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he has received his pardon。〃
The Czar frowned。 Perhaps the chief of police feared that he had
gone rather too far； though the stubbornness of his ideas was at
least equal to the boundless devotion he felt for his master。
But the Czar； disdaining to reply to these indirect
reproaches cast on his policy； continued his questions。
〃Where was Ogareff last heard of？〃
〃In the province of Perm。〃
〃In what town？〃
〃At Perm itself。〃
〃What was he doing？〃
〃He appeared unoccupied； and there was nothing suspicious
in his conduct。〃
〃Then he was not under the surveillance of the secret police？〃
〃No； sire。〃
〃When did he leave Perm？〃
〃About the month of March？〃
〃To go。。。？〃
〃Where； is unknown。〃
〃And it is not known what has become of him？〃
〃No； sire； it is not known。〃
〃Well； then； I myself know；〃 answered the Czar。 〃I have received
anonymous communications which did not pass through the police department；
and； in the face of events now taking place beyond the frontier；
I have every reason to believe that they are correct。〃
〃Do you mean； sire；〃 cried the chief of police； 〃that Ivan Ogareff
has a hand in this Tartar rebellion？〃
〃Indeed I do； and I will now tell you something which you
are ignorant of。 After leaving Perm； Ivan Ogareff crossed
the Ural mountains； entered Siberia； and penetrated the
Kirghiz steppes； and there endeavored； not without success；
to foment rebellion amongst their nomadic population。
He then went so far south as free Turkestan； there； in the provinces
of Bokhara； Khokhand； and Koondooz； he found chiefs willing
to pour their Tartar hordes into Siberia； and excite a general
rising in Asiatic Russia。 The storm has been silently gathering；
but it has at last burst like a thunderclap； and now all means
of communication between Eastern and Western Siberia have
been stopped。 Moreover； Ivan Ogareff； thirsting for vengeance；
aims at the life of my brother！〃
The Czar had become excited whilst speaking； and now paced up
and down with hurried steps。 The chief of police said nothing；
but he thought to himself that； during the time when the
emperors of Russia never pardoned an exile； schemes such
as those of Ivan Ogareff could never have been realized。
Approaching the Czar； who had thrown himself into an armchair；
he asked； 〃Your majesty has of course given orders so that this
rebellion may be suppressed as soon as possible？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered the Czar。 〃The last telegram which reached
Nijni…Udinsk would set in motion the troops in the governments
of Yenisei； Irkutsk； Yakutsk； as well as those in the provinces
of the Amoor and Lake Baikal。 At the same time； the regiments
from Perm and Nijni…Novgorod； and the Cossacks from the frontier；
are advancing by forced marches towards the Ural Mountains；
but some weeks must pass before they can attack the Tartars。〃
〃And your majesty's brother； his Highness the Grand Duke；
is now isolated in the government of Irkutsk； and is no longer
in direct communication with Moscow？〃
〃That is so。〃
〃But by the last dispatches； he must know what measures have
been taken by your majesty； and what help he may expect from
the governments nearest Irkutsk？〃
〃He knows that；〃 answered the Czar； 〃but what he does not know is；
that Ivan Ogareff； as well as being a rebel； is also playing the part
of a traitor； and that in him he has a personal and bitter enemy。
It is to the Grand Duke that Ogareff owes his first disgrace；
and what is more serious is； that this man is not known to him。
Ogareff's plan； therefore； is to go to Irkutsk； and； under an
assumed name； offer his services to the Grand Duke。 Then； after gaining
his confidence； when the Tartars have invested Irkutsk； he will
betray the town； and with it my brother； whose life he seeks。
This is what I have learned from my secret intelligence； this is
what the Grand Duke does not know； and this is what he must know！〃
〃Well； sire； an intelligent； courageous courier 。 。 。〃
〃I momentarily expect one。〃
〃And it is to be hoped he will be expeditious；〃 added the chief
of police； 〃for； allow me to add； sire； that Siberia is a favorable
land for rebellions。〃
〃Do you mean to say。 General； that the exiles would make common
cause with the rebels？〃 exclaimed the Czar。
〃Excuse me； your majesty；〃 stammered the chief of police；
for that was really the idea suggested to him by his uneasy
and suspicious mind。
〃I believe in their patriotism；〃 returned the Czar。
〃There are other offenders besides political exiles in Siberia；〃
said the chief of police。
〃The criminals？ Oh； General； I give those up to you！
They are the vilest； I grant； of the human race。
They belong to no country。 But the insurrection； or rather；
the rebellion； is not to oppose the emperor； it is raised
against Russia； against the country which the exiles have not
lost all hope of again seeingand which they will see again。
No； a Russian would never unite with a Tartar； to weaken；
were it only for an hour； the Muscovite power！〃
The Czar was right in trusting to the patriotism of those whom
his policy kept； for a time； at a distance。 Clemency； which was
the foundation of his justice； when he could himself direct its effects；
the modifications he had adopted with regard to applications for the
formerly terrible ukases； warranted the belief that he was not mistaken。
But even without this powerful element of success in regard to
the Tartar rebellion； circumstances were not the less very serious；
for it was to be feared that a large part of the Kirghiz population
would join the rebels。
The Kirghiz are divided into three hordes； the greater； the lesser；
and the middle； and number nearly four hundred thousand 〃tents；〃
or two million souls。 Of the different tribes some are independent
and others recognize either the sovereignty of Russia or that of
the Khans of Khiva； Khokhand； and Bokhara； the most formidable chiefs
of Turkestan。 The middle horde； the richest； is also the largest； and its
encampments occupy all the space between the rivers Sara Sou； Irtish；
and the Upper Ishim； Lake Saisang and Lake Aksakal。 The greater horde；
occupying the countries situated to the east of the middle one； extends as
far as the governments of Omsk and Tobolsk。 Therefore； if the Kirghiz
population should rise； it would be the rebellion of Asiatic Russia；
and the first thing would be the separation of Siberia； to the east
of the Yenisei。
It is true that these Kirghiz； mere novices in the art of war； are rather
nocturnal thieves and plunderers of caravans than regular soldiers。
As M。 Levchine says； 〃a firm front or a square of good infantry could
repel ten times the number of Kirghiz； and a single cannon might destroy
a frightful number。〃
That may be； but to do this it is necessary for the square of good
infantry to reach the rebellious country； and the cannon to leave
the arsenals of the Russian provinces； perhaps two or three thousand
versts distant。 Now； except by the direct route from Ekaterenburg
to Irkutsk； the often marshy steppes are not easily practicable；
and some weeks must certainly pass before the Russian troops could
reach the Tartar hordes。
Omsk is the center of that military organization of Western Siberia
which is intended to overawe the Kirghiz population。 Here are
the bounds； more than once infringed by the half…subdued nomads；
and there was every reason to believe that Omsk was already in danger。
The line of military stations； that is to say； those Cossack
posts which are ranged in echelon from Omsk to Semipolatinsk；
must have been broken in several places。 Now； it was to be
feared that the 〃Grand Sultans；〃 who govern the Kirghiz
districts would either voluntarily accept； or involuntarily
submit to； the dominion of Tartars； Mussulmen like themselves；
and that to the hate caused by slavery was not united the hate
due to the antagonism of the Greek and Mussulman religions。
For some time； indeed； the Tartars of Turkestan had endeavored；
both by force and persuasion； to subdue the Kirghiz hordes。
A few words only with respect to these Tartars。 The Tartars
belong more especially to two distinct races； the Caucasian