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who know that spies are ever on the watch for any treasonable expressions
which may be uttered。
These travelers； as well as the large number of persons
in the train； were merchants on their way to the celebrated
fair of Nijni…Novgorod；a very mixed assembly； composed of
Jews； Turks； Cossacks； Russians； Georgians； Kalmucks； and others；
but nearly all speaking the national tongue。
They discussed the pros and cons of the serious events which
were taking place beyond the Ural； and those merchants seemed
to fear lest the government should be led to take certain
restrictive measures； especially in the provinces bordering on
the frontiermeasures from which trade would certainly suffer。
They apparently thought only of the struggle from the single
point of view of their threatened interests。 The presence
of a private soldier； clad in his uniformand the importance
of a uniform in Russia is greatwould have certainly been enough
to restrain the merchants' tongues。 But in the compartment occupied
by Michael Strogoff； there was no one who seemed a military man；
and the Czar's courier was not the person to betray himself。
He listened； then。
〃They say that caravan teas are up；〃 remarked a Persian；
known by his cap of Astrakhan fur； and his ample brown robe；
worn threadbare by use。
〃Oh； there's no fear of teas falling；〃 answered an old Jew
of sullen aspect。 〃Those in the market at Nijni…Novgorod will
be easily cleared off by the West； but； unfortunately； it won't
be the same with Bokhara carpets。〃
〃What！ are you expecting goods from Bokhara？〃 asked the Persian。
〃No； but from Samarcand； and that is even more exposed。
The idea of reckoning on the exports of a country in which the khans
are in a state of revolt from Khiva to the Chinese frontier！〃
〃Well；〃 replied the Persian； 〃if the carpets do not arrive；
the drafts will not arrive either； I suppose。〃
〃And the profits； Father Abraham！〃 exclaimed the little Jew；
〃do you reckon them as nothing？〃
〃You are right；〃 said another； 〃goods from Central Asia run a great
risk in the market； and it will be the same with the tallow and shawls
from the East。〃
〃Why； look out； little father；〃 said a Russian traveler；
in a bantering tone； 〃you'll grease your shawls terribly if you
mix them up with your tallow。〃
〃That amuses you；〃 sharply answered the merchant； who had little
relish for that sort of joke。
〃Well； if you tear your hair； or if you throw ashes on your head；〃
replied the traveler； 〃will that change the course of events？
No； no more than the course of the Exchange。〃
〃One can easily see that you are not a merchant；〃 observed the little Jew。
〃Faith； no； worthy son of Abraham！ I sell neither hops；
nor eider…down； nor honey； nor wax； nor hemp…seed； nor salt meat；
nor caviare； nor wood； nor wool； nor ribbons； nor； hemp； nor flax；
nor morocco； nor furs。〃
〃But do you buy them？〃 asked the Persian； interrupting
the traveler's list。
〃As little as I can； and only for my own private use；〃
answered the other； with a wink。
〃He's a wag；〃 said the Jew to the Persian。
〃Or a spy；〃 replied the other； lowering his voice。
〃We had better take care； and not speak more than necessary。
The police are not over…particular in these times； and you
never can know with whom you are traveling。〃
In another corner of the compartment they were speaking
less of mercantile affairs； and more of the Tartar invasion
and its annoying consequences。
〃All the horses in Siberia will be requisitioned；〃 said a traveler；
〃and communication between the different provinces of Central Asia
will become very difficult。〃
〃Is it true；〃 asked his neighbor； 〃that the Kirghiz of the middle
horde have joined the Tartars？〃
〃So it is said；〃 answered the traveler； lowering his voice；
〃but who can flatter themselves that they know anything really
of what is going on in this country？〃
〃I have heard speak of a concentration of troops on the frontier。
The Don Cossacks have already gathered along the course of the Volga；
and they are to be opposed to the rebel Kirghiz。〃
〃If the Kirghiz descend the Irtish； the route to Irkutsk will not
be safe；〃 observed his neighbor。 〃Besides； yesterday I wanted
to send a telegram to Krasnoiarsk； and it could not be forwarded。
It's to be feared that before long the Tartar columns will have
isolated Eastern Siberia。〃
〃In short； little father；〃 continued the first speaker； 〃these merchants
have good reason for being uneasy about their trade and transactions。
After requisitioning the horses； they will take the boats； carriages；
every means of transport； until presently no one will be allowed to take
even one step in all the empire。〃
〃I'm much afraid that the Nijni…Novgorod fair won't end as brilliantly
as it has begun；〃 responded the other； shaking his head。
〃But the safety and integrity of the Russian territory before everything。
Business is business。〃
If in this compartment the subject of conversation varied but little
nor did it； indeed； in the other carriages of the trainin all it
might have been observed that the talkers used much circumspection。
When they did happen to venture out of the region of facts；
they never went so far as to attempt to divine the intentions
of the Muscovite government； or even to criticize them。
This was especially remarked by a traveler in a carriage at
the front part of the train。 This personevidently a stranger
made good use of his eyes； and asked numberless questions；
to which he received only evasive answers。 Every minute leaning
out of the window； which he would keep down； to the great disgust
of his fellow…travelers； he lost nothing of the views to the right。
He inquired the names of the most insignificant places；
their position； what were their commerce； their manufactures；
the number of their inhabitants； the average mortality；
etc。； and all this he wrote down in a note…book； already full。
This was the correspondent Alcide Jolivet； and the reason of his putting
so many insignificant questions was； that amongst the many answers
he received； he hoped to find some interesting fact 〃for his cousin。〃
But； naturally enough； he was taken for a spy； and not a word treating
of the events of the day was uttered in his hearing。
Finding； therefore； that he could learn nothing of the Tartar
invasion； he wrote in his book； 〃Travelers of great discretion。
Very close as to political matters。〃
Whilst Alcide Jolivet noted down his impressions thus minutely；
his confrere； in the same train； traveling for the same object；
was devoting himself to the same work of observation in
another compartment。 Neither of them had seen each other
that day at the Moscow station； and they were each ignorant
that the other had set out to visit the scene of the war。
Harry Blount； speaking little； but listening much； had not inspired
his companions with the suspicions which Alcide Jolivet had aroused。
He was not taken for a spy； and therefore his neighbors；
without constraint； gossiped in his presence； allowing themselves
even to go farther than their natural caution would in most cases
have allowed them。 The correspondent of the Daily Telegraph
had thus an opportunity of observing how much recent events
preoccupied the merchants of Nijni…Novgorod； and to what a degree
the commerce with Central Asia was threatened in its transit。
He therefore noted in his book this perfectly correct observation；
〃My fellow…travelers extremely anxious。 Nothing is talked of but war；
and they speak of it； with a freedom which is astonishing； as having
broken out between the Volga and the Vistula。〃
The readers of the Daily Telegraph would not fail to be as well informed
as Alcide Jolivet's 〃cousin。〃 But as Harry Blount； seated at the left
of the train； only saw one part of the country； which was hilly；
without giving himself the trouble of looking at the right side；
which was composed of wide plains； he added； with British assurance；
〃Country mountainous between Moscow and Wladimir。〃
It was evident that the Russian government purposed taking severe
measures to guard against any serious eventualities even in the interior
of the empire。 The rebel lion had not crossed the Siberian frontier；
but evil influences might be feared in the Volga provinces； so near
to the country of the Kirghiz。
The police had as yet found no traces of Ivan Ogareff。 It was not
known whether the traitor； calling in the foreigner to avenge his
personal rancor； had rejoined Feofar…Khan； or whether he was endeavoring
to foment a revolt in the government of Nijni…Novgorod； which at this time
of year contained a population of such diverse elements。 Perhaps among
the Persians； Armenians； or Kalmucks； who flocked to the great market；
he had agents； instructed to provoke a rising in the interior。
All this was possible； especially in such a country as Russia。 In fact；
this vast empire； 4；000；000 square miles in extent； does not possess
the homogeneousness of the states of Western Europe。 The Russian
territory in Europe and Asia contains more than seventy millions
of inhabitants。 In it thirty different languages are spoken。
The Sclavonian race predominates； no doubt； but