第14章

“TheFatherordersit！“answeredMichael，forthefirsttimeinvokingtheall-powerfulnameoftheEmperor。

“Forward，myswallows！“criedtheiemschik，seizingonehorse，whileMichaeldidthesametotheother。

Thusurged，thehorsesbegantostruggleonward。

Theycouldnolongerrear，andthemiddlehorsenotbeinghamperedbytheothers，couldkeepinthecenteroftheroad。

Itwaswiththegreatestdifficultythateithermanorbeastscouldstandagainstthewind，andforeverythreestepstheytookinadvance，theylostone，andeventwo，bybeingforcedbackwards。

Theyslipped，theyfell，theygotupagain。Thevehicleranagreatriskofbeingsmashed。Ifthehoodhadnotbeensecurelyfastened，itwouldhavebeenblownawaylongbefore。

MichaelStrogoffandtheiemschiktookmorethantwohoursingettingupthisbitofroad，onlyhalfaverstinlength，sodirectlyexposedwasittothelashingofthestorm。

Thedangerwasnotonlyfromthewindwhichbatteredagainstthetravelers，butfromtheavalancheofstonesandbrokentrunkswhichwerehurtlingthroughtheair。

Suddenly，duringaflashoflightning，oneofthesemasseswasseencrashingandrollingdownthemountaintowardsthetarantass。

Theiemschikutteredacry。

MichaelStrogoffinvainbroughthiswhipdownontheteam，theyrefusedtomove。

Afewfeetfartheron，andthemasswouldpassbehindthem！

Michaelsawthetarantassstruck，hiscompanioncrushed；

hesawtherewasnotimetodragherfromthevehicle。

Then，possessedinthishourofperilwithsuperhumanstrength，hethrewhimselfbehindit，andplantinghisfeetontheground，bymainforceplaceditoutofdanger。

Theenormousmassasitpassedgrazedhischest，takingawayhisbreathasthoughithadbeenacannon-ball，thencrushingtopowdertheflintsontheroad，itboundedintotheabyssbelow。

“Oh，brother！“criedNadia，whohadseenitallbythelightoftheflashes。

“Nadia！“repliedMichael，“fearnothing！“

“ItisnotonmyownaccountthatIfear！“

“Godiswithus，sister！“

“Withmetruly，brother，sinceHehassenttheeinmyway！“

murmuredtheyounggirl。

Theimpetusthetarantasshadreceivedwasnottobelost，andthetiredhorsesoncemoremovedforward。Dragged，sotospeak，byMichaelandtheiemschik，theytoiledontowardsanarrowpass，lyingnorthandsouth，wheretheywouldbeprotectedfromthedirectsweepofthetempest。

Atoneendahugerockjuttedout，roundthesummitofwhichwhirledaneddy。Behindtheshelteroftherocktherewasacomparativecalm；

yetoncewithinthecircumferenceofthecyclone，neithermannorbeastcouldresistitspower。

Indeed，somefirswhichtoweredabovethisprotectionwereinatriceshornoftheirtops，asthoughagiganticscythehadsweptacrossthem。

Thestormwasnowatitsheight。Thelightningfilledthedefile，andthethunderclapshadbecomeonecontinuedpeal。Theground，struckbytheconcussion，trembledasthoughthewholeUralchainwasshakentoitsfoundations。

Happily，thetarantasscouldbesoplacedthatthestormmightstrikeitobliquely。Butthecounter-currents，directedtowardsitbytheslope，couldnotbesowellavoided，andsoviolentweretheythateveryinstantitseemedasthoughitwouldbedashedtopieces。

Nadiawasobligedtoleaveherseat，andMichael，bythelightofoneofthelanterns，discoveredanexcavationbearingthemarksofaminer’spick，wheretheyounggirlcouldrestinsafetyuntiltheycouldoncemorestart。

Justthen——itwasoneo’clockinthemorning——therainbegantofallintorrents，andthisinadditiontothewindandlightning，madethestormtrulyfrightful。Tocontinuethejourneyatpresentwasutterlyimpossible。Besides，havingreachedthispass，theyhadonlytodescendtheslopesoftheUralMountains，andtodescendnow，withtheroadtornupbyathousandmountaintorrents，intheseeddiesofwindandrain，wasuttermadness。

“Towaitisindeedserious，“saidMichael，“butitmustcertainlybedone，toavoidstilllongerdetentions。Theveryviolenceofthestormmakesmehopethatitwillnotlastlong。

Aboutthreeo’clockthedaywillbegintobreak，andthedescent，whichwecannotriskinthedark，weshallbeable，ifnotwithease，atleastwithoutsuchdanger，toattemptaftersunrise。“

“Letuswait，brother，“repliedNadia；“butifyoudelay，letitnotbetosparemefatigueordanger。“

“Nadia，Iknowthatyouarereadytobraveeverything，but，inexposingbothofus，Iriskmorethanmylife，morethanyours，Iamnotfulfillingmytask，thatdutywhichbeforeeverythingelseImustaccomplish。“

“Aduty！“murmuredNadia。

Justthenabrightflashlitupthesky；aloudclapfollowed。

Theairwasfilledwithsulphuroussuffocatingvapor，andaclumpofhugepines，struckbytheelectricfluid，scarcelytwentyfeetfromthetarantass，flareduplikeagigantictorch。

Theiemschikwasstrucktothegroundbyacounter-shock，but，regaininghisfeet，foundhimselfhappilyunhurt。

Justasthelastgrowlingsofthethunderwerelostintherecessesofthemountain，MichaelfeltNadia’shandpressinghis，andheheardherwhisperthesewordsinhisear:

“Cries，brother！Listen！“

DURINGthemomentarylullwhichfollowed，shoutscouldbedistinctlyheardfromfartheron，atnogreatdistancefromthetarantass。

Itwasanearnestappeal，evidentlyfromsometravelerindistress。

Michaellistenedattentively。Theiemschikalsolistened，butshookhishead，asthoughitwasimpossibletohelp。

“Theyaretravelerscallingforaid，“criedNadia。

“Theycanexpectnothing，“repliedtheiemschik。

“Whynot？“criedMichael。“Oughtnotwedoforthemwhattheywouldforusundersimilarcircumstances？“

“Surelyyouwillnotriskthecarriageandhorses！“

“Iwillgoonfoot，“repliedMichael，interruptingtheiemschik。

“Iwillgo，too，brother，“saidtheyounggirl。

“No，remainhere，Nadia。Theiemschikwillstaywithyou。

Idonotwishtoleavehimalone。“

“Iwillstay，“repliedNadia。

“Whateverhappens，donotleavethisspot。“

“YouwillfindmewhereInowam。“

Michaelpressedherhand，and，turningthecorneroftheslope，disappearedinthedarkness。

“Yourbrotheriswrong，“saidtheiemschik。

“Heisright，“repliedNadiasimply。

MeanwhileStrogoffstroderapidlyon。Ifhewasinagreathurrytoaidthetravelers，hewasalsoveryanxioustoknowwhoitwasthathadnotbeenhinderedfromstartingbythestorm；

forhehadnodoubtthatthecriescamefromthetelga，whichhadsolongprecededhim。

Therainhadstopped，butthestormwasragingwithredoubledfury。

Theshouts，borneontheair，becamemoredistinct。

NothingwastobeseenofthepassinwhichNadiaremained。

Theroadwoundalong，andthesqualls，checkedbythecorners，formededdieshighlydangerous，topasswhich，withoutbeingtakenoffhislegs，Michaelhadtousehisutmoststrength。

Hesoonperceivedthatthetravelerswhoseshoutshehadheardwereatnogreatdistance。Eventhen，onaccountofthedarkness，Michaelcouldnotseethem，yethehearddistinctlytheirwords。

Thisiswhatheheard，andwhatcausedhimsomesurprise:

“Areyoucomingback，blockhead？“

“Youshallhaveatasteoftheknoutatthenextstage。“

“Doyouhear，youdevil’spostillion！Hullo！Below！“

“Thisishowacarriagetakesyouinthiscountry！“

“Yes，thisiswhatyoucallatelga！“

“Oh，thatabominabledriver！Hegoesonanddoesnotappeartohavediscoveredthathehasleftusbehind！“

“Todeceiveme，too！Me，anhonorableEnglishman！Iwillmakeacomplaintatthechancellor’sofficeandhavethefellowhanged。“

Thiswassaidinaveryangrytone，butwassuddenlyinterruptedbyaburstoflaughterfromhiscompanion，whoexclaimed，“Well！thisisagoodjoke，Imustsay。“

“Youventuretolaugh！“saidtheBritonangrily。

“Certainly，mydearconfrere，andthatmostheartily。

’PonmywordIneversawanythingtocomeuptoit。“

Justthenacrashingclapofthunderre-echoedthroughthedefile，andthendiedawayamongthedistantpeaks。Whenthesoundofthelastgrowlhadceased，themerryvoicewenton:

“Yes，itundoubtedlyisagoodjoke。ThismachinecertainlynevercamefromFrance。“

“NorfromEngland，“repliedtheother。

Ontheroad，bythelightoftheflashes，Michaelsaw，twentyyardsfromhim，twotravelers，seatedsidebysideinamostpeculiarvehicle，thewheelsofwhichweredeeplyimbeddedintherutsformedintheroad。

Heapproachedthem，theonegrinningfromeartoear，andtheothergloomilycontemplatinghissituation，andrecognizedthemasthetworeporterswhohadbeenhiscompanionsonboardtheCaucasus。

“Good-morningtoyou，sir，“criedtheFrenchman。“Delightedtoseeyouhere。Letmeintroduceyoutomyintimateenemy，Mr。Blount。“

TheEnglishreporterbowed，andwasabouttointroduceinhisturnhiscompanion，AlcideJolivet，inaccordancewiththerulesofsociety，whenMichaelinterruptedhim。

“Perfectlyunnecessary，sir；wealreadyknoweachother，forwetraveledtogetherontheVolga。“

“Ah，yes！exactlyso！Mr——“

“NicholasKorpanoff，merchant，ofIrkutsk。ButmayIknowwhathashappenedwhich，thoughamisfortunetoyourcompanion，amusesyousomuch？“

“Certainly，Mr。Korpanoff，“repliedAlcide。“Fancy！ourdriverhasgoneoffwiththefrontpartofthisconfoundedcarriage，andleftusquietlyseatedinthebackpart！Sohereweareintheworsehalfofatelga；nodriver，nohorses。

Isitnotajoke？“

“Nojokeatall，“saidtheEnglishman。

“Indeeditis，mydearfellow。Youdonotknowhowtolookatthebrightsideofthings。“

“How，pray，arewetogoon？“askedBlount。

“Thatistheeasiestthingintheworld，“repliedAlcide。“Goandharnessyourselftowhatremainsofourcart；Iwilltakethereins，andcallyoumylittlepigeon，likeatrueiemschik，andyouwilltrotofflikearealpost-horse。“

“Mr。Jolivet，“repliedtheEnglishman，“thisjokingisgoingtoofar，itpassesalllimitsand——“

“Nowdobequiet，mydearsir。Whenyouaredoneup，Iwilltakeyourplace；andcallmeabroken-windedsnailandfaint-heartedtortoiseifIdon’ttakeyouoverthegroundatarattlingpace。“

Alcidesaidallthiswithsuchperfectgood-humorthatMichaelcouldnothelpsmiling。“Gentlemen，“saidhe，“hereisabetterplan。

WehavenowreachedthehighestridgeoftheUralchain，andthushavemerelytodescendtheslopesofthemountain。

Mycarriageiscloseby，onlytwohundredyardsbehind。

Iwilllendyouoneofmyhorses，harnessittotheremainsofthetelga，andto-mor-how，ifnoaccidentbefallsus，wewillarrivetogetheratEkaterenburg。“

“That，Mr。Korpanoff，“saidAlcide，“isindeedagenerousproposal。“

“Indeed，sir，“repliedMichael，“Iwouldwillinglyofferyouplacesinmytarantass，butitwillonlyholdtwo，andmysisterandI

alreadyfillit。“。