michael strogoff-第30部分

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of　Feofar　would　complete　the　invading　army；　and　that　the　junction
once　effected；　the　army　would　march　en　masse　on　the　capital
of　Eastern　Siberia。　　All　his　apprehensions　came　from　this　quarter；
and　he　dreaded　every　instant　to　hear　some　flourish　of　trumpets；
announcing　the　arrival　of　the　lieutenant　of　the　Emir。

To　this　was　added　the　thought　of　his　mother；　of　Nadia；
the　one　a　prisoner　at　Omsk；　the　other　dragged　on　board
the　Irtych　boats；　and　no　doubt　a　captive；　as　Marfa　Strogoff　was。
He　could　do　nothing　for　them。　　Should　he　ever　see　them　again？
At　this　question；　to　which　he　dared　not　reply；　his　heart
sank　very　low。

At　the　same　time　with　Michael　Strogoff　and　so　many　other　prisoners
Harry　Blount　and　Alcide　Jolivet　had　also　been　taken　to　the　Tartar　camp。
Their　former　traveling　companion；　captured　like　them　at　the　telegraph
office；　knew　that　they　were　penned　up　with　him　in　the　enclosure；
guarded　by　numerous　sentinels；　but　he　did　not　wish　to　accost　them。
It　mattered　little　to　him；　at　this　time　especially；　what　they　might　think
of　him　since　the　affair　at　Ichim。　　Besides；　he　desired　to　be　alone；
that　he　might　act　alone；　if　necessary。　　He　therefore　held　himself　aloof
from　his　former　acquaintances。

From　the　moment　that　Harry　Blount　had　fallen　by　his　side；　Jolivet　had
not　ceased　his　attentions　to　him。　　During　the　journey　from　Kolyvan
to　the　campthat　is　to　say；　for　several　hoursBlount；　by　leaning　on　his
companion's　arm；　had　been　enabled　to　follow　the　rest　of　the　prisoners。
He　tried　to　make　known　that　he　was　a　British　subject；　but　it　had　no　effect
on　the　barbarians；　who　only　replied　by　prods　with　a　lance　or　sword。
The　correspondent　of　the　Daily　Telegraph　was；　therefore；　obliged　to　submit
to　the　common　lot；　resolving　to　protest　later；　and　obtain　satisfaction
for　such　treatment。　　But　the　journey　was　not　the　less　disagreeable　to　him；
for　his　wound　caused　him　much　pain；　and　without　Alcide　Jolivet's
assistance　he　might　never　have　reached　the　camp。

Jolivet；　whose　practical　philosophy　never　abandoned　him；　had　physically
and　morally　strengthened　his　companion　by　every　means　in　his　power。
His　first　care；　when　they　found　themselves　definitely　established
in　the　enclosure；　was　to　examine　Blount's　wound。　　Having　managed
carefully　to　draw　off　his　coat；　he　found　that　the　shoulder　had　been
only　grazed　by　the　shot。

〃This　is　nothing；〃　he　said。　　〃A　mere　scratch！　　After　two　or　three
dressings　you　will　be　all　to　rights。〃

〃But　these　dressings？〃　asked　Blount。

〃I　will　make　them　for　you　myself。〃

〃Then　you　are　something　of　a　doctor？〃

〃All　Frenchmen　are　something　of　doctors。〃

And　on　this　affirmation　Alcide；　tearing　his　handkerchief；
made　lint　of　one　piece；　bandages　of　the　other；　took　some　water
from　a　well　dug　in　the　middle　of　the　enclosure；　bathed　the　wound；
and　skillfully　placed　the　wet　rag　on　Harry　Blount's　shoulder。

〃I　treat　you　with　water；〃　he　said。　　〃This　liquid　is　the　most　efficacious
sedative　known　for　the　treatment　of　wounds；　and　is　the　most　employed　now。
Doctors　have　taken　six　thousand　years　to　discover　that！　　Yes；　six　thousand
years　in　round　numbers！〃

〃I　thank　you；　M。　Jolivet；〃　answered　Harry；　stretching　himself　on　a　bed
of　dry　leaves；　which　his　companion　had　arranged　for　him　in　the　shade
of　a　birch　tree。

〃Bah！　it's　nothing！　　You　would　do　as　much　for　me。〃

〃I　am　not　quite　so　sure；〃　said　Blount　candidly。

〃Nonsense；　stupid！　　All　English　are　generous。〃

〃Doubtless；　but　the　French？〃

〃Well；　the　Frenchthey　are　brutes；　if　you　like！
But　what　redeems　them　is　that　they　are　French。　　Say　nothing
more　about　that；　or　rather；　say　nothing　more　at　all。
Rest　is　absolutely　necessary　for　you。〃

But　Harry　Blount　had　no　wish　to　be　silent。　　If　the　wound；　in　prudence；
required　rest；　the　correspondent　of　the　Daily　Telegraph　was　not　a　man
to　indulge　himself。

〃M。　Jolivet；〃　he　asked；　〃do　you　think　that　our　last　dispatches
have　been　able　to　pass　the　Russian　frontier？〃

〃Why　not？〃　answered　Alcide。　　〃By　this　time　you　may　be　sure
that　my　beloved　cousin　knows　all　about　the　affair　at　Kolyvan。〃

〃How　many　copies　does　your　cousin　work　off　of　her　dispatches？〃
asked　Blount；　for　the　first　time　putting　his　question　direct
to　his　companion。

〃Well；〃　answered　Alcide；　laughing；　〃my　cousin　is　a　very　discreet　person；
who　does　not　like　to　be　talked　about；　and　who　would　be　in　despair　if　she
troubled　the　sleep　of　which　you　are　in　need。〃

〃I　don't　wish　to　sleep；〃　replied　the　Englishman。　　〃What　will　your　cousin
think　of　the　affairs　of　Russia？〃

〃That　they　seem　for　the　time　in　a　bad　way。　　But；　bah！　the
Muscovite　government　is　powerful；　it　cannot　be　really　uneasy
at　an　invasion　of　barbarians。〃

〃Too　much　ambition　has　lost　the　greatest　empires；〃　answered　Blount；
who　was　not　exempt　from　a　certain　English　jealousy　with　regard
to　Russian　pretensions　in　Central　Asia。

〃Oh；　do　not　let　us　talk　politics；〃　cried　Jolivet。　　〃It　is　forbidden
by　the　faculty。　　Nothing　can　be　worse　for　wounds　in　the　shoulder
unless　it　was　to　put　you　to　sleep。〃

〃Let　us；　then；　talk　of　what　we　ought　to　do；〃　replied　Blount。
〃M。　Jolivet；　I　have　no　intention　at　all　of　remaining　a　prisoner
to　these　Tartars　for　an　indefinite　time。〃

〃Nor　I；　either；　by　Jove！〃

〃We　will　escape　on　the　first　opportunity？〃

〃Yes；　if　there　is　no　other　way　of　regaining　our　liberty。〃

〃Do　you　know　of　any　other？〃　asked　Blount；　looking　at　his　companion。

〃Certainly。　　We　are　not　belligerents；　we　are　neutral；　and　we
will　claim　our　freedom。〃

〃From　that　brute　of　a　Feofar…Khan？〃

〃No；　he　would　not　understand；〃　answered　Jolivet；　〃but　from
his　lieutenant；　Ivan　Ogareff。〃

〃He　is　a　villain。〃

〃　No　doubt；　but　the　villain　is　a　Russian。　　He　knows　that　it　does　not　do
to　trifle　with　the　rights　of　men；　and　he　has　no　interest　to　retain　us；
on　the　contrary。　　But　to　ask　a　favor　of　that　gentleman　does　not　quite
suit　my　taste。〃

〃But　that　gentleman　is　not　in　the　camp；　or　at　least　I　have　not　seen
him　here；〃　observed　Blount。

〃He　will　come。　　He　will　not　fail　to　do　that。　　He　must　join
the　Emir。　　Siberia　is　cut　in　two　now；　and　very　certainly　Feofar's
army　is　only　waiting　for　him　to　advance　on　Irkutsk。〃

〃And　once　free；　what　shall　we　do？〃

〃Once　free；　we　will　continue　our　campaign；　and　follow　the　Tartars；
until　the　time　comes　when　we　can　make　our　way　into　the　Russian　camp。
We　must　not　give　up　the　game。　　No；　indeed；　we　have　only　just　begun。
You；　friend；　have　already　had　the　honor　of　being　wounded　in　the　service
of　the　Daily　Telegraph；　whilst　II　have　as　yet　suffered　nothing
in　my　cousin's　service。　　Well；　well！　　Good；〃　murmured　Alcide　Jolivet；
〃there　he　is　asleep。　　A　few　hours'　sleep　and　a　few　cold　water　compresses
are　all　that　are　required　to　set　an　Englishman　on　his　legs　again。
These　fellows　are　made　of　cast　iron。〃

And　whilst　Harry　Blount　rested；　Alcide　watched　near　him；
after　having　drawn　out　his　note　book；　which　he　loaded　with　notes；
determined　besides　to　share　them　with　his　companion；　for　the　greater
satisfaction　of　the　readers　of　the　Daily　Telegraph。　　Events　had
united　them　one　with　the　other。　　They　were　no　longer　jealous　of
each　other。　　So；　then；　the　thing　that　Michael　Strogoff　dreaded　above
everything　was　the　most　lively　desire　of　the　two　correspondents。
Ivan　Ogareff's　arrival　would　evidently　be　of　use　to　them。
Blount　and　Jolivet's　interest　was；　therefore；　contrary　to
that　of　Michael。　　The　latter　well　understood　the　situation；
and　it　was　one　reason；　added　to　many　others；　which　prevented
him　from　approaching　his　former　traveling　companions。
He　therefore　managed　so　as　not　to　be　seen　by　them。

Four　days　passed　thus　without　the　state　of　things　being　in
anywise　altered。　　The　prisoners　heard　no　talk　of　the　breaking
up　of　the　Tartar　camp。　　They　were　strictly　guarded。
It　would　have　been　impossible　for　them　to　pass　the　cordon
of　foot　and　horse　soldiers；　which　watched　them　night　and　day。
As　to　the　food　which　was　given　them　it　was　barely　sufficient。
Twice　in　the　twenty…four　hours　they　were　thrown　a　piece
of　the　intestines　of　goats　grilled　on　the　coals；　or　a　few
bits　of　that　cheese　called　〃kroute；〃　made　of　sour　ewe's　milk；
and　which；　soaked　in　mare's　milk；　forms　the　Kirghiz　dish；
commonly　called　〃koumyss。〃　　And　this　was　all。
It　may　be　added　that　the　weather　had　become　detestable。
There　were　considerable　atmospheric　commotions；　bringing　squalls
mingled　with　rain。　　The　unfortunate　prisoners；　destitute
of　shelter；　had　to　bear　all　the　inclemencies　of　the　weather；
nor　was　there　the　slightest　alleviation　to　their　misery。
Several　wounded　women　and　children　died；　and　the　prisoners　were
themselves　compelled　to　dig　graves　for　the　bodies　of　those　whom
their　jailers　would　not　even　take　the　trouble　to　bury。

During　this　trying　period　Alcide　Jolivet　and　Michael　Strogoff　worked　hard；
each　in　the　portions　of　the　enclosure　in　which　they　found　themselves。
Healthy　and　vigorous；　they　suffered　less　than　so　many　others；
and　could　better　endure　the　hardships　to　which　they　were　exposed。
By　their　advice；　and　the　assistance　they　rendered；　they　were　of　the
greatest　possible　use　to　their　suffering　and　despairing　fellow…captives。

Was　this　state　of　things　to　last？　　Would　Feofar…Khan；　satisfied
with　his　first　success；　wait　some　time　before　marching
on　Irkutsk？　　Such；　it　was　to　be　feared；　would　be　the　case。
But　it　was　not　so。　　The　event　so　much　wished　for　by　Jolivet
and　Blount；　so　much　dreaded　by　Michael；　occurred　on　the　morning
of　the　12th　of　August。

On　that　day　the　trumpets　sounded；　the　drums　beat；　the　cannon　roared。
A　huge　cloud　of　dust　swept　along　the　road　from　Kolyvan。　　Ivan　Ogareff；
followed　by　several　thousand　men；　made　his　entry　into　the　Tartar　camp。


CHAPTER　II　CORRESPONDENTS　IN　TROUBLE

IVAN　OGAREFF　was　bringing　up　the　main　body　of　the　army　of
the　Emir。　　The　cavalry　and　infantry　now　under　him　had　formed　part
of　the　column　which　had　taken　Omsk。　　Ogareff；　not　having　been
able　to　reduce　the　high　town；　in　which；　it　must　be　remembered；
the　governor　and　garrison　had　sought　refuge；　had　decided　to　pass　on；
not　wishing　to　delay　operations　which　ought　to　lead　to　the　conquest
of　Eastern　Siberia。　　He　therefore　left　a　garrison　in　Omsk；　and；
reinforcing　himself　en　route　with　the　conquerors　of　Kolyvan；
joined　Feofar'