下载辰思小说免费APP
InthemeanwhileHarryBlounthadreturnedtothewindow，butthistimehisattentionwasdivertedbytheinterestofthescenebeforehim。Therefore，whentheclerkhadfinishedtelegraphingthelastlinesdictatedbyBlount，AlcideJolivetnoiselesslytookhisplaceatthewicket，and，justashisrivalhaddone，afterquietlydepositingarespectablepileofroublesontheshelf，hedeliveredhisdispatch，whichtheclerkreadaloud:
“MadeleineJolivet，10，FaubourgMontmartre，Paris。
“FromKolyvan，GovernmentofOmsk，Siberia，6thAugust。
“Fugitivesareescapingfromthetown。Russiansdefeated。
FiercelypursuedbytheTartarcavalry。“
AndasHarryBlountreturnedheheardJolivetcompletinghistelegrambysinginginamockingtone:
“IIestunpetithomme，Touthabilledegris，DansParis！“
Imitatinghisrival，AlcideJolivethadusedamerryrefrainofBeranger。
“Hallo！“saidHarryBlount。
“Justso，“answeredJolivet。
InthemeantimethesituationatKolyvanwasalarmingintheextreme。
Thebattlewasragingnearer，andthefiringwasincessant。
Atthatmomentthetelegraphofficeshooktoitsfoundations。
Ashellhadmadeaholeinthewall，andacloudofdustfilledtheoffice。
Alcidewasjustfinishingwritinghislines；buttostop，dartontheshell，seizeitinbothhands，throwitoutofthewindow，andreturntothewicket，wasonlytheaffairofamoment。
Fivesecondslatertheshellburstoutside。Continuingwiththegreatestpossiblecoolness，Alcidewrote:“Asix-inchshellhasjustblownupthewallofthetelegraphoffice。
Expectingafewmoreofthesamesize。“
MichaelStrogoffhadnodoubtthattheRussiansweredrivenoutofKolyvan。Hislastresourcewastosetoutacrossthesouthernsteppe。
Justthenrenewedfiringbrokeoutclosetothetelegraphhouse，andaperfectshowerofbulletssmashedalltheglassinthewindows。
HarryBlountfelltothegroundwoundedintheshoulder。
Jolivetevenatsuchamoment，wasabouttoaddthispostscripttohisdispatch:“HarryBlount，correspondentoftheDailyTelegraph，hasfallenatmysidestruckby——“whentheimperturbableclerksaidcalmly:“Sir，thewirehasbroken。“And，leavinghiswicket，hequietlytookhishat，brusheditroundwithhissleeve，and，stillsmiling，disappearedthroughalittledoorwhichMichaelhadnotbeforeperceived。
ThehousewassurroundedbyTartarsoldiers，andneitherMichaelnorthereporterscouldeffecttheirretreat。
AlcideJolivet，hisuselessdispatchinhishand，hadruntoBlount，stretchedontheground，andhadbravelyliftedhimonhisshoulders，withtheintentionofflyingwithhim。
Hewastoolate！
Bothwereprisoners；and，atthesametime，Michael，takenunawaresashewasabouttoleapfromthewindow，fellintothehandsoftheTartars！
ATaday’smarchfromKolyvan，severalverstsbeyondthetownofDiachinks，stretchesawideplain，plantedhereandtherewithgreattrees，principallypinesandcedars。
ThispartofthesteppeisusuallyoccupiedduringthewarmseasonbySiberianshepherds，andtheirnumerousflocks。
Butnowitmighthavebeensearchedinvainforoneofitsnomadinhabitants。Notthattheplainwasdeserted。
Itpresentedamostanimatedappearance。
TherestoodtheTartartents；thereFeofar-Khan，theterribleEmirofBokhara，wasencamped；andthereonthefollowingday，the7thofAugust，werebroughttheprisonerstakenatKolyvanaftertheannihilationoftheRussianforce，whichhadvainlyattemptedtoopposetheprogressoftheinvaders。
Ofthetwothousandmenwhohadengagedwiththetwocolumnsoftheenemy，thebasesofwhichrestedonTomskandOmsk，onlyafewhundredremained。Thuseventsweregoingbadly，andtheimperialgovernmentappearedtohavelostitspowerbeyondthefrontiersoftheUral——foratimeatleast，fortheRussianscouldnotfaileventuallytodefeatthesavagehordesoftheinvaders。
Butinthemeantimetheinvasionhadreachedthecenterof
后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节
