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thatherdressseemedtobeliterallymadeofpreciousstones。
Thethousandsofdiamondswhichsparkledonherneck，arms，hands，atherwaist，andatherfeetmighthavebeenvaluedatalmostcountlessmillionsofroubles。
TheEmirandtheKhansdismounted，asdidthedignitarieswhoescortedthem。Allenteredamagnificenttenterectedonthecenterofthefirstterrace。Beforethetent，asusual，theKoranwaslaid。
Feofar’slieutenantdidnotmakethemwait，andbeforefiveo’clockthetrumpetsannouncedhisarrival。IvanOgareff——
theScarredCheek，ashewasalreadynick-named——wearingtheuniformofaTartarofficer，dismountedbeforetheEmir’stent。
HewasaccompaniedbyapartyofsoldiersfromthecampatZabediero，whorangedupatthesidesofthesquare，inthemiddleofwhichaplaceforthesportswasreserved。
Alargescarcouldbedistinctlyseencutobliquelyacrossthetraitor’sface。
OgareffpresentedhisprincipalofficerstotheEmir，who，withoutdepartingfromthecoldnesswhichcomposedthemainpartofhisdignity，receivedtheminawaywhichsatisfiedthemthattheystoodwellinthegoodgracesoftheirchief。
AtleastsothoughtHarryBlountandAlcideJolivet，thetwoinseparables，nowassociatedtogetherinthechaseafternews。
AfterleavingZabediero，theyhadproceededrapidlytoTomsk。TheplantheyhadagreeduponwastoleavetheTartarsassoonaspossible，andtojoinaRussianregiment，and，iftheycould，togowiththemtoIrkutsk。Allthattheyhadseenoftheinvasion，itsburnings，itspillages，itsmurders，hadperfectlysickenedthem，andtheylongedtobeamongtheranksoftheSiberianarmy。
JolivethadtoldhiscompanionthathecouldnotleaveTomskwithoutmakingasketchofthetriumphalentryoftheTartartroops，ifitwasonlytosatisfyhiscousin’scuriosity；butthesameeveningtheybothintendedtotaketheroadtoIrkutsk，andbeingwellmountedhopedtodistancetheEmir’sscouts。
AlcideandBlountmingledthereforeinthecrowd，soastolosenodetailofafestivalwhichoughttosupplythemwithahundredgoodlinesforanarticle。TheyadmiredthemagnificenceofFeofar-Khan，hiswives，hisofficers，hisguards，andalltheEasternpomp，ofwhichtheceremoniesofEuropecangivenottheleastidea。
ButtheyturnedawaywithdisgustwhenIvanOgareffpresentedhimselfbeforetheEmir，andwaitedwithsomeimpatiencefortheamusementstobegin。
“Yousee，mydearBlount，“saidAlcide，“wehavecometoosoon，likehonestcitizenswholiketogettheirmoney’sworth。
Allthisisbeforethecurtainrises，itwouldhavebeenbettertoarriveonlyfortheballet。“
“Whatballet？“askedBlount。
“Thecompulsoryballet，tobesure。Butsee，thecurtainisgoingtorise。“AlcideJolivetspokeasifhehadbeenattheOpera，andtakinghisglassfromitscase，heprepared，withtheairofaconnoisseur，“toexaminethefirstactofFeofar’scompany。“
Apainfulceremonywastoprecedethesports。Infact，thetriumphofthevanquishercouldnotbecompletewithoutthepublichumiliationofthevanquished。Thiswaswhyseveralhundredsofprisonerswerebroughtunderthesoldiers’whips。
TheyweredestinedtomarchpastFeofar-Khanandhisalliesbeforebeingcrammedwiththeircompanionsintotheprisonsinthetown。
InthefirstranksoftheseprisonersfiguredMichaelStrogoff。
AsOgareffhadordered，hewasspeciallyguardedbyafileofsoldiers。
HismotherandNadiaweretherealso。
TheoldSiberian，althoughenergeticenoughwhenherownsafetywasinquestion，wasfrightfullypale。Sheexpectedsometerriblescene。ItwasnotwithoutreasonthathersonhadbeenbroughtbeforetheEmir。Shethereforetrembledforhim。
IvanOgareffwasnotamantoforgivehavingbeenstruckinpublicbytheknout，andhisvengeancewouldbemerciless。
SomefrightfulpunishmentfamiliartothebarbariansofCentralAsiawou
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