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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。
Acknowledge that we owe our traveling companion a good turn。
Korpanoff or Strogoff is worthy of it。 Oh； that was fine
retaliation for the little affair at Ichim。〃
〃Yes； retaliation truly；〃 replied Blount； 〃but Strogoff is a dead man。
I suspect that； for his own interest at all events； it would have been
better had he not possessed quite so lively a recollection of the event。〃
〃And let his mother perish under the knout？〃
〃Do you think that either she or his sister will be a bit better
off from this outbreak of his？〃
〃I do not know or think anything except that I should have done
much the same in his position；〃 replied Alcide。 〃What a scar
the Colonel has received！ Bah！ one must boil over sometimes。
We should have had water in our veins instead of blood had it been
incumbent on us to be always and everywhere unmoved to wrath。〃
〃A neat little incident for our journals；〃 observed Blount；
〃if only Ivan Ogareff would let us know the contents of that letter。〃
Ivan Ogareff； when he had stanched the blood which was trickling
down his face； had broken the seal。 He read and re…read
the letter deliberately； as if he was determined to discover
everything it contained。
Then having ordered that Michael； carefully bound and guarded；
should be carried on to Tomsk with the other prisoners； he took
command of the troops at Zabediero； and； amid the deafening
noise of drums and trumpets； he marched towards the town
where the Emir awaited him。
CHAPTER IV THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY
TOMSK； founded in 1604； nearly in the heart of the Siberian provinces；
is one of the most important towns in Asiatic Russia。 Tobolsk； situated
above the sixtieth parallel； Irkutsk； built beyond the hundredth meridian
have seen Tomsk increase at their expense。
And yet Tomsk； as has been said； is not the capital of this
important province。 It is at Omsk that the Governor…General
of the province and the official world reside。 But Tomsk
is the most considerable town of that territory。 The country
being rich； the town is so likewise； for it is in the center
of fruitful mines。 In the luxury of its houses； its arrangements；
and its equipages； it might rival the greatest European capitals。
It is a city of millionaires； enriched by the spade and pickax；
and though it has not the honor of being the residence of the
Czar's representative； it can boast of including in the first
rank of its notables the chief of the merchants of the town；
the principal grantees of the imperial government's mines。
But the millionaires were fled now； and except for the crouching poor；
the town stood empty to the hordes of Feofar…Khan。 At four o'clock the
Emir made his entry into the square； greeted by a flourish of trumpets；
the rolling sound of the big drums； salvoes of artillery and musketry。
Feofar mounted his favorite horse； which carried on its head
an aigrette of diamonds。 The Emir still wore his uniform。
He was accompanied by a numerous staff； and beside him walked
the Khans of Khokhand and Koundouge and the grand dignitaries
of the Khanats。
At the same moment appeared on the terrace the chief
of Feofar's wives； the queen； if this title may be given
to the sultana of the states of Bokhara。 But； queen or slave；
this woman of Persian origin was wonderfully beautiful。
Contrary to the Mahometan custom； and no doubt by some
caprice of the Emir； she had her face uncovered。 Her hair；
divided into four plaits； fell over her dazzling white shoulders；
scarcely concealed by a veil of silk worked in gold； which fell
from the back of a cap studded with gems of the highest value。
Under her blue…silk petticoat； fell the 〃zirdjameh〃 of
silken gauze； and above the sash lay the 〃pirahn。〃 But from
the head to the little feet； such was the profusion of jewels
gold beads strung on silver threads； chaplets of turquoises；
〃firouzehs〃 from the celebrated mines of Elbourz；
necklaces of cornelians； agates； emeralds； opals； and sapphires
that her dress seemed to be literally made of precious stones。
The thousands of diamonds which sparkled on her neck； arms； hands；
at her waist； and at her feet might have been valued at almost
countless millions of roubles。
The Emir and the Khans dismounted； as did the dignitaries
who escorted them。 All entered a magnificent tent erected
on the center of the first terrace。 Before the tent； as usual；
the Koran was laid。
Feofar's lieutenant did not make them wait； and before five
o'clock the trumpets announced his arrival。 Ivan Ogareff
the Scarred Cheek； as he was already nick…namedwearing the
uniform of a Tartar officer； dismounted before the Emir's tent。
He was accompanied by a party of soldiers from the camp
at Zabediero； who ranged up at the sides of the square；
in the middle of which a place for the sports was reserved。
A large scar could be distinctly seen cut obliquely across
the traitor's face。
Ogareff presented his principal officers to the Emir； who；
without departing from the coldness which composed the main
part of his dignity； received them in a way which satisfied
them that they stood well in the good graces of their chief。
At least so thought Harry Blount and Alcide Jolivet； the two
inseparables； now associated together in the chase after news。
After leaving Zabediero； they had proceeded rapidly to Tomsk。 The plan
they had agreed upon was to leave the Tartars as soon as possible；
and to join a Russian regiment； and； if they could； to go
with them to Irkutsk。 All that they had seen of the invasion；
its burnings； its pillages； its murders； had perfectly sickened them；
and they longed to be among the ranks of the Siberian army。
Jolivet had told his companion that he could not leave Tomsk without
making a sketch of the triumphal entry of the Tartar troops；
if it was only to satisfy his cousin's curiosity； but the same
evening they both intended to take the road to Irkutsk； and being
well mounted hoped to distance the Emir's scouts。
Alcide and Blount mingled therefore in the crowd； so as to lose no
detail of a festival which ought to supply them with a hundred good
lines for an article。 They admired the magnificence of Feofar…Khan；
his wives； his officers； his guards； and all the Eastern pomp；
of which the ceremonies of Europe can give not the least idea。
But they turned away with disgust when Ivan Ogareff presented
himself before the Emir； and waited with some impatience for
the amusements to begin。
〃You see； my dear Blount；〃 said Alcide； 〃we have come too soon；
like honest citizens who like to get their money's worth。
All this is before the curtain rises； it would have been better
to arrive only for the ballet。〃
〃What ballet？〃 asked Blount。
〃The compulsory ballet； to be sure。 But see； the curtain is going
to rise。〃 Alcide Jolivet spoke as if he had been at the Opera；
and taking his glass from its case； he prepared； with the air
of a connoisseur； 〃to examine the first act of Feofar's company。〃
A painful ceremony was to precede the sports。 In fact；
the triumph of the vanquisher could not be c