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nor astonished him； that he was so gentle in his strength that you
had a sister as well as a brother in him； and he watched over you
like a mother？〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 said Nadia。 〃Brother； sister； motherhe has been
all to me！〃
〃And defended you like a lion？〃
〃A lion indeed！〃 replied Nadia。 〃A lion； a hero！〃
〃My son； my son！〃 thought the old Siberian。 〃But you said； however；
that he bore a terrible insult at that post…house in Ichim？〃
〃He did bear it；〃 answered Nadia； looking down。
〃He bore it！〃 murmured Marfa； shuddering。
〃Mother； mother；〃 cried Nadia； 〃do not blame him！ He had a secret。
A secret of which God alone is as yet the judge！〃
〃And；〃 said Marfa； raising her head and looking at Nadia as though
she would read the depths of her heart； 〃in that hour of humiliation
did you not despise this Nicholas Korpanoff？〃
〃I admired without understanding him；〃 replied the girl。
〃I never felt him more worthy of respect。〃
The old woman was silent for a minute。
〃Was he tall？〃 she asked。
〃Very tall。〃
〃And very handsome？ Come； speak； my daughter。〃
〃He was very handsome；〃 replied Nadia； blushing。
〃It was my son！ I tell you it was my son！〃 exclaimed the
old woman； embracing Nadia。
〃Your son！〃 said Nadia amazed； 〃your son！〃
〃Come；〃 said Marfa； 〃let us get to the bottom of this； my child。
Your companion； your friend； your protector had a mother。
Did he never speak to you of his mother？〃
〃Of his mother？〃 said Nadia。 〃He spoke to me of his mother as I
spoke to him of my fatheroften； always。 He adored her。〃
〃Nadia； Nadia； you have just told me about my own son；〃
said the old woman。
And she added impetuously； 〃Was he not going to see this mother；
whom you say he loved； in Omsk？〃
〃No；〃 answered Nadia； 〃no； he was not。〃
〃Not！〃 cried Marfa。 〃You dare to tell me not！〃
〃I say so： but it remains to me to tell you that from motives which
outweighed everything else； motives which I do not know； I understand
that Nicholas Korpanoff had to traverse the country completely in secret。
To him it was a question of life and death； and still more； a question
of duty and honor。〃
〃Duty； indeed； imperious duty；〃 said the old Siberian；
〃of those who sacrifice everything； even the joy of giving
a kiss； perhaps the last； to his old mother。 All that you do
not know； Nadiaall that I did not know myselfI now know。
You have made me understand everything。 But the light which you
have thrown on the mysteries of my heart； I cannot return on yours。
Since my son has not told you his secret； I must keep it。
Forgive me； Nadia； I can never repay what you have done for me。〃
〃Mother； I ask you nothing；〃 replied Nadia。
All was thus explained to the old Siberian； all； even the conduct
of her son with regard to herself in the inn at Omsk。 There was
no doubt that the young girl's companion was Michael Strogoff；
and that a secret mission in the invaded country obliged him
to conceal his quality of the Czar's courier。
〃Ah； my brave boy！〃 thought Marfa。 〃No； I will not betray you；
and tortures shall not wrest from me the avowal that it was you
whom I saw at Omsk。〃
Marfa could with a word have paid Nadia for all her devotion to her。
She could have told her that her companion； Nicholas Korpanoff；
or rather Michael Strogoff； had not perished in the waters of the Irtych；
since it was some days after that incident that she had met him；
that she had spoken to him。
But she restrained herself； she was silent； and contented herself
with saying； 〃Hope； my child！ Misfortune will not overwhelm you。
You will see your father again； I feel it； and perhaps he who gave
you the name of sister is not dead。 God cannot have allowed your
brave companion to perish。 Hope； my child； hope！ Do as I do。
The mourning which I wear is not yet for my son。〃
CHAPTER III BLOW FOR BLOW
SUCH were now the relative situations of Marfa Strogoff
and Nadia。 All was understood by the old Siberian； and though the young
girl was ignorant that her much…regretted companion still lived；
she at least knew his relationship to her whom she had made her mother；
and she thanked God for having given her the joy of taking the place
of the son whom the prisoner had lost。
But what neither of them could know was that Michael； having been
captured at Kolyvan； was in the same convoy and was on his way
to Tomsk with them。
The prisoners brought by Ivan Ogareff had been added to those already kept
by the Emir in the Tartar camp。 These unfortunate people； consisting
of Russians； Siberians； soldiers and civilians； numbered some thousands；
and formed a column which extended over several versts。 Some among them
being considered dangerous were handcuffed and fastened to a long chain。
There were； too； women and children； many of the latter suspended
to the pommels of the saddles； while the former were dragged mercilessly
along the road on foot； or driven forward as if they were animals。
The horsemen compelled them to maintain a certain order； and there were
no laggards with the exception of those who fell never to rise again。
In consequence of this arrangement； Michael Strogoff；
marching in the first ranks of those who had left the Tartar camp
that is to say； among the Kolyvan prisonerswas unable to mingle
with the prisoners who had arrived after him from Omsk。 He had
therefore no suspicion that his mother and Nadia were present in
the convoy； nor did they suppose that he was among those in front。
This journey from the camp to Tomsk； performed under the lashes and
spear…points of the soldiers； proved fatal to many； and terrible to all。
The prisoners traveled across the steppe； over a road made
still more dusty by the passage of the Emir and his vanguard。
Orders had been given to march rapidly。 The short halts were rare。
The hundred miles under a burning sky seemed interminable；
though they were performed as rapidly as possible。
The country； which extends from the right of the Obi to
the base of the spur detached from the Sayanok Mountains；
is very sterile。 Only a few stunted and burnt…up shrubs
here and there break the monotony of the immense plain。
There was no cultivation； for there was no water； and it was water
that the prisoners； parched by their painful march； most needed。
To find a stream they must have diverged fifty versts eastward；
to the very foot of the mountains。
There flows the Tom； a little affluent of the Obi； which passes near
Tomsk before losing itself in one of the great northern arteries。
There water would have been abundant； the steppe less arid；
the heat less severe。 But the strictest orders had been given
to the commanders of the convoy to reach Tomsk by the shortest way；
for the Emir was much afraid of being taken in the flank and cut
off by some Russian column descending from the northern provinces。
It is useless to dwell upon the sufferings of the unhappy prisoners。
Many hundreds fell on the steppe； where their bodies would lie
until winter； when the wolves would devour the remnants of their bones。
As Nadia helped the old Siberian； so in the same way did Michael
render to his more feeble companions in misfortune such ser