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Tomsk； Krasnoiarsk； Nijni…Udinsk； Irkutsk； Verkne…Nertschink； Strelink；
Albazine； Blagowstenks； Radde； Orlomskaya； Alexandrowskoe； and Nikolaevsk；
and six roubles and nineteen copecks are paid for every word sent
from one end to the other。 From Irkutsk there is a branch to Kiatka；
on the Mongolian frontier； and from thence； for thirty copecks a word；
the post conveys the dispatches to Pekin in a fortnight。
It was this wire； extending from Ekaterenburg to Nikolaevsk；
which had been cut； first beyond Tomsk； and then between
Tomsk and Kolyvan。
This was why the Czar； to the communication made to him for
the second time by General Kissoff； had answered by the words；
〃A courier this moment！〃
The Czar remained motionless at the window for a few moments；
when the door was again opened。 The chief of police appeared
on the threshold。
〃Enter； General；〃 said the Czar briefly； 〃and tell me all you
know of Ivan Ogareff。〃
〃He is an extremely dangerous man； sire；〃 replied the chief of police。
〃He ranked as colonel； did he not？〃
〃Yes； sire。〃
〃Was he an intelligent officer？〃
〃Very intelligent； but a man whose spirit it was impossible to subdue；
and possessing an ambition which stopped at nothing； he became involved
in secret intrigues； and was degraded from his rank by his Highness
the Grand Duke； and exiled to Siberia。〃
〃How long ago was that？〃
〃Two years since。 Pardoned after six months of exile by your
majesty's favor； he returned to Russia。〃
〃And since that time； has he not revisited Siberia？〃
〃Yes； sire； but he voluntarily returned there；〃 replied the chief
of police； adding； and slightly lowering his voice； 〃there was
a time； sire； when NONE returned from Siberia。〃
〃Well； whilst I live； Siberia is and shall be a country whence
men CAN return。〃
The Czar had the right to utter these words with some pride；
for often； by his clemency； he had shown that Russian justice
knew how to pardon。
The head of the police did not reply to this observation； but it
was evident that he did not approve of such half…measures。 According
to his idea； a man who had once passed the Ural Mountains in charge
of policemen； ought never again to cross them。 Now； it was not thus
under the new reign； and the chief of police sincerely deplored it。
What！ no banishment for life for other crimes than those against
social order！ What！ political exiles returning from Tobolsk；
from Yakutsk； from Irkutsk！ In truth； the chief of police；
accustomed to the despotic sentences of the ukase which formerly
never pardoned； could not understand this mode of governing。
But he was silent； waiting until the Czar should interrogate him further。
The questions were not long in coming。
〃Did not Ivan Ogareff；〃 asked the Czar； 〃return to Russia
a second time； after that journey through the Siberian provinces；
the object of which remains unknown？〃
〃He did。〃
〃And have the police lost trace of him since？〃
〃No； sire； for an offender only becomes really dangerous from the day
he has received his pardon。〃
The Czar frowned。 Perhaps the chief of police feared that he had
gone rather too far； though the stubbornness of his ideas was at
least equal to the boundless devotion he felt for his master。
But the Czar； disdaining to reply to these indirect
reproaches cast on his policy； continued his questions。
〃Where was Ogareff last heard of？〃
〃In the province of Perm。〃
〃In what town？〃
〃At Perm itself。〃
〃What was he doing？〃
〃He appeared unoccupied； and there was nothing suspicious
in his conduct。〃
〃Then he was not under the surveillance of the secret police？〃
〃No； sire。〃
〃When did he leave Perm？〃
〃About the month of March？〃
〃To go。。。？〃
〃Where； is unknown。〃
〃And it is not known what has become of him？〃
〃No； sire； it is not known。〃
〃Well； then； I myself know；〃 answered the Czar。 〃I have received
anonymous communications which did not pass through the police department；
and； in the face of events now taking place beyond the frontier；
I have every reason to believe that they are correct。〃
〃Do you mean； sire；〃 cried the chief of police； 〃that Ivan Ogareff
has a hand in this Tartar rebellion？〃
〃Indeed I do； and I will now tell you something which you
are ignorant of。 After leaving Perm； Ivan Ogareff crossed
the Ural mountains； entered Siberia； and penetrated the
Kirghiz steppes； and there endeavored； not without success；
to foment rebellion amongst their nomadic population。
He then went so far south as free Turkestan； there； in the provinces
of Bokhara； Khokhand； and Koondooz； he found chiefs willing
to pour their Tartar hordes into Siberia； and excite a general
rising in Asiatic Russia。 The storm has been silently gathering；
but it has at last burst like a thunderclap； and now all means
of communication between Eastern and Western Siberia have
been stopped。 Moreover； Ivan Ogareff； thirsting for vengeance；
aims at the life of my brother！〃
The Czar had become excited whilst speaking； and now paced up
and down with hurried steps。 The chief of police said nothing；
but he thought to himself that； during the time when the
emperors of Russia never pardoned an exile； schemes such
as those of Ivan Ogareff could never have been realized。
Approaching the Czar； who had thrown himself into an armchair；
he asked； 〃Your majesty has of course given orders so that this
rebellion may be suppressed as soon as possible？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered the Czar。 〃The last telegram which reached
Nijni…Udinsk would set in motion the troops in the governments
of Yenisei； Irkutsk； Yakutsk； as well as those in the provinces
of the Amoor and Lake Baikal。 At the same time； the regiments
from Perm and Nijni…Novgorod； and the Cossacks from the frontier；
are advancing by forced marches towards the Ural Mountains；
but some weeks must pass before they can attack the Tartars。〃
〃And your majesty's brother； his Highness the Grand Duke；
is now isolated in the government of Irkutsk； and is no longer
in direct communication with Moscow？〃
〃That is so。〃
〃But by the last dispatches； he must know what measures have
been taken by your majesty； and what help he may expect from
the governments nearest Irkutsk？〃
〃He knows that；〃 answered the Czar； 〃but what he does not know is；
that Ivan Ogareff； as well as being a rebel； is also playing the part
of a traitor； and that in him he has a personal and bitter enemy。
It is to the Grand Duke that Ogareff owes his first disgrace；
and what is more serious is； that this man is not known to him。
Ogareff's plan； therefore； is to go to Irkutsk； and； under an
assumed name； offer his services to the Grand Duke。 Then； after gaining
his confidence； when the Tartars have invested Irkutsk； he will
betray the town； and with it my brother； whose life he seeks。
This is what I have learned from my secret intelligence； this is
what the Grand Duke does not know； and this is what he must know！〃
〃Well； sire； an intelligent； courageous courier 。 。 。〃
〃I momentarily expect one。〃
〃And it is to be hoped he will be expeditious；〃 added the chief
of police； 〃for； allow me to add； sire； that Siberia is a favorable
land for rebelli