下载辰思小说免费APP
“Yes，general，“repliedtheGrandDuke，“andIdojusticetotheirpatriotism。ThankstoGod，theyhavenotyetbeensubjectedtothehorrorsofepidemicandfamine，andIhavereasontohopethattheywillescapethem；
butIcannotadmiretheircourageontherampartsenough。
Youhearmywords，SirMerchant，andIbegyoutorepeatsuchtothem。“
“IthankyourHighnessinthenameofthetown，“answeredthemerchantchief。“MayIaskyouwhatisthemostdistantdatewhenwemayexpecttherelievingarmy？“
“Sixdaysatmost，sir，“repliedtheGrandDuke。“Abraveandclevermessengermanagedthismorningtogetintothetown，andhetoldmethatfiftythousandRussiansunderGeneralKisselef，areadvancingbyforcedmarches。Twodaysago，theywereonthebanksoftheLena，atKirensk，andnow，neitherfrostnorsnowwillkeepthemback。
Fiftythousandgoodmen，takingtheTartarsontheflank，willsoonsetusfree。“
“Iwilladd，“saidthechiefofthemerchants，“thatweshallbereadytoexecuteyourorders，anydaythatyourHighnessmaycommandasortie。“
“Good，sir，“repliedtheGrandDuke。“Waittilltheheadsoftherelievingcolumnsappearontheheights，andwewillspeedilycrushtheseinvaders。“
ThenturningtoGeneralVoranzoff，“To-morrow，“saidhe，“wewillvisittheworksontherightbank。IceisdriftingdowntheAngara，whichwillnotbelonginfreezing，andinthatcasetheTartarsmightperhapscross。“
“WillyourHighnessallowmetomakeanobservation？“
saidthechiefofthemerchants。
“Doso，sir。“
“Ihavemorethanonceseenthetemperaturefalltothirtyandfortydegreesbelowzero，andtheAngarahasstillcarrieddowndriftingicewithoutentirelyfreezing。
Thisisnodoubtowingtotheswiftnessofitscurrent。
IfthereforetheTartarshavenoothermeansofcrossingtheriver，IcanassureyourHighnessthattheywillnotenterIrkutskinthatway。“
Thegovernor-generalconfirmedthisassertion。
“Itisafortunatecircumstance，“respondedtheGrandDuke。
“Nevertheless，wemustholdourselvesreadyforanyemergency。“
Hethen，turningtowardstheheadofthepolice，asked，“Haveyounothingtosaytome，sir？“
“IhaveyourHighness，“answeredtheheadofpolice，“apetitionwhichisaddressedtoyouthroughme。“
“Addressedbywhom？“
“BytheSiberianexiles，whom，asyourHighnessknows，areinthetowntothenumberoffivehundred。“
Thepoliticalexiles，distributedovertheprovince，hadbeencollectedinIrkutsk，fromthebeginningoftheinvasion。
Theyhadobeyedtheordertorallyinthetown，andleavethevillageswheretheyexercisedtheirdifferentprofessions，somedoctors，someprofessors，eitherattheGymnasium，orattheJapaneseSchool，orattheSchoolofNavigation。TheGrandDuke，trustingliketheCzarintheirpatriotism，hadarmedthem，andtheyhadthoroughlyprovedtheirbravery。
“Whatdotheexilesask？“saidtheGrandDuke。
“TheyasktheconsentofyourHighness，“answeredtheheadofpolice，“totheirformingaspecialcorpsandbeingplacedinthefrontofthefirstsortie。“
“Yes，“repliedtheGrandDukewithanemotionwhichhedidnotseektohide，“theseexilesareRussians，anditistheirrighttofightfortheircountry！“
“IbelieveImayassureyourHighness，“saidthegovernor-general，“youwillhavenobettersoldiers。“
“Buttheymusthaveachief，“saidtheGrandDuke，“whowillhebe？“
“TheywishtorecommendtoyourHighness，“saidtheheadofpolice，“oneoftheirnumber，whohasdistinguishedhimselfonseveraloccasions。“
“IsheaRussian？“
“Yes，aRussianfromtheBalticprovinces。“
“Hisname？“
“IsWassiliFedor。“
ThisexilewasNadia’sfather。WassiliFedor，aswehavealreadysaid，followedhisprofessionofamedicalma
后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节
