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himself with difficulty。
Nadia was near him； calm also； but secretly uneasy at a scene
which it would have been better to avoid。
〃Enough！〃 said the traveler。 Then； going up to the postmaster；
〃Let the horses be put into my berlin；〃 he exclaimed with
a threatening gesture。
The postmaster； much embarrassed； did not know whom to obey；
and looked at Michael； who evidently had the right to resist
the unjust demands of the traveler。
Michael hesitated an instant。 He did not wish to make use
of his podorojna； which would have drawn attention to him；
and he was most unwilling also； by giving up his horses；
to delay his journey； and yet he must not engage in a struggle
which might compromise his mission。
The two reporters looked at him ready to support him should
he appeal to them。
〃My horses will remain in my carriage；〃 said Michael； but without raising
his tone more than would be suitable for a plain Irkutsk merchant。
The traveler advanced towards Michael and laid his hand
heavily on his shoulder。 〃Is it so？〃 he said roughly。
〃You will not give up your horses to me？〃
〃No；〃 answered Michael。
〃Very well； they shall belong to whichever of us is able to start。
Defend yourself； I shall not spare you！〃
So saying； the traveler drew his saber from its sheath；
and Nadia threw herself before Michael。
Blount and Alcide Jolivet advanced towards him。
〃I shall not fight；〃 said Michael quietly； folding his arms
across his chest。
〃You will not fight？〃
〃No。〃
〃Not even after this？〃 exclaimed the traveler。 And before anyone
could prevent him； he struck Michael's shoulder with the handle
of the whip。 At this insult Michael turned deadly pale。
His hands moved convulsively as if he would have knocked the brute down。
But by a tremendous effort he mastered himself。 A duel！ it was
more than a delay； it was perhaps the failure of his mission。
It would be better to lose some hours。 Yes； but to swallow this affront！
〃Will you fight now； coward？〃 repeated the traveler；
adding coarseness to brutality。
〃No；〃 answered Michael； without moving； but looking the other straight
in the face。
〃The horses this moment；〃 said the man； and left the room。
The postmaster followed him； after shrugging his shoulders and bestowing
on Michael a glance of anything but approbation。
The effect produced on the reporters by this incident was not
to Michael's advantage。 Their discomfiture was visible。
How could this strong young man allow himself to be struck
like that and not demand satisfaction for such an insult？
They contented themselves with bowing to him and retired；
Jolivet remarking to Harry Blount
〃I could not have believed that of a man who is so skillful
in finishing up Ural Mountain bears。 Is it the case that a
man can be courageous at one time and a coward at another？
It is quite incomprehensible。〃
A moment afterwards the noise of wheels and whip showed that
the berlin； drawn by the tarantass' horses； was driving rapidly
away from the post…house。
Nadia； unmoved； and Michael； still quivering； remained alone in the room。
The courier of the Czar； his arms crossed over his chest was seated
motionless as a statue。 A color； which could not have been the blush
of shame； had replaced the paleness on his countenance。
Nadia did not doubt that powerful reasons alone could have allowed him
to suffer so great a humiliation from such a man。 Going up to him
as he had come to her in the police…station at Nijni…Novgorod：
〃Your hand； brother；〃 said she。
And at the same time her hand； with an almost maternal gesture；
wiped away a tear which sprang to her companion's eye。
CHAPTER XIII DUTY BEFORE EVERYTHING
NADIA； with the clear perception of a right…minded woman；
guessed that some secret motive directed all Michael Strogoff's actions；
that he； for a reason unknown to her； did not belong to himself；
and that in this instance especially he had heroically sacrificed
to duty even his resentment at the gross injury he had received。
Nadia； therefore； asked no explanation from Michael。 Had not the hand
which she had extended to him already replied to all that he might have
been able to tell her？
Michael remained silent all the evening。 The postmaster
not being able to supply them with fresh horses until
the next morning； a whole night must be passed at the house。
Nadia could profit by it to take some rest； and a room was
therefore prepared for her。
The young girl would no doubt have preferred not to leave her companion；
but she felt that he would rather be alone； and she made ready to go
to her room。
Just as she was about to retire she could not refrain from going up
to Michael to say good…night。
〃Brother；〃 she whispered。 But he checked her with a gesture。
The girl sighed and left the room。
Michael Strogoff did not lie down。 He could not have slept even
for an hour。 The place on which he had been struck by the brutal
traveler felt like a burn。
〃For my country and the Father；〃 he muttered as he ended
his evening prayer。
He especially felt a great wish to know who was the man
who had struck him； whence he came； and where he was going。
As to his face； the features of it were so deeply engraven
on his memory that he had no fear of ever forgetting them。
Michael Strogoff at last asked for the postmaster。 The latter；
a Siberian of the old type； came directly； and looking rather
contemptuously at the young man； waited to be questioned。
〃You belong to the country？〃 asked Michael。
〃Yes。〃
〃Do you know that man who took my horses？〃
〃No。〃
〃Had you never seen him before？〃
〃Never。〃
〃Who do you think he was？〃
〃A man who knows how to make himself obeyed。〃
Michael fixed his piercing gaze upon the Siberian； but the other did
not quail before it。
〃Do you dare to judge me？〃 exclaimed Michael。
〃Yes；〃 answered the Siberian； 〃there are some things even a plain
merchant cannot receive without returning。〃
〃Blows？〃
〃Blows； young man。 I am of an age and strength to tell you so。〃
Michael went up to the postmaster and laid his two powerful hands
on his shoulders。
Then in a peculiarly calm tone； 〃Be off； my friend；〃 said he：
〃be off！ I could kill you。〃
The postmaster understood。 〃I like him better for that；〃
he muttered and retired without another word。
At eight o'clock the next morning； the 24th of July；
three strong horses were harnessed to the tarantass。
Michael Strogoff and Nadia took their places； and Ichim；
with its disagreeable remembrances； was soon left far behind。
At the different relays at which they stopped during the day Strogoff
ascertained that the berlin still preceded them on the road to Irkutsk；
and that the traveler； as hurried as they were； never lost a minute
in pursuing his way across the steppe。
At four o'clock in the evening they reached Abatskaia；
fifty miles farther on； where the Ichim； one of the principal
affluents of the Irtych； had to be crossed。 This passage
was rather more difficult than that of the Tobol。 Indeed the
current of the Ichim was very rapid just at that place。
During the Siberian winter； the rivers being all frozen
to a thick