Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-01-28
THE COURIER i 4
| OF THE CAR 4
BY Jules Verne


i
"And you would number them at
"FOur hundred thousand men!"
A new eXaggeration Of Ivan Ogaref
in reckoning the numbers Of the Tar
tar army and tending always to th'
same end.
"And l must not expect any succo
from the provinces Of the west?" ask
ed the grand duke.
None. your highness-at least before
the end of winter"
every we'll. Listen to this, Michae
Strogoff: Should 10 relief come to me
neither from the west nor the east, ant
were there 100000 Tartars. l woult
not give up Irkutsk!'
The wicked eye of Ivan Ogareff light
ly blinked. The traitor seemed to say
that the brother of the czar was reck
oning without treason.
The grand duke, Of nervous temper
ament, had great difficulty In preserV-
ing his calmness ON learning this dis
astrous news. He walked up and down
n the room under the eyes Of Ivan Oga-
ref. who covered him as n prey re-
served for his vengeance. He stopped
i at the windows. He looked out upon
the Tartar fires. He was trying to
find out the noise, the greater part Of
which was caused by the grating of the
Ice on the river.
A quarter Of an hour passed without
his putting another question. Then,
again taking up the letter, he read a
passage Of 1t and said:
"You know, Michael StrogOff, that
there is question in this letter Of a
traitor against whom l have to be on
my guard?"
"Yes, your highness."
"He Is to attempt to enter lrkutsk
disguised to win my confidence; then,
at the proper time. to deliver up the
town to the Tartars."
81 know all that, your highness, and
also know that Ivan Ogareff has
sworn personal vengeance on the broth
er Of the cxar."
"Why"
"They say that that officer had been
condemned by the grand duke to a
most humliating degradation"
"Yes, l remember. But he deserved
II, that wretch, who was afterward to
serve against his country and to lead
there an invasion Of barbarians"
"Hls majesty the car" answered
Ivan Ogarelf. relied especially on the
fact that you were aware Of the GRIM
inal projects of Ivan Ogareff against
your person"
"Yes: the letter Informed me Of it."
"And his majesty told 1t to me him.
self. while warning me to mistrust that
traitor above all during my journey
across Siberia"
Have you ever met him?'
"Yes your highness. after the battle
Of Krasnoiarsk Could he have sus-
pected that was the bearer Of let
ter addressed to your highness and In
which all his projects were divulged
should not now be standing before
you"
"Yes, you would have been lost" an
swered the grand duke. "And how did
you escape?''
"By throwing myself into the Irish"
And how lid you enter Irkutsk?'
During a sOrtie that was made this
very night to repel Tartar detach-
ment Joined in with the defenders OF
the town. was able to make myself
known. and they at once conducted me
before your h!ghness."
"Well done. Michael Strogoff." an
swered the grand duke. You have
shown courage and zeal during this
| difficult mission. shall not forget
you. Have you any favor to ask OF
mew
None II it be not that Of fighting by
the side Of your highness." answered
Ivan Ogarefr.
"Let 1t be so. Michael Strogoff. From
this day attach you to my person,
and you Shall be lodged in this palace"
"And IL in conformity with the inten.
ton which is attributed to him Ivan
Ogareff should present himself before
your highuess under false name'-
eve would unmask him, thanks to
you who know. him, and by my order
he should die under the knout Co."
Ivan Ogareff gave the military salute
to the grand duke, not forgetting that
he was captain in the corps OF the cou-
riers of the czar, and he withdrew.
Ivan Ogareff had just now played with
success his base role. The grand dukes
confidence had been accorded him full
and entire. He could abuse 1t when
and where he thought proper. He
would even live in that palace. He
would know all the secrets OF the de-
fense. He held. therefore, the situation
In his hand. No one in lrkutsk knew
him. No one could tear of his mask.
He resolved. therefore, to begin the
work without more delay.
Ivan Ogareff, having every facility
of seeing. observing and acting. spent
the next day in visiting the fortitica-
tions. Everywhere he was received
with cordial congratulations by the
officers. soldiers and citizens. This cou-
rier of the car was like a tie which
bound them to the empire. Ivan Oga-
ref therefore recounted to them all the
details of his journey. and this with
vivacity that was never wanting. Then
adroitly. without Mt first insisting on 1t
too much. he spoke Of the gravity OF
the situation. exaggerating. as he had
done while addressing the grand duke
both the successes Of the Tartars and
the forces at their disposal. To listen
to him. the succor would be insufficient
should it even come. and 1t was to be
feared that battle fought under the
walls Of Irkutsk would be as disas-
trous as the battles Of Kalyvan, OF
Tomsk and Of Krasnoiarsk.
Ivan Ogareff was not at first lavish
in these sinister insinuations. He took
care they should penetrate by degrees