HOWEVER disastrous1 these measures might be to private interests, they were, under the circumstances, perfectly2 justifiable3.
“All Russian subjects are forbidden to leave the province;” if Ivan Ogareff was still in the province, this would at any rate prevent him, unless with the greatest difficulty, from rejoining Feofar-Khan, and becoming a very formidable lieutenant4 to the Tartar chief.
“All foreigners of Asiatic origin are ordered to leave the province in four-and-twenty hours;” this would send off in a body all the traders from Central Asia, as well as the bands of Bohemians, gipsies, etc., having more or less sympathy with the Tartars. So many heads, so many spies — undoubtedly5 affairs required their expulsion.
It is easy to understand the effect produced by these two thunder-claps bursting over a town like Nijni-Novgorod, so densely6 crowded with visitors, and with a commerce so greatly surpassing that of all other places in Russia. The natives whom business called beyond the Siberian frontier could not leave the province for a time at least. The tenor7 of the first article of the order was express; it admitted of no exception. All private interests must yield to the public weal. As to the second article of the proclamation, the order of expulsion which it contained admitted of no evasion8 either. It only concerned foreigners of Asiatic origin, but these could do nothing but pack up their merchandise and go back the way they came. As to the mountebanks, of which there were a considerable number, they had nearly a thousand versts to go before they could reach the nearest frontier. For them it was simply misery9.
At first there rose against this unusual measure a murmur10 of protestation, a cry of despair, but this was quickly suppressed by the presence of the Cossacks and agents of police. Immediately, what might be called the exodus11 from the immense plain began. The awnings12 in front of the stalls were folded up; the theaters were taken to pieces; the fires were put out; the acrobats’ ropes were lowered; the old broken-winded horses of the traveling vans came back from their sheds. Agents and soldiers with whip or stick stimulated13 the tardy14 ones, and made nothing of pulling down the tents even before the poor Bohemians had left them.
Under these energetic measures the square of Nijni-Novgorod would, it was evident, be entirely15 evacuated16 before the evening, and to the tumult17 of the great fair would succeed the silence of the desert.
It must again be repeated — for it was a necessary aggravation18 of these severe measures — that to all those nomads19 chiefly concerned in the order of expulsion even the steppes of Siberia were forbidden, and they would be obliged to hasten to the south of the Caspian Sea, either to Persia, Turkey, or the plains of Turkestan. The post of the Ural, and the mountains which form, as it were, a prolongation of the river along the Russian frontier, they were not allowed to pass. They were therefore under the necessity of traveling six hundred miles before they could tread a free soil.
Just as the reading of the proclamation by the head of the police came to an end, an idea darted20 instinctively21 into the mind of Michael Strogoff. “What a singular coincidence,” thought he, “between this proclamation expelling all foreigners of Asiatic origin, and the words exchanged last evening between those two gipsies of the Zingari race. ‘The Father himself sends us where we wish to go,’ that old man said. But ‘the Father’ is the emperor! He is never called anything else among the people. How could those gipsies have foreseen the measure taken against them? how could they have known it beforehand, and where do they wish to go? Those are suspicious people, and it seems to me that to them the government proclamation must be more useful than injurious.”
But these reflections were completely dispelled22 by another which drove every other thought out of Michael’s mind. He forgot the Zingaris, their suspicious words, the strange coincidence which resulted from the proclamation. The remembrance of the young Livonian girl suddenly rushed into his mind. “Poor child!” he thought to himself. “She cannot now cross the frontier.”
In truth the young girl was from Riga; she was Livonian, consequently Russian, and now could not leave Russian territory! The permit which had been given her before the new measures had been promulgated23 was no longer available. All the routes to Siberia had just been pitilessly closed to her, and, whatever the motive24 taking her to Irkutsk, she was now forbidden to go there.
This thought greatly occupied Michael Strogoff. He said to himself, vaguely25 at first, that, without neglecting anything of what was due to his important mission, it would perhaps be possible for him to be of some use to this brave girl; and this idea pleased him. Knowing how serious were the dangers which he, an energetic and vigorous man, would have personally to encounter, he could not conceal26 from himself how infinitely27 greater they would prove to a young unprotected girl. As she was going to Irkutsk, she would be obliged to follow the same road as himself, she would have to pass through the bands of invaders28, as he was about to attempt doing himself. If, moreover, she had at her disposal only the money necessary for a journey taken under ordinary circumstances, how could she manage to accomplish it under conditions which made it not only perilous29 but expensive?
“Well,” said he, “if she takes the route to Perm, it is nearly impossible but that I shall fall in with her. Then, I will watch over her without her suspecting it; and as she appears to me as anxious as myself to reach Irkutsk, she will cause me no delay.”
But one thought leads to another. Michael Strogoff had till now thought only of doing a kind action; but now another idea flashed into his brain; the question presented itself under quite a new aspect.
“The fact is,” said he to himself, “that I have much more need of her than she can have of me. Her presence will be useful in drawing off suspicion from me. A man traveling alone across the steppe, may be easily guessed to be a courier of the Czar. If, on the contrary, this young girl accompanies me, I shall appear, in the eyes of all, the Nicholas Korpanoff of my podorojna. Therefore, she must accompany me. Therefore, I must find her again at any cost. It is not probable that since yesterday evening she has been able to get a carriage and leave Nijni-Novgorod. I must look for her. And may God guide me!”
Michael left the great square of Nijni-Novgorod, where the tumult produced by the carrying out of the prescribed measures had now reached its height. Recriminations from the banished30 strangers, shouts from the agents and Cossacks who were using them so brutally31, together made an indescribable uproar33. The girl for whom he searched could not be there. It was now nine o’clock in the morning. The steamboat did not start till twelve. Michael Strogoff had therefore nearly two hours to employ in searching for her whom he wished to make his traveling companion.
He crossed the Volga again and hunted through the quarters on the other side, where the crowd was much less considerable. He entered the churches, the natural refuge for all who weep, for all who suffer. Nowhere did he meet with the young Livonian.
“And yet,” he repeated, “she could not have left Nijni-Novgorod yet. We’ll have another look.” He wandered about thus for two hours. He went on without stopping, feeling no fatigue34, obeying a potent35 instinct which allowed no room for thought. All was in vain.
It then occurred to him that perhaps the girl had not heard of the order — though this was improbable enough, for such a thunder-clap could not have burst without being heard by all. Evidently interested in knowing the smallest news from Siberia, how could she be ignorant of the measures taken by the governor, measures which concerned her so directly?
But, if she was ignorant of it, she would come in an hour to the quay36, and there some merciless agent would refuse her a passage! At any cost, he must see her beforehand, and enable her to avoid such a repulse37.
But all his endeavors were in vain, and he at length almost despaired of finding her again. It was eleven o’clock, and Michael thought of presenting his podorojna at the office of the head of police. The proclamation evidently did not concern him, since the emergency had been foreseen for him, but he wished to make sure that nothing would hinder his departure from the town.
Michael then returned to the other side of the Volga, to the quarter in which was the office of the head of police. An immense crowd was collected there; for though all foreigners were ordered to quit the province, they had notwithstanding to go through certain forms before they could depart.
Without this precaution, some Russian more or less implicated38 in the Tartar movement would have been able, in a disguise, to pass the frontier — just those whom the order wished to prevent going. The strangers were sent away, but still had to gain permission to go.
Mountebanks, gypsies, Tsiganes, Zingaris, mingled39 with merchants from Persia, Turkey, India, Turkestan, China, filled the court and offices of the police station.
Everyone was in a hurry, for the means of transport would be much sought after among this crowd of banished people, and those who did not set about it soon ran a great risk of not being able to leave the town in the prescribed time, which would expose them to some brutal32 treatment from the governor’s agents.
Owing to the strength of his elbows Michael was able to cross the court. But to get into the office and up to the clerk’s little window was a much more difficult business. However, a word into an inspector’s ear and a few judiciously40 given roubles were powerful enough to gain him a passage. The man, after taking him into the waiting-room, went to call an upper clerk. Michael Strogoff would not be long in making everything right with the police and being free in his movements.
Whilst waiting, he looked about him, and what did he see? There, fallen, rather than seated, on a bench, was a girl, prey41 to a silent despair, although her face could scarcely be seen, the profile alone being visible against the wall. Michael Strogoff could not be mistaken. He instantly recognized the young Livonian.
Not knowing the governor’s orders, she had come to the police office to get her pass signed. They had refused to sign it. No doubt she was authorized42 to go to Irkutsk, but the order was peremptory43 — it annulled44 all previous au-thorizations, and the routes to Siberia were closed to her. Michael, delighted at having found her again, approached the girl.
She looked up for a moment and her face brightened on recognizing her traveling companion. She instinctively rose and, like a drowning man who clutches at a spar, she was about to ask his help.
At that moment the agent touched Michael on the shoulder, “The head of police will see you,” he said.
“Good,” returned Michael. And without saying a word to her for whom he had been searching all day, without reassuring45 her by even a gesture, which might compromise either her or himself, he followed the man.
The young Livonian, seeing the only being to whom she could look for help disappear, fell back again on her bench.
Three minutes had not passed before Michael Strogoff reappeared, accompanied by the agent. In his hand he held his podorojna, which threw open the roads to Siberia for him. He again approached the young Livonian, and holding out his hand: “Sister,” said he.
She understood. She rose as if some sudden inspiration prevented her from hesitating a moment.
“Sister,” repeated Michael Strogoff, “we are authorized to continue our journey to Irkutsk. Will you come with me?”
“I will follow you, brother,” replied the girl, putting her hand into that of Michael Strogoff. And together they left the police station.
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1
disastrous
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| adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的 | |
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2
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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3
justifiable
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| adj.有理由的，无可非议的 | |
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4
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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5
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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6
densely
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| ad.密集地；浓厚地 | |
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7
tenor
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| n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意 | |
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8
evasion
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| n.逃避，偷漏(税) | |
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9
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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10
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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11
exodus
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| v.大批离去，成群外出 | |
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12
awnings
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| 篷帐布 | |
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13
stimulated
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| a.刺激的 | |
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14
tardy
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| adj.缓慢的，迟缓的 | |
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15
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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16
evacuated
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| 撤退者的 | |
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17
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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18
aggravation
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| n.烦恼，恼火 | |
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19
nomads
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| n.游牧部落的一员( nomad的名词复数 )；流浪者；游牧生活；流浪生活 | |
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20
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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21
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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22
dispelled
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| v.驱散，赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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23
promulgated
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| v.宣扬（某事物）( promulgate的过去式和过去分词 )；传播；公布；颁布（法令、新法律等） | |
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24
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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25
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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26
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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27
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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28
invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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29
perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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30
banished
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
brutally
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| adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地 | |
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32
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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33
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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34
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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35
potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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36
quay
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| n.码头，靠岸处 | |
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37
repulse
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| n.击退，拒绝；vt.逐退，击退，拒绝 | |
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38
implicated
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| adj.密切关联的；牵涉其中的 | |
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39
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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40
judiciously
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| adv.明断地，明智而审慎地 | |
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41
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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42
authorized
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| a.委任的，许可的 | |
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43
peremptory
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| adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的 | |
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44
annulled
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| v.宣告无效( annul的过去式和过去分词 )；取消；使消失；抹去 | |
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45
reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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