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“Come，“saidtheofficer，MarfaStrogoff，withfirmstep，followedtheTartar。SomemomentsafterwardsshefoundherselfinthechiefsquareinthepresenceofIvanOgareff，towhomallthedetailsofthisscenehadbeenimmediatelyreported。
Ogareff，suspectingthetruth，interrogatedtheoldSiberianwoman。
“Thyname？“heaskedinaroughvoice。
“MarfaStrogoff。“
“Thouhastason？“
“Yes。“
“HeisacourieroftheCzar？“
“Yes。“
“Whereishe？“
“AtMoscow。“
“Thouhastnonewsofhim？“
“Nonews。“
“Sincehowlong？“
“Sincetwomonths。“
“Who，then，wasthatyoungmanwhomthoudidstcallthysonafewmomentsagoattheposting-house？“
“AyoungSiberianwhomItookforhim，“repliedMarfaStrogoff。“ThisisthetenthmaninwhomIhavethoughtIrecognizedmysonsincethetownhasbeensofullofstrangers。IthinkIseehimeverywhere。“
“SothisyoungmanwasnotMichaelStrogoff？“
“ItwasnotMichaelStrogoff。“
“Dostthouknow，oldwoman，thatIcantorturetheeuntilthouavowestthetruth？“
“Ihavespokenthetruth，andtorturewillnotcausemetoaltermywordsinanyway。“
“ThisSiberianwasnotMichaelStrogoff？“askedasecondtimeIvanOgareff。
“No，itwasnothe，“repliedasecondtimeMarfaStrogoff。“DoyouthinkthatforanythingintheworldIwoulddenyasonwhomGodhasgivenme？“
IvanOgareffregardedwithanevileyetheoldwomanwhobravedhimtotheface。HedidnotdoubtbutthatshehadrecognizedhersoninthisyoungSiberian。Nowifthissonhadfirstrenouncedhismother，andifhismotherrenouncedhiminherturn，itcouldoccuronlyfromthemostweightymotive。OgareffhadthereforenodoubtthatthepretendedNicholasKorpanoffwasMichaelStrogoff，courieroftheCzar，seekingconcealmentunderafalsename，andchargedwithsomemissionwhichitwouldhavebeenimportantforhimtoknow。Hethereforeatoncegaveordersforhispursuit。
Then“LetthiswomanbeconductedtoTomsk，“hesaid。
Whilethesoldiersbrutallydraggedheroff，headdedbetweenhisteeth，“WhenthemomentarrivesIshallknowhowtomakeherspeak，thisoldsorceress！“
ITwasfortunatethatMichaelStrogoffhadlefttheposting-housesopromptly。TheordersofIvanOgareffhadbeenimmediatelytransmittedtoalltheapproachesofthecity，andafulldescriptionofMichaelsenttoallthevariouscommandants，inordertopreventhisdeparturefromOmsk。Buthehadalreadypassedthroughoneofthebreachesinthewall；
hishorsewasgallopingoverthesteppe，andthechancesofescapewereinhisfavor。
Itwasonthe29thofJuly，ateighto’clockintheevening，thatMichaelStrogoffhadleftOmsk。ThistownissituatedabouthalfwaybetweenMoscowandIrkutsk，whereitwasnecessarythatheshouldarrivewithintendaysifhewishedtogetaheadoftheTartarcolumns。
Itwasevidentthattheunluckychancewhichhadbroughthimintothepresenceofhismotherhadbetrayedhisincognito。
IvanOgareffwasnolongerignorantofthefactthatacourieroftheCzarhadjustpassedOmsk，takingthedirectionofIrkutsk。Thedispatcheswhichthiscourierboremusthavebeenofimmenseimportance。
MichaelStrogoffknew，therefore，thateveryeffortwouldbemadetocapturehim。
Butwhathedidnotknow，andcouldnotknow，wasthatMarfaStrogoffwasinthehandsofIvanOgareff，andthatshewasabouttoatone，perhapswithherlife，forthatnaturalexhibitionofherfeelingswhichshehadbeenunabletorestrainwhenshesuddenlyfoundherselfinthepresenceofherson。Anditwasfortunatethathewasignorantofit。
Couldhehavewithstoodthisfreshtrial？
MichaelStrogoffurgedonhishorse，imbuinghimwithallhisownfeverishimpatience，requiringofhimonethingonly，namely，tobear
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