第12章

Nothingcouldbemoreprimitive，nothingcouldbelesscomfortable；

but，ontheotherhand，shouldanyaccidenthappenontheway，nothingcouldbemoreeasilyrepaired。ThereisnowantoffirsontheRussianfrontier，andaxle-treesgrownaturallyinforests。

Thepostextraordinary，knownbythenameof“perck-ladnoi，“

iscarriedbythetelga，asanyroadisgoodenoughforit。

Itmustbeconfessedthatsometimestheropeswhichfastentheconcerntogetherbreak，andwhilstthehinderpartremainsstuckinsomebog，thefore-partarrivesatthepost-houseontwowheels；

butthisresultisconsideredquitesatisfactory。

MichaelStrogoffwouldhavebeenobligedtoemployatelga，ifhehadnotbeenluckyenoughtodiscoveratarantass。

ItistobehopedthattheinventionofRussiancoach-builderswilldevisesomeimprovementinthislast-namedvehicle。

Springsarewantinginitaswellasinthetelga；

intheabsenceofiron，woodisnotspared；butitsfourwheels，witheightorninefeetbetweenthem，assureacertainequilibriumoverthejoltingroughroads。Asplash-boardprotectsthetravelersfromthemud，andastrongleathernhood，whichmaybepulledquiteovertheoccupiers，sheltersthemfromthegreatheatandviolentstormsofthesummer。

Thetarantassisassolidandaseasytorepairasthetelga，andis，moreover，lessaddictedtoleavingitshinderpartinthemiddleoftheroad。

ItwasnotwithoutcarefulsearchthatMichaelmanagedtodiscoverthistarantass，andtherewasprobablynotasecondtobefoundinallPerm。Hehaggledlongabouttheprice，forform’ssake，toactuptohispartasNicholasKorpanoff，aplainmerchantofIrkutsk。

Nadiahadfollowedhercompanioninhissearchafterasuitablevehicle。

Althoughtheobjectofeachwasdifferent，bothwereequallyanxioustoarriveattheirgoal。Onewouldhavesaidthesamewillanimatedthemboth。

“Sister，“saidMichael，“IwishIcouldhavefoundamorecomfortableconveyanceforyou。“

“Doyousaythattome，brother，whenIwouldhavegoneonfoot，ifneedwere，torejoinmyfather？“

“Idonotdoubtyourcourage，Nadia，buttherearephysicalfatiguesawomanmaybeunabletoendure。“

“Ishallendurethem，whatevertheybe，“repliedthegirl。

“Ifyoueverhearacomplaintfrommeyoumayleavemeintheroad，andcontinueyourjourneyalone。“

Halfanhourlater，thepodorojnabeingpresentedbyMichael，threepost-horseswereharnessedtothetarantass。Theseanimals，coveredwithlonghair，wereverylikelong-leggedbears。

Theyweresmallbutspirited，beingofSiberianbreed。

Thewayinwhichtheiemschikharnessedthemwasthus:

one，thelargest，wassecuredbetweentwolongshafts，onwhosefartherendwasahoopcarryingtasselsandbells；thetwoothersweresimplyfastenedbyropestothestepsofthetarantass。

Thiswasthecompleteharness，withmerestringsforreins。

NeitherMichaelStrogoffnortheyoungLivoniangirlhadanybaggage。

Therapiditywithwhichonewishedtomakethejourney，andthemorethanmodestresourcesoftheother，preventedthemfromembarrassingthemselveswithpackages。Itwasafortunatething，underthecircumstances，forthetarantasscouldnothavecarriedbothbaggageandtravelers。

Itwasonlymadefortwopersons，withoutcountingtheiemschik，whokepthisequilibriumonhisnarrowseatinamarvelousmanner。

Theiemschikischangedateveryrelay。Themanwhodrovethetarantassduringthefirststagewas，likehishorses，aSiberian，andnolessshaggythanthey；longhair，cutsquareontheforehead，hatwithaturned-upbrim，redbelt，coatwithcrossedfacingsandbuttonsstampedwiththeimperialcipher。

Theiemschik，oncomingupwithhisteam，threwaninquisitiveglanceatthepassengersofthetarantass。Noluggage！——

andhadtherebeen，whereintheworldcouldhehavestowedit？

Rathershabbyinappearancetoo。Helookedcontemptuous。

“Crows，“saidhe，withoutcaringwhetherhewasoverheardornot；

“crows，atsixcopecksaverst！“

“No，eagles！“saidMichael，whounderstoodtheiemschik’sslangperfectly；

“eagles，doyouhear，atninecopecksaverst，andatipbesides。“

Hewasansweredbyamerrycrackofthewhip。

InthelanguageoftheRussianpostillionsthe“crow“isthestingyorpoortraveler，whoatthepost-housesonlypaystwoorthreecopecksaverstforthehorses。The“eagle“isthetravelerwhodoesnotmindexpense，tosaynothingofliberaltips。

Thereforethecrowcouldnotclaimtoflyasrapidlyastheimperialbird。

NadiaandMichaelimmediatelytooktheirplacesinthetarantass。

Asmallstoreofprovisionswasputinthebox，incaseatanytimetheyweredelayedinreachingthepost-houses，whichareverycomfortablyprovidedunderdirectionoftheState。Thehoodwaspulledup，asitwasinsupport-ablyhot，andattwelveo’clockthetarantassleftPerminacloudofdust。

Thewayinwhichtheiemschikkeptupthepaceofhisteamwouldhavecertainlyastonishedtravelerswho，beingneitherRussiansnorSiberians，werenotaccustomedtothissortofthing。

Theleader，ratherlargerthantheothers，kepttoasteadylongtrot，perfectlyregular，whetherupordownhill。

Thetwootherhorsesseemedtoknownootherpacethanthegallop，thoughtheyperformedmanyaneccentriccurvetteastheywentalong。

Theiemschik，however，nevertouchedthem，onlyurgingthemonbystartlingcracksofhiswhip。Butwhatepithetshelavishedonthem，includingthenamesofallthesaintsinthecalendar，whentheybehavedlikedocileandconscientiousanimals！

Thestringwhichservedasreinswouldhavehadnoinfluenceonthespiritedbeasts，butthewords“napravo，“totheright，“nalevo，“totheleft，pronouncedinagutturaltone，weremoreeffectualthaneitherbridleorsnaffle。

Andwhatamiableexpressions！“Goon，mydoves！“theiemschikwouldsay。“Goon，prettyswallows！Fly，mylittlepigeons！

Holdup，mycousinontheleft！Geeup，mylittlefatherontheright！“

Butwhenthepaceslackened，whatinsultingexpressions，instantlyunderstoodbythesensitiveanimals！

“Goon，youwretchedsnail！Confoundyou，youslug！

I’llroastyoualive，youtortoise，you！“

Whetherornotitwasfromthiswayofdriving，whichrequirestheiemschikstopossessstrongthroatsmorethanmusculararms，thetarantassflewalongatarateoffromtwelvetofourteenmilesanhour。MichaelStrogoffwasaccustomedbothtothesortofvehicleandthemodeoftraveling。Neitherjerksnorjoltsincommodedhim。HeknewthataRussiandrivernevereventriestoavoideitherstones，ruts，bogs，fallentrees，ortrenches，whichmayhappentobeintheroad。Hewasusedtoallthat。

Hiscompanionranariskofbeinghurtbytheviolentjoltsofthetarantass，butshewouldnotcomplain。

ForalittlewhileNadiadidnotspeak。Thenpossessedwiththeonethought，thatofreachingherjourney’send，“IhavecalculatedthattherearethreehundredverstsbetweenPermandEkaterenburg，brother，“saidshe。

“AmIright？“

“Youarequiteright，Nadia，“answeredMichael；“andwhenwehavereachedEkaterenburg，weshallbeatthefootoftheUralMountainsontheoppositeside。“

“Howlongwillittaketogetacrossthemountains？“

“Forty-eighthours，forweshalltraveldayandnight。

Isaydayandnight，Nadia，“addedhe，“forIcannotstopevenforamoment；IgoonwithoutresttoIrkutsk。“

“Ishallnotdelayyou，brother；no，notevenforanhour，andwewilltraveldayandnight。“

“Wellthen，Nadia，iftheTartarinvasionhasonlylefttheroadopen，weshallarriveintwentydays。“

“Youhavemadethisjourneybefore？“askedNadia。

“Manytimes。“

“Duringwinterweshouldhavegonemorerapidlyandsurely，shouldwenot？“

“Yes，especiallywithmorerapidity，butyouwouldhavesufferedmuchfromthefrostandsnow。“

“Whatmatter！WinteristhefriendofRussia。“

“Yes，Nadia，butwhataconstitutionanyonemusthavetoenduresuchfriendship！IhaveoftenseenthetemperatureintheSiberiansteppesfalltomorethanfortydegreesbelowfreezingpoint！

Ihavefelt，notwithstandingmyreindeercoat，myheartgrowingchill，mylimbsstiffening，myfeetfreezingintriplewoolensocks；Ihaveseenmysleighhorsescoveredwithacoatingofice，theirbreathcongealedattheirnostrils。

Ihaveseenthebrandyinmyflaskchangeintohardstone，onwhichnotevenmyknifecouldmakeanimpression。

Butmysleighflewlikethewind。Notanobstacleontheplain，whiteandlevelfartherthantheeyecouldreach！Noriverstostopone！Hardiceeverywhere，therouteopen，theroadsure！

Butatthepriceofwhatsuffering，Nadia，thosealonecouldsay，whohaveneverreturned，butwhosebodieshavebeencoveredupbythesnowstorm。“

“However，youhavereturned，brother，“saidNadia。

“Yes，butIamaSiberian，and，whenquiteachild，Iusedtofollowmyfathertothechase，andsobecameinuredtothesehardships。

Butwhenyousaidtome，Nadia，thatwinterwouldnothavestoppedyou，thatyouwouldhavegonealone，readytostruggleagainstthefrightfulSiberianclimate，Iseemedtoseeyoulostinthesnowandfalling，nevertoriseagain。“

“Howmanytimeshaveyoucrossedthesteppeinwinter？“

askedtheyoungLivonian。

“Threetimes，Nadia，whenIwasgoingtoOmsk。“

“AndwhatwereyougoingtodoatOmsk？“

“Seemymother，whowasexpectingme。“

“AndIamgoingtoIrkutsk，wheremyfatherexpectsme。

Iamtakinghimmymother’slastwords。Thatisasmuchastotellyou，brother，thatnothingwouldhavepreventedmefromsettingout。“

“Youareabravegirl，Nadia，“repliedMichael。“GodHimselfwouldhaveledyou。“

Alldaythetarantasswasdrivenrapidlybytheiemschiks，whosucceededeachotherateverystage。Theeaglesofthemountainwouldnothavefoundtheirnamedishonoredbythese“eagles“

ofthehighway。Thehighpricepaidforeachhorse，andthetipsdealtoutsofreely，recommendedthetravelersinaspecialway。

Perhapsthepostmastersthoughtitsingularthat，afterthepublicationoftheorder，ayoungmanandhissister，evidentlybothRussians，couldtravelfreelyacrossSiberia，whichwasclosedtoeveryoneelse，buttheirpaperswereallenregleandtheyhadtherighttopass。

However，MichaelStrogoffandNadiawerenottheonlytravelersontheirwayfromPermtoEkaterenburg。Atthefirststages，thecourieroftheCzarhadlearntthatacarriageprecededthem，but，astherewasnowantofhorses，hedidnottroublehimselfaboutthat。

Duringtheday，haltsweremadeforfoodalone。

Atthepost-housescouldbefoundlodgingandprovision。

Besides，iftherewasnotaninn，thehouseoftheRussianpeasantwouldhavebeennolesshospitable。Inthevillages，whicharealmostallalike，withtheirwhite-walled，green-roofedchapels，thetravelermightknockatanydoor，anditwouldbeopenedtohim。

Themoujikwouldcomeout，smilingandextendinghishandtohisguest。

Hewouldofferhimbreadandsalt，theburningcharcoalwouldbeputintothe“samovar，“andhewouldbemadequiteathome。

Thefamilywouldturnoutthemselvesratherthanthatheshouldnothaveroom。Thestrangeristherelationofall。

Heis“onesentbyGod。“

OnarrivingthateveningMichaelinstinctivelyaskedthepostmasterhowmanyhoursagothecarriagewhichprecededthemhadpassedthatstage。

“Twohoursago，littlefather，“repliedthepostmaster。

“Isitaberlin？“

“No，atelga。“

“Howmanytravelers？“

“Two。“

“Andtheyaregoingfast？“

“Eagles！“