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of the government of Tobolsk to concentrate their forces。〃
〃Nothing can be more true； Mr。 Blount； I was equally well acquainted
with these measures； and you may be sure that my dear cousin shall
know of them to…morrow。〃
〃Exactly as the readers of the Daily Telegraph shall know
it also； M。 Jolivet。〃
〃Well； when one sees all that is going on。 。 。 。〃
〃And when one hears all that is said。 。 。 。〃
〃An interesting campaign to follow； Mr。 Blount。〃
〃I shall follow it； M。 Jolivet！〃
〃Then it is possible that we shall find ourselves on ground
less safe； perhaps； than the floor of this ball…room。〃
〃Less safe； certainly； but〃
〃But much less slippery；〃 added Alcide Jolivet； holding up his companion；
just as the latter； drawing back； was about to lose his equilibrium。
Thereupon the two correspondents separated； pleased that the one
had not stolen a march on the other。
At that moment the doors of the rooms adjoining the great reception
saloon were thrown open； disclosing to view several immense tables
beautifully laid out； and groaning under a profusion of valuable
china and gold plate。 On the central table； reserved for
the princes； princesses； and members of the corps diplomatique；
glittered an epergne of inestimable price； brought from London；
and around this chef…d'oeuvre of chased gold reflected under
the light of the lusters a thousand pieces of most beautiful
service from the manufactories of Sevres。
The guests of the New Palace immediately began to stream
towards the supper…rooms。
At that moment。 General Kissoff； who had just re…entered； quickly
approached the officer of chasseurs。
〃Well？〃 asked the latter abruptly； as he had done the former time。
〃Telegrams pass Tomsk no longer； sire。〃
〃A courier this moment！〃
The officer left the hall and entered a large antechamber adjoining。
It was a cabinet with plain oak furniture； situated in an angle of
the New Palace。 Several pictures； amongst others some by Horace Vernet；
hung on the wall。
The officer hastily opened a window； as if he felt the want
of air； and stepped out on a balcony to breathe the pure
atmosphere of a lovely July night。 Beneath his eyes；
bathed in moonlight； lay a fortified inclosure； from which
rose two cathedrals； three palaces； and an arsenal。
Around this inclosure could be seen three distinct towns：
Kitai…Gorod； Beloi…Gorod； Zemlianai…GorodEuropean； Tartar；
and Chinese quarters of great extent； commanded by towers；
belfries； minarets； and the cupolas of three hundred churches；
with green domes； surmounted by the silver cross。
A little winding river； here and there reflected the rays
of the moon。
This river was the Moskowa； the town Moscow； the fortified inclosure
the Kremlin； and the officer of chasseurs of the guard； who； with folded
arms and thoughtful brow； was listening dreamily to the sounds floating
from the New Palace over the old Muscovite city； was the Czar。
CHAPTER II RUSSIANS AND TARTARS
THE Czar had not so suddenly left the ball…room of the New Palace；
when the fete he was giving to the civil and military authorities
and principal people of Moscow was at the height of its brilliancy；
without ample cause； for he had just received information that serious
events were taking place beyond the frontiers of the Ural。 It had become
evident that a formidable rebellion threatened to wrest the Siberian
provinces from the Russian crown。
Asiatic Russia； or Siberia； covers a superficial area of 1；790；208
square miles； and contains nearly two millions of inhabitants。
Extending from the Ural Mountains； which separate it
from Russia in Europe； to the shores of the Pacific Ocean；
it is bounded on the south by Turkestan and the Chinese Empire；
on the north by the Arctic Ocean； from the Sea of Kara
to Behring's Straits。 It is divided into several governments
or provinces； those of Tobolsk； Yeniseisk； Irkutsk； Omsk；
and Yakutsk； contains two districts； Okhotsk and Kamtschatka；
and possesses two countries； now under the Muscovite dominion
that of the Kirghiz and that of the Tshouktshes。 This immense
extent of steppes； which includes more than one hundred and
ten degrees from west to east； is a land to which criminals
and political offenders are banished。
Two governor…generals represent the supreme authority of the Czar
over this vast country。 The higher one resides at Irkutsk；
the far capital of Eastern Siberia。 The River Tchouna separates
the two Siberias。
No rail yet furrows these wide plains； some of which are in reality
extremely fertile。 No iron ways lead from those precious mines
which make the Siberian soil far richer below than above its surface。
The traveler journeys in summer in a kibick or telga； in winter；
in a sledge。
An electric telegraph； with a single wire more than eight thousand
versts in length； alone affords communication between the western
and eastern frontiers of Siberia。 On issuing from the Ural； it passes
through Ekaterenburg； Kasirnov； Tioumen； Ishim； Omsk； Elamsk； Kolyvan；
Tomsk； Krasnoiarsk； Nijni…Udinsk； Irkutsk； Verkne…Nertschink； Strelink；
Albazine； Blagowstenks； Radde； Orlomskaya； Alexandrowskoe； and Nikolaevsk；
and six roubles and nineteen copecks are paid for every word sent
from one end to the other。 From Irkutsk there is a branch to Kiatka；
on the Mongolian frontier； and from thence； for thirty copecks a word；
the post conveys the dispatches to Pekin in a fortnight。
It was this wire； extending from Ekaterenburg to Nikolaevsk；
which had been cut； first beyond Tomsk； and then between
Tomsk and Kolyvan。
This was why the Czar； to the communication made to him for
the second time by General Kissoff； had answered by the words；
〃A courier this moment！〃
The Czar remained motionless at the window for a few moments；
when the door was again opened。 The chief of police appeared
on the threshold。
〃Enter； General；〃 said the Czar briefly； 〃and tell me all you
know of Ivan Ogareff。〃
〃He is an extremely dangerous man； sire；〃 replied the chief of police。
〃He ranked as colonel； did he not？〃
〃Yes； sire。〃
〃Was he an intelligent officer？〃
〃Very intelligent； but a man whose spirit it was impossible to subdue；
and possessing an ambition which stopped at nothing； he became involved
in secret intrigues； and was degraded from his rank by his Highness
the Grand Duke； and exiled to Siberia。〃
〃How long ago was that？〃
〃Two years since。 Pardoned after six months of exile by your
majesty's favor； he returned to Russia。〃
〃And since that time； has he not revisited Siberia？〃
〃Yes； sire； but he voluntarily returned there；〃 replied the chief
of police； adding； and slightly lowering his voice； 〃there was
a time； sire； when NONE returned from Siberia。〃
〃Well； whilst I live； Siberia is and shall be a country whence
men CAN return。〃
The Czar had the right to utter these words with some pride；
for often； by his clemency； he had shown that Russian justice
knew how to pardon。
The head of the police did not reply to this observation； but it
was evident that he did not approve of such half…measures。 According
to his idea； a man who had once passed the Ural Mountains in charge
of policemen； ought never again to cross them。 Now； it was not thus
under the new reign； and the chief of police sincerely deplored it。
What！ no banishment for life for other crimes than those against
social order！ What！ political exiles returning from Tobolsk；
from Yakutsk； from Irkutsk！ In truth； the chief of police；
accustomed to the despotic sentences of the ukase which formerly
never pardoned； could not understand this mode of governing。
But he was silent； waiting until the Czar should interrogate him further。
The questions were not long in coming。
〃Did not Ivan Ogareff；〃 asked the Czar； 〃return to Russia
a second time； after that journey through the Siberian provinces；
the object of which remains unknown？〃
〃He did。〃
〃And have the police lost trace of him since？〃
〃No； sire； for an offender only becomes really dangerous from the day
he has received his pardon。〃
The Czar frowned。 Perhaps the chief of police feared that he had
gone rather too far； though the stubbornness