第15章

“Really，sir，“answeredAlcide，“withyourhorseandourdemi-telgawewillgototheworld’send。“

“Sir，“saidHarryBlount，“wemostwillinglyacceptyourkindoffer。

And，astothatiemschik——“

“Oh！Iassureyouthatyouarenotthefirsttravelerswhohavemetwithasimilarmisfortune，“repliedMichael。

“Butwhyshouldnotourdrivercomeback？Heknowsperfectlywellthathehasleftusbehind，wretchthatheis！“

“He！Heneversuspectedsuchathing。“

“What！thefellownotknowthathewasleavingthebetterhalfofhistelgabehind？“

“Notabit，andinallgoodfaithisdrivingtheforepartintoEkaterenburg。“

“DidInottellyouthatitwasagoodjoke，confrere？“criedAlcide。

“Then，gentlemen，ifyouwillfollowme，“saidMichael，“wewillreturntomycarriage，and——“

“Butthetelga，“observedtheEnglishman。

“Thereisnottheslightestfearthatitwillflyaway，mydearBlount！“

exclaimedAlcide；“ithastakensuchgoodrootintheground，thatifitwerelefthereuntilnextspringitwouldbegintobud。“

“Comethen，gentlemen，“saidMichaelStrogoff，“andwewillbringupthetarantass。“

TheFrenchmanandtheEnglishman，descendingfromtheirseats，nolongerthehinderone，sincethefronthadtakenitsdeparture，followedMichael。

Walkingalong，AlcideJolivetchatteredawayasusual，withhisinvariablegood-humor。“Faith，Mr。Korpanoff，“

saidhe，“youhaveindeedgotusoutofabadscrape。“

“Ihaveonlydone，sir，“repliedMichael，“whatanyonewouldhavedoneinmyplace。“

“Well，sir，youhavedoneusagoodturn，andifyouaregoingfartherwemaypossiblymeetagain，and——“

AlcideJolivetdidnotputanydirectquestiontoMichaelastowherehewasgoing，butthelatter，notwishingittobesuspectedthathehadanythingtoconceal，atoncereplied，“IamboundforOmsk，gentlemen。“

“Mr。BlountandI，“repliedAlcide，“gowheredangeriscertainlytobefound，andwithoutdoubtnewsalso。“

“Totheinvadedprovinces？“askedMichaelwithsomeearnestness。

“Exactlyso，Mr。Korpanoff；andwemaypossiblymeetthere。“

“Indeed，sir，“repliedMichael，“Ihavelittleloveforcannon-ballsorlancepoints，andambynaturetoogreataloverofpeacetoventurewherefightingisgoingon。“

“Iamsorry，sir，extremelysorry；wemustonlyregretthatweshallseparatesosoon！ButonleavingEkaterenburgitmaybeourfortunatefatetotraveltogether，ifonlyforafewdays？“

“DoyougoontoOmsk？“askedMichael，afteramoment’sreflection。

“Weknownothingasyet，“repliedAlcide；“butweshallcertainlygoasfarasIshim，andoncethere，ourmovementsmustdependoncircumstances。“

“Wellthen，gentlemen，“saidMichael，“wewillbefellow-travelersasfarasIshim。“

Michaelwouldcertainlyhavepreferredtotravelalone，buthecouldnot，withoutappearingatleastsingular，seektoseparatehimselffromthetworeporters，whoweretakingthesameroadthathewas。

Besides，sinceAlcideandhiscompanionintendedtomakesomestayatIshim，hethoughtitratherconvenientthanotherwisetomakethatpartofthejourneyintheircompany。

Theninanindifferenttoneheasked，“Doyouknow，withanycertainty，wherethisTartarinvasionis？“

“Indeed，sir，“repliedAlcide，“weonlyknowwhattheysaidatPerm。Feofar-Khan’sTartarshaveinvadedthewholeprovinceofSemipolatinsk，andforsomedays，byforcedmarches，havebeendescendingtheIrtish。YoumusthurryifyouwishtogettoOmskbeforethem。“

“IndeedImust，“repliedMichael。

“ItisreportedalsothatColonelOgareffhassucceededinpassingthefrontierindisguise，andthathewillnotbeslowinjoiningtheTartarchiefintherevoltedcountry。“

“Buthowdotheyknowit？“askedMichael，whomthisnews，moreorlesstrue，sodirectlyconcerned。

“Oh！asthesethingsarealwaysknown，“repliedAlcide；

“itisintheair。“

“ThenhaveyoureallyreasontothinkthatColonelOgareffisinSiberia？“

“ImyselfhavehearditsaidthathewastotaketheroadfromKasantoEkaterenburg。“

“Ah！youknowthat，Mr。Jolivet？“saidHarryBlount，rousedfromhissilence。

“Iknewit，“repliedAlcide。

“Anddoyouknowthathewentdisguisedasagypsy！“askedBlount。

“Asagypsy！“exclaimedMichael，almostinvoluntarily，andhesuddenlyrememberedthelookoftheoldBohemianatNijni-Novgorod，hisvoyageonboardtheCaucasus，andhisdisembarkingatKasan。

“Justwellenoughtomakeafewremarksonthesubjectinalettertomycousin，“repliedAlcide，smiling。

“YoulostnotimeatKasan，“drylyobservedtheEnglishman。

“No，mydearfellow！andwhiletheCaucasuswaslayinginhersupplyoffuel，Iwasemployedinobtainingastoreofinformation。“

MichaelnolongerlistenedtothereparteewhichHarryBlountandAlcideexchanged。Hewasthinkingofthegypsytroupe，oftheoldTsigane，whosefacehehadnotbeenabletosee，andofthestrangewomanwhoaccompaniedhim，andthenofthepeculiarglancewhichshehadcastathim。Suddenly，closebyheheardapistol-shot。

“Ah！forward，sirs！“criedhe。

“Hullo！“saidAlcidetohimself，“thisquietmerchantwhoalwaysavoidsbulletsisinagreathurrytogowheretheyareflyingaboutjustnow！“

QuicklyfollowedbyHarryBlount，whowasnotamantobebehindindanger，hedashedafterMichael。Inanotherinstantthethreewereoppositetheprojectingrockwhichprotectedthetarantassattheturningoftheroad。

Theclumpofpinesstruckbythelightningwasstillburning。

Therewasnoonetobeseen。However，Michaelwasnotmistaken。

Suddenlyadreadfulgrowlingwasheard，andthenanotherreport。

“Abear；“criedMichael，whocouldnotmistakethegrowling。

“Nadia；Nadia！“Anddrawinghiscutlassfromhisbelt，Michaelboundedroundthebuttressbehindwhichtheyounggirlhadpromisedtowait。

Thepines，completelyenvelopedinflames，threwawildglareonthescene。AsMichaelreachedthetarantass，ahugeanimalretreatedtowardshim。

Itwasamonstrousbear。Thetempesthaddrivenitfromthewoods，andithadcometoseekrefugeinthiscave，doubtlessitshabitualretreat，whichNadiathenoccupied。

Twoofthehorses，terrifiedatthepresenceoftheenormouscreature，breakingtheirtraces，hadescaped，andtheiemschik，thinkingonlyofhisbeasts，leavingNadiafacetofacewiththebear，hadgoneinpursuitofthem。

Butthebravegirlhadnotlostherpresenceofmind。

Theanimal，whichhadnotatfirstseenher，wasattackingtheremaininghorse。Nadia，leavingtheshelterinwhichshehadbeencrouching，hadruntothecarriage，takenoneofMichael’srevolvers，and，advancingresolutelytowardsthebear，hadfiredclosetoit。

Theanimal，slightlywoundedintheshoulder，turnedonthegirl，whorushedforprotectionbehindthetarantass，butthen，seeingthatthehorsewasattemptingtobreakitstraces，andknowingthatifitdidso，andtheotherswerenotrecovered，theirjourneycouldnotbecontinued，withthemostperfectcoolnesssheagainapproachedthebear，and，asitraiseditspawstostrikeherdown，gaveitthecontentsofthesecondbarrel。

ThiswasthereportwhichMichaelhadjustheard。Inaninstanthewasonthespot。Anotherboundandhewasbetweenthebearandthegirl。

Hisarmmadeonemovementupwards，andtheenormousbeast，rippedupbythatterribleknife，felltothegroundalifelessmass。

HehadexecutedinsplendidstylethefamousblowoftheSiberianhunters，whoendeavornottodamagethepreciousfurofthebear，whichfetchesahighprice。

“Youarenotwounded，sister？“saidMichael，springingtothesideoftheyounggirl。

“No，brother，“repliedNadia。

Atthatmomentthetwojournalistscameup。Alcideseizedthehorse’shead，and，inaninstant，hisstrongwristmasteredit。

HiscompanionandhehadseenMichael’srapidstroke。

“Bravo！“criedAlcide；“forasimplemerchant，Mr。Korpanoff，youhandlethehunter’sknifeinamostmasterlyfashion。“

“Mostmasterly，indeed，“addedBlount。

“InSiberia，“repliedMichael，“weareobligedtodoalittleofeverything。“

Alcideregardedhimattentively。Seeninthebrightglare，hisknifedrippingwithblood，histallfigure，hisfootfirmonthehugecarcass，hewasindeedworthlookingat。

“Aformidablefellow，“saidAlcidetohimself。

Thenadvancingrespectfully，hesalutedtheyounggirl。

Nadiabowedslightly。

Alcideturnedtowardshiscompanion。“Thesisterworthyofthebrother！“

saidhe。“Now，wereIabear，Ishouldnotmeddlewithtwosobraveandsocharming。“

HarryBlount，perfectlyupright，stood，hatinhand，atsomedistance。

Hiscompanion’seasymannersonlyincreasedhisusualstiffness。

Atthatmomenttheiemschik，whohadsucceededinrecapturinghistwohorses，reappeared。Hecastaregretfulglanceatthemagnificentanimallyingontheground，lothtoleaveittothebirdsofprey，andthenproceededoncemoretoharnesshisteam。

Michaelacquaintedhimwiththetravelers’situation，andhisintentionofloaningoneofthehorses。

“Asyouplease，“repliedtheiemschik。“Only，youknow，twocarriagesinsteadofone。“

“Allright，myfriend，“saidAlcide，whounderstoodtheinsinuation，“wewillpaydouble。“

“Thengeeup，myturtle-doves！“criedtheiemschik。

Nadiaagaintookherplaceinthetarantass。Michaelandhiscompanionsfollowedonfoot。Itwasthreeo’clock。Thestormstillsweptwithterrificviolenceacrossthedefile。Whenthefirststreaksofdaybreakappearedthetarantasshadreachedthetelga，whichwasstillconscientiouslyimbeddedasfarasthecenterofthewheel。Suchbeingthecase，itcanbeeasilyunderstoodhowasuddenjerkwouldseparatethefrontfromthehinderpart。

Oneofthehorseswasnowharnessedbymeansofcordstotheremainsofthetelga，thereporterstooktheirplaceonthesingularequipage，andthetwocarriagesstartedoff。