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〃Ah!〃 said Nadia; falling into Michael's arms。 Then turning
towards Wassili Fedor; 〃My father;〃 said she; blushing。
〃Nadia;〃 said Captain Fedor; 〃it will be my joy to call you
both my children!〃
The marriage ceremony took place in Irkutsk cathedral。
Jolivet and Blount very naturally assisted at this marriage;
of which they wished to give an account to their readers。
〃And doesn't it make you wish to imitate them?〃 asked Alcide
of his friend。
〃Pooh!〃 said Blount。 〃Now if I had a cousin like you〃
〃My cousin isn't to be married!〃 answered Alcide; laughing。
〃So much the better;〃 returned Blount; 〃for they speak of difficulties
arising between London and Pekin。 Have you no wish to go and see
what is going on there?〃
〃By Jove; my dear Blount!〃 exclaimed Alcide Jolivet; 〃I was just going
to make the same proposal to you。〃
And that was how the two inseparables set off for China。
A few days after the ceremony; Michael and Nadia Strogoff;
accompanied by Wassili Fedor; took the route to Europe。 The road
so full of suffering when going; was a road of joy in returning。
They traveled swiftly; in one of those sleighs which glide
like an express train across the frozen steppes of Siberia。
However; when they reached the banks of the Dinka; just before Birskoe;
they stopped for a while。 Michael found the place where he had buried
poor Nicholas。 A cross was erected there; and Nadia prayed a last time
on the grave of the humble and heroic friend; whom neither of them
would ever forget。
At Omsk; old Marfa awaited them in the little house of
the Strogoffs。 She clasped passionately in her arms the girl whom
in her heart she had already a hundred times called 〃daughter。〃
The brave old Siberian; on that day; had the right to recognize
her son and say she was proud of him。
After a few days passed at Omsk; Michael and Nadia entered
Europe; and; Wassili Fedor settling down in St。 Petersburg;
neither his son nor his daughter had any occasion to leave him;
except to go and see their old mother。
The young courier was received by the Czar; who attached him specially
to his own person; and gave him the Cross of St。 George。 In the course
of time; Michael Strogoff reached a high station in the Empire。 But it
is not the history of his success; but the history of his trials;
which deserves to be related。
End