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brought from Moscow reaches Irkutsk； if it is given to the Grand Duke；
the Grand Duke will be on his guard； and I shall not be able
to get at him。 I must have that letter at any price。
Now you come to tell me that the bearer of this letter is in my power。
I repeat； Sangarre； are you not mistaken？〃
Ogareff spoke with great animation。 His emotion showed the extreme
importance he attached to the possession of this letter。 Sangarre was not
at all put out by the urgency with which Ogareff repeated his question。
〃I am not mistaken； Ivan；〃 she said。
〃But； Sangarre； there are thousands of prisoners； and you say
that you do not know Michael Strogoff。〃
〃No；〃 answered the Tsigane； with a look of savage joy； 〃I do not know him；
but his mother knows him。 Ivan； we must make his mother speak。〃
〃To…morrow she shall speak！〃 cried Ogareff。 So saying；
he extended his hand to the Tsigane； who kissed it； for there
is nothing servile in this act of respect； it being usual among
the Northern races。
Sangarre returned to the camp。 She found out Nadia and
Marfa Strogoff； and passed the night in watching them。
Although worn out with fatigue； the old woman and the girl
did not sleep。 Their great anxiety kept them awake。
Michael was living； but a prisoner。 Did Ogareff know him；
or would he not soon find him out？ Nadia was occupied by
the one thought that he whom she had thought dead still lived。
But Marfa saw further into the future： and； although she did
not care what became of herself； she had every reason to fear
for her son。
Sangarre； under cover of the night； had crept near the two women；
and remained there several hours listening。 She heard nothing。
From an instinctive feeling of prudence not a word was exchanged between
Nadia and Marfa Strogoff。 The next day； the 16th of August； about ten
in the morning； trumpet…calls resounded throughout the encampment。
The Tartar soldiers were almost immediately under arms。
Ivan Ogareff arrived； surrounded by a large staff of Tartar officers。
His face was more clouded than usual； and his knitted brow gave signs
of latent wrath which was waiting for an occasion to break forth。
Michael Strogoff； hidden in a group of prisoners； saw this man pass。
He had a presentiment that some catastrophe was imminent：
for Ivan Ogareff knew now that Marfa was the mother of Michael Strogoff。
Ogareff dismounted； and his escort cleared a large circle round him。
Just then Sangarre approached him； and said； 〃I have no news。〃
Ivan Ogareff's only reply was to give an order to one of his officers。
Then the ranks of prisoners were brutally hurried up by the soldiers。
The unfortunate people； driven on with whips； or pushed on with lances；
arranged themselves round the camp。 A strong guard of soldiers drawn
up behind； rendered escape impossible。
Silence then ensued； and； on a sign from Ivan Ogareff； Sangarre advanced
towards the group； in the midst of which stood Marfa。
The old Siberian saw her； and knew what was going to happen。
A scornful smile passed over her face。 Then leaning towards Nadia；
she said in a low tone； 〃You know me no longer； my daughter。
Whatever may happen； and however hard this trial may be； not a word；
not a sign。 It concerns him； and not me。〃
At that moment Sangarre； having regarded her for an instant；
put her hand on her shoulder。
〃What do you want with me？〃 said Marfa。
〃Come！〃 replied Sangarre； and pushing the old Siberian before her；
she took her to Ivan Ogareff； in the middle of the cleared ground。
Michael cast down his eyes that their angry flashings might not appear。
Marfa； standing before Ivan Ogareff； drew herself up； crossed her arms
on her breast； and waited。
〃You are Marfa Strogoff？〃 asked Ogareff。
〃Yes；〃 replied the old Siberian calmly。
〃Do you retract what you said to me when； three days ago；
I interrogated you at Omsk？〃
〃No！〃
〃Then you do not know that your son； Michael Strogoff；
courier of the Czar； has passed through Omsk？〃
〃I do not know it。〃
〃And the man in whom you thought you recognized your son；
was not he your son？〃
〃He was not my son。〃
〃And since then you have not seen him amongst the prisoners？〃
〃No。〃
〃If he were pointed out； would you recognize him？〃
〃No。〃
On this reply； which showed such determined resolution；
a murmur was heard amongst the crowd。
Ogareff could not restrain a threatening gesture。
〃Listen；〃 said he to Marfa； 〃your son is here； and you shall
immediately point him out to me。〃
〃No。〃
〃All these men； taken at Omsk and Kolyvan； will defile before you；
and if you do not show me Michael Strogoff； you shall receive
as many blows of the knout as men shall have passed before you。〃
Ivan Ogareff saw that； whatever might be his threats；
whatever might be the tortures to which he submitted her；
the indomitable Siberian would not speak。 To discover the courier
of the Czar； he counted； then； not on her； but on Michael himself。
He did not believe it possible that； when mother and son were in each
other's presence； some involuntary movement would not betray him。
Of course； had he wished to seize the imperial letter；
he would simply have given orders to search all the prisoners；
but Michael might have destroyed the letter； having learnt
its contents； and if he were not recognized； if he were to
reach Irkutsk； all Ivan Ogareff's plans would be baffled。
It was thus not only the letter which the traitor must have；
but the bearer himself。
Nadia had heard all； and she now knew who was Michael Strogoff；
and why he had wished to cross； without being recognized；
the invaded provinces of Siberia。
On an order from Ivan Ogareff the prisoners defiled； one by one；
past Marfa； who remained immovable as a statue； and whose face
expressed only perfect indifference。
Her son was among the last。 When in his turn he passed before
his mother； Nadia shut her eyes that she might not see him。
Michael was to all appearance unmoved； but the palm of his hand
bled under his nails； which were pressed into them。
Ivan Ogareff was baffled by mother and son。
Sangarre； close to him； said one word； 〃The knout！〃
〃Yes；〃 cried Ogareff； who could no longer restrain himself；
〃the knout for this wretched old womanthe knout to the death！〃
A Tartar soldier bearing this terrible instrument of torture
approached Marfa。 The knout is composed of a certain number of leathern
thongs； at the end of which are attached pieces of twisted iron wire。
It is reckoned that a sentence to one hundred and twenty blows of this
whip is equivalent to a sentence of death。
Marfa knew it； but she knew also that no torture would make her speak。
She was sacrificing her life。
Marfa； seized by two soldiers； was forced on her knees
on the ground。 Her dress torn off left her back bare。
A saber was placed before her breast； at a few inches' distance only。
Directly she bent beneath her suffering； her breast would
be pierced by the sharp steel。
The Tartar drew himself up。 He waited。 〃Begin！〃 said Ogareff。 The whip
whistled in the air。
But before it fell a powerful hand stopped the Tartar's arm。
Michael was there。 He had leapt forward at this horrible scene。
If at the relay at Ichim he had restrained himself when Ogareff's whip
had struck him； here before his mother； who was about to be struck；
he could not do so。 Ivan Ogareff had succeeded。
〃Michael Strogoff！〃 cried he。 Then advancing； 〃Ah； the man of Ichim？〃
〃Himself！〃 said Michael。 And raising the knout he struck Ogareff
a sharp blow across the face。 〃Blow for blow！〃 said he。
〃Well repaid！〃 cried a voice concealed by the tumult。
Twenty soldiers threw themselves on Michael； and in another instant
he would have been slain。
But Ogareff； who on being struck had uttered a cry of rage and pain；
stopped them。 〃This man is reserved for the Emir's judgment；〃
said he。 〃Search him！〃
The letter with the imperial arms was found in Michael's bosom；
he had not had time to destroy it； it was handed to Ogareff。
The voice which had pronounced the words； 〃Well repaid！〃
was that of no other than Alcide Jolivet。 〃Par…dieu！〃 said
he to Blount； 〃they are rough； these people。
Ack