by　the　open　door。

〃Fear　nothing；　Nadia；〃　said　he；　placing　himself　between　her　and　Ogareff。

〃Ah！〃　cried　the　girl；　〃take　care；　brother！　　The　traitor　is　armed！
He　can　see！〃

Ogareff　rose；　and；　thinking　he　had　an　immeasurable　advantage
over　the　blind　man　leaped　upon　him。　　But　with　one　hand；
the　blind　man　grasped　the　arm　of　his　enemy；　seized　his　weapon；
and　hurled　him　again　to　the　ground。

P