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what could have become of her in the midst of the invaders？
The anxiety of the unhappy father may be supposed when； from that time；
he had no further news of his daughter。
Wassili Fedor entered the presence of the Grand Duke； bowed； and waited
to be questioned。
〃Wassili Fedor；〃 said the Grand Duke； 〃your companions
in exile have asked to be allowed to form a select corps。
They are not ignorant that in this corps they must make up
their minds to be killed to the last man？〃
〃They are not ignorant of it；〃 replied Fedor。
〃They wish to have you for their captain。〃
〃I； your Highness？〃
〃Do you consent to be placed at their head？〃
〃Yes； if it is for the good of Russia。〃
〃Captain Fedor；〃 said the Grand Duke； 〃you are no longer an exile。〃
〃Thanks； your Highness； but can I command those who are so still？〃
〃They are so no longer！〃 The brother of the Czar had granted a pardon
to all Fedor's companions in exile； now his companions in arms！
Wassili Fedor wrung； with emotion； the hand which the Grand Duke held
out to him； and retired。
The latter； turned to his officers； 〃The Czar will not refuse to ratify
that pardon；〃 said he； smiling； 〃we need heroes to defend the capital
of Siberia； and I have just made some。〃
This pardon； so generously accorded to the exiles of Irkutsk；
was indeed an act of real justice and sound policy。
It was now night。 Through the windows of the palace burned the fires
of the Tartar camp； flickering beyond the Angara。 Down the river
drifted numerous blocks of ice； some of which stuck on the piles
of the old bridges； others were swept along by the current with
great rapidity。 It was evident； as the merchant had observed；
that it would be very difficult for the Angara to freeze all over。
The defenders of Irkutsk had not to dread being attacked on that side。
Ten o'clock had just struck。 The Grand Duke was about to dismiss
his officers and retire to his apartments； when a tumult was heard
outside the palace。
Almost immediately the door was thrown open； an aide…de…camp appeared；
and advanced rapidly towards the Grand Duke。
〃Your Highness；〃 said he； 〃a courier from the Czar！〃
CHAPTER XIII THE CZAR'S COURIER
ALL the members of the council simultaneously started forward。
A courier from the Czar arrived in Irkutsk！ Had these officers
for a moment considered the improbability of this fact；
they would certainly not have credited what they heard。
The Grand Duke advanced quickly to his aide…de…camp。 〃This courier！〃
he exclaimed。
A man entered。 He appeared exhausted with fatigue。
He wore the dress of a Siberian peasant； worn into tatters；
and exhibiting several shot…holes。 A Muscovite cap was on his head。
His face was disfigured by a recently…healed scar。
The man had evidently had a long and painful journey；
his shoes being in a state which showed that he had been obliged
to make part of it on foot。
〃His Highness the Grand Duke？〃 he asked。
The Grand Duke went up to him。 〃You are a courier from
the Czar？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； your Highness。〃
〃You come？〃
〃From Moscow。〃
〃You left Moscow？〃
〃On the 15th of July。〃
〃Your name？〃
〃Michael Strogoff。〃
It was Ivan Ogareff。 He had taken the designation of the man whom
he believed that he had rendered powerless。 Neither the Grand Duke nor
anyone knew him in Irkutsk； and he had not even to disguise his features。
As he was in a position to prove his pretended identity； no one could
have any reason for doubting him。 He came； therefore； sustained by his
iron will； to hasten by treason and assassination the great object
of the invasion。
After Ogareff had replied； the Grand Duke signed to all his officers
to withdraw。 He and the false Michael Strogoff remained alone
in the saloon。
The Grand Duke looked at Ivan Ogareff for some moments with
extreme attention。 Then he said； 〃On the 15th of July you
were at Moscow？〃
〃Yes； your Highness； and on the night of the 14th I saw His Majesty
the Czar at the New Palace。〃
〃Have you a letter from the Czar？〃
〃Here it is。〃
And Ivan Ogareff handed to the Grand Duke the Imperial letter；
crumpled to almost microscopic size。
〃Was the letter given you in this state？〃
〃No； your Highness； but I was obliged to tear the envelope；
the better to hide it from the Emir's soldiers。〃
〃Were you taken prisoner by the Tartars？〃
〃Yes； your Highness； I was their prisoner for several days；〃
answered Ogareff。 〃That is the reason that； having left Moscow on
the 15th of July； as the date of that letter shows； I only reached
Irkutsk on the 2d of October； after traveling seventy…nine days。〃
The Grand Duke took the letter。 He unfolded it and recognized
the Czar's signature； preceded by the decisive formula；
written by his brother's hand。 There was no possible doubt
of the authenticity of this letter； nor of the identity of
the courier。 Though Ogareff's countenance had at first inspired
the Grand Duke with some distrust； he let nothing of it appear；
and it soon vanished。
The Grand Duke remained for a few minutes without speaking。
He read the letter slowly； so as to take in its meaning fully。
〃Michael Strogoff； do you know the contents of this letter？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； your Highness。 I might have been obliged to destroy it；
to prevent its falling into the hands of the Tartars； and should
such have been the case； I wished to be able to bring the contents
of it to your Highness。〃
〃You know that this letter enjoins us all to die； rather than give
up the town？〃
〃I know it。〃
〃You know also that it informs me of the movements of the troops
which have combined to stop the invasion？〃
〃Yes； your Highness； but the movements have failed。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃I mean that Ichim； Omsk； Tomsk； to speak only of the more
important towns of the two Siberias； have been successively
occupied by the soldiers of Feofar…Khan。〃
〃But there has been fighting？ Have not our Cossacks met the Tartars？〃
〃Several times； your Highness。〃
〃And they were repulsed？〃
〃They were not in sufficient force to oppose the enemy。〃
〃Where did the encounters take place？〃
〃At Kolyvan； at Tomsk。〃 Until now； Ogareff had only spoken the truth；
but； in the hope of troubling the defenders of Irkutsk by exaggerating
the defeats； he added； 〃And a third time before Krasnoiarsk。〃
〃And what of this last engagement？〃 asked the Grand Duke；
through whose compressed lips the words could scarcely pass。
〃It was more than an engagement； your Highness；〃 answered Ogareff；
〃it was a battle。〃
〃A battle？〃
〃Twenty thousand Russians； from the frontier provinces and the government
of Tobolsk； engaged with a hundred and fifty thousand Tartars； and；
notwithstanding their courage； were overwhelmed。〃
〃You lie！〃 exclaimed the Grand Duke； endeavoring in vain
to curb his passion。
〃I speak the truth； your Highness；〃 replied Ivan Ogareff coldly。
〃I was present at the battle of Krasnoiarsk； and it was there I
was made prisoner！〃
The Grand Duke grew calmer； and by a significant gesture he gave
Ogareff to understand that he did not doubt his veracity。
〃What day did this battle of Krasnoiarsk take place？〃 he asked。
〃On the 2d of September。〃
〃And now all the Tartar troops are concentrated here？〃
〃All。〃
〃And you estimate them？〃
〃At about four hundred thousand men。〃
Another exaggeration of Ogareff's in the estimate of the Tartar army；
with the same object as before。
〃And I must not expect any help from the West provinces？〃
asked the Grand Duke。
〃None； your Highness； at any rate before the end of the winter。〃
〃Well； hear this； Michael Strogoff。 Though I must expect no help
either from the East or from the West； even were these barbarians
six hundred thousand strong； I will never give up Irkutsk！〃
Ogareff's evil eye slightly contracted。 The traitor thought to himself
that the brother of the Czar did not reckon the result of treason。
The Grand Duke； who was of a nervous temperament； had great
difficulty in keeping calm whilst hearing this disastrous news。
He walked to and fro in the room； under the gaze of Ogareff；
who eyed him as a victim reserved for vengeance。 He stopped
at the