下载辰思小说免费APP
SUCHwerenowtherelativesituationsofMarfaStrogoffandNadia。AllwasunderstoodbytheoldSiberian，andthoughtheyounggirlwasignorantthathermuch-regrettedcompanionstilllived，sheatleastknewhisrelationshiptoherwhomshehadmadehermother；
andshethankedGodforhavinggivenherthejoyoftakingtheplaceofthesonwhomtheprisonerhadlost。
ButwhatneitherofthemcouldknowwasthatMichael，havingbeencapturedatKolyvan，wasinthesameconvoyandwasonhiswaytoTomskwiththem。
TheprisonersbroughtbyIvanOgareffhadbeenaddedtothosealreadykeptbytheEmirintheTartarcamp。Theseunfortunatepeople，consistingofRussians，Siberians，soldiersandcivilians，numberedsomethousands，andformedacolumnwhichextendedoverseveralversts。Someamongthembeingconsidereddangerouswerehandcuffedandfastenedtoalongchain。
Therewere，too，womenandchildren，manyofthelattersuspendedtothepommelsofthesaddles，whiletheformerweredraggedmercilesslyalongtheroadonfoot，ordrivenforwardasiftheywereanimals。
Thehorsemencompelledthemtomaintainacertainorder，andtherewerenolaggardswiththeexceptionofthosewhofellnevertoriseagain。
Inconsequenceofthisarrangement，MichaelStrogoff，marchinginthefirstranksofthosewhohadlefttheTartarcamp——
thatistosay，amongtheKolyvanprisoners——wasunabletominglewiththeprisonerswhohadarrivedafterhimfromOmsk。HehadthereforenosuspicionthathismotherandNadiawerepresentintheconvoy，nordidtheysupposethathewasamongthoseinfront。
ThisjourneyfromthecamptoTomsk，performedunderthelashesandspear-pointsofthesoldiers，provedfataltomany，andterribletoall。
Theprisonerstraveledacrossthesteppe，overaroadmadestillmoredustybythepassageoftheEmirandhisvanguard。
Ordershadbeengiventomarchrapidly。Theshorthaltswererare。
Thehundredmilesunderaburningskyseemedinterminable，thoughtheywereperformedasrapidlyaspossible。
Thecountry，whichextendsfromtherightoftheObitothebaseofthespurdetachedfromtheSayanokMountains，isverysterile。Onlyafewstuntedandburnt-upshrubshereandtherebreakthemonotonyoftheimmenseplain。
Therewasnocultivation，fortherewasnowater；anditwaswaterthattheprisoners，parchedbytheirpainfulmarch，mostneeded。
Tofindastreamtheymusthavedivergedfiftyverstseastward，totheveryfootofthemountains。
ThereflowstheTom，alittleaffluentoftheObi，whichpassesnearTomskbeforelosingitselfinoneofthegreatnorthernarteries。
Therewaterwouldhavebeenabundant，thesteppelessarid，theheatlesssevere。ButthestrictestordershadbeengiventothecommandersoftheconvoytoreachTomskbytheshortestway，fortheEmirwasmuchafraidofbeingtakenintheflankandcutoffbysomeRussiancolumndescendingfromthenorthernprovinces。
Itisuselesstodwelluponthesufferingsoftheunhappyprisoners。
Manyhundredsfellonthesteppe，wheretheirbodieswouldlieuntilwinter，whenthewolveswoulddevourtheremnantsoftheirbones。
AsNadiahelpedtheoldSiberian，sointhesamewaydidMichaelrendertohismorefeeblecompanionsinmisfortunesuchservicesashissituationallowed。Heencouragedsome，supportedothers，goingtoandfro，untilaprickfromasoldier’slanceobligedhimtor俿um？theplacewhichhadbeenassignedhimintheranks。
Whydidhenotendeavortoescape？
Thereasonwasthathehadnowquitedeterminednottoventureuntilthesteppewassafeforhim。HewasresolvedinhisideaofgoingasfarasTomsk“attheEmir’sexpense，“andindeedhewasright。
Asheobservedthenumerousdetachmentswhichscouredtheplainontheconvoy’sflanks，nowtothesouth，nowtothenorth，itwasevidentthatbeforehecouldhavegonetwoverstshemusthavebeenrecaptured。TheTartarhorsemenswarmed——
itactuallyappearedasiftheysprangfromtheearth——likeinsectswhichathunderstormbringstothesurfaceoftheground。
Flightundertheseconditionswouldhavebeenextremelydifficult，ifnotimpossible。Thesoldiersoftheescortdisplayedexcessivevigilance，fortheywouldhavepaidfortheslightestcarelessnesswiththeirheads。
Atnightfallofth
后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节
