Silencethenensued，and，onasignfromIvanOgareff，Sangarreadvancedtowardsthegroup，inthemidstofwhichstoodMarfa。
TheoldSiberiansawher，andknewwhatwasgoingtohappen。
Ascornfulsmilepassedoverherface。ThenleaningtowardsNadia，shesaidinalowtone，“Youknowmenolonger，mydaughter。
Whatevermayhappen，andhoweverhardthistrialmaybe，notaword，notasign。Itconcernshim，andnotme。“
AtthatmomentSangarre，havingregardedherforaninstant，putherhandonhershoulder。
“Whatdoyouwantwithme？“saidMarfa。
“Come！“repliedSangarre，andpushingtheoldSiberianbeforeher，shetookhertoIvanOgareff，inthemiddleoftheclearedground。
Michaelcastdownhiseyesthattheirangryflashingsmightnotappear。
Marfa，standingbeforeIvanOgareff，drewherselfup，crossedherarmsonherbreast，andwaited。
“YouareMarfaStrogoff？“askedOgareff。
“Yes，“repliedtheoldSiberiancalmly。
“Doyouretractwhatyousaidtomewhen，threedaysago，IinterrogatedyouatOmsk？“
“No！“
“Thenyoudonotknowthatyourson，MichaelStrogoff，courieroftheCzar，haspassedthroughOmsk？“
“Idonotknowit。“
“Andthemaninwhomyouthoughtyourecognizedyourson，wasnotheyourson？“
“Hewasnotmyson。“
“Andsincethenyouhavenotseenhimamongsttheprisoners？“
“No。“
“Ifhewerepointedout，wouldyourecognizehim？“
“No。“
Onthisreply，whichshowedsuchdeterminedresolution，amurmurwasheardamongstthecrowd。
Ogareffcouldnotrestrainathreateninggesture。
“Listen，“saidhetoMarfa，“yoursonishere，andyoushallimmediatelypointhimouttome。“
“No。“
“Allthesemen，takenatOmskandKolyvan，willdefilebeforeyou；
andifyoudonotshowmeMichaelStrogoff，youshallreceiveasmanyblowsoftheknoutasmenshallhavepassedbeforeyou。“
IvanOgareffsawthat，whatevermightbehisthreats，whatevermightbethetorturestowhichhesubmittedher，theindomitableSiberianwouldnotspeak。TodiscoverthecourieroftheCzar，hecounted，then，notonher，butonMichaelhimself。
Hedidnotbelieveitpossiblethat，whenmotherandsonwereineachother’spresence，someinvoluntarymovementwouldnotbetrayhim。
Ofcourse，hadhewishedtoseizetheimperialletter，hewouldsimplyhavegivenorderstosearchalltheprisoners；
butMichaelmighthavedestroyedtheletter，havinglearntitscontents；andifhewerenotrecognized，ifheweretoreachIrkutsk，allIvanOgareff’splanswouldbebaffled。
Itwasthusnotonlytheletterwhichthetraitormusthave，butthebearerhimself。
Nadiahadheardall，andshenowknewwhowasMichaelStrogoff，andwhyhehadwishedtocross，withoutbeingrecognized，theinvadedprovincesofSiberia。
OnanorderfromIvanOgarefftheprisonersdefiled，onebyone，pastMarfa，whoremainedimmovableasastatue，andwhosefaceexpressedonlyperfectindifference。
Hersonwasamongthelast。Wheninhisturnhepassedbeforehismother，Nadiashuthereyesthatshemightnotseehim。
Michaelwastoallappearanceunmoved，butthepalmofhishandbledunderhisnails，whichwerepressedintothem。
IvanOgareffwasbaffledbymotherandson。
Sangarre，closetohim，saidoneword，“Theknout！“
“Yes，“criedOgareff，whocouldnolongerrestrainhimself；
“theknoutforthiswretchedoldwoman——theknouttothedeath！“
ATartarsoldierbearingthisterribleinstrumentoftortureapproachedMarfa。Theknoutiscomposedofacertainnumberofleathernthongs，attheendofwhichareattachedpiecesoftwistedironwire。
Itisreckonedthatasentencetoonehundredandtwentyblowsofthiswhipisequivalenttoasentenceofdeath。
Marfaknewit，butsheknewalsothatnotorturewouldmakeherspeak。
Shewassacrificingherlife。
Marfa，seizedbytwosoldiers，wasforcedonherkneesontheground。Herdresstornoffleftherbackbare。
Asaberwasplacedbeforeherbreast，atafewinches’distanceonly。
Directlyshebentbeneathhersuffering，herbreastwouldbepiercedbythesharpsteel。
TheTartardrewhimselfup。Hewaited。“Begin！“saidOgareff。Thewhipwhistledintheair。
ButbeforeitfellapowerfulhandstoppedtheTartar’sarm。
Michaelwasthere。Hehadleaptforwardatthishorriblescene。
IfattherelayatIchimhehadrestrainedhimselfwhenOgareff’swhiphadstruckhim，herebeforehismother，whowasabouttobestruck，hecouldnotdoso。IvanOgareffhadsucceeded。
“MichaelStrogoff！“criedhe。Thenadvancing，“Ah，themanofIchim？“
“Himself！“saidMichael。AndraisingtheknouthestruckOgareffasharpblowacrosstheface。“Blowforblow！“saidhe。
“Wellrepaid！“criedavoiceconcealedbythetumult。
TwentysoldiersthrewthemselvesonMichael，andinanotherinstanthewouldhavebeenslain。
ButOgareff，whoonbeingstruckhadutteredacryofrageandpain，stoppedthem。“ThismanisreservedfortheEmir’sjudgment，“
saidhe。“Searchhim！“
TheletterwiththeimperialarmswasfoundinMichael’sbosom；
hehadnothadtimetodestroyit；itwashandedtoOgareff。
Thevoicewhichhadpronouncedthewords，“Wellrepaid！“
wasthatofnootherthanAlcideJolivet。“Par-dieu！“saidhetoBlount，“theyarerough，thesepeople。
Acknowledgethatweoweourtravelingcompanionagoodturn。
KorpanofforStrogoffisworthyofit。Oh，thatwasfineretaliationforthelittleaffairatIchim。“
“Yes，retaliationtruly，“repliedBlount；“butStrogoffisadeadman。
Isuspectthat，forhisowninterestatallevents，itwouldhavebeenbetterhadhenotpossessedquitesolivelyarecollectionoftheevent。“
“Andlethismotherperishundertheknout？“
“Doyouthinkthateithersheorhissisterwillbeabitbetterofffromthisoutbreakofhis？“
“IdonotknoworthinkanythingexceptthatIshouldhavedonemuchthesameinhisposition，“repliedAlcide。“WhatascartheColonelhasreceived！Bah！onemustboiloversometimes。
Weshouldhavehadwaterinourveinsinsteadofbloodhaditbeenincumbentonustobealwaysandeverywhereunmovedtowrath。“
“Aneatlittleincidentforourjournals，“observedBlount，“ifonlyIvanOgareffwouldletusknowthecontentsofthatletter。“
IvanOgareff，whenhehadstanchedthebloodwhichwastricklingdownhisface，hadbrokentheseal。Hereadandre-readtheletterdeliberately，asifhewasdeterminedtodiscovereverythingitcontained。
ThenhavingorderedthatMichael，carefullyboundandguarded，shouldbecarriedontoTomskwiththeotherprisoners，hetookcommandofthetroopsatZabediero，and，amidthedeafeningnoiseofdrumsandtrumpets，hemarchedtowardsthetownwheretheEmirawaitedhim。
TOMSK，foundedin1604，nearlyintheheartoftheSiberianprovinces，isoneofthemostimportanttownsinAsiaticRussia。Tobolsk，situatedabovethesixtiethparallel；Irkutsk，builtbeyondthehundredthmeridian——
haveseenTomskincreaseattheirexpense。
AndyetTomsk，ashasbeensaid，isnotthecapitalofthisimportantprovince。ItisatOmskthattheGovernor-Generaloftheprovinceandtheofficialworldreside。ButTomskisthemostconsiderabletownofthatterritory。Thecountrybeingrich，thetownissolikewise，foritisinthecenteroffruitfulmines。Intheluxuryofitshouses，itsarrangements，anditsequipages，itmightrivalthegreatestEuropeancapitals。
Itisacityofmillionaires，enrichedbythespadeandpickax，andthoughithasnotthehonorofbeingtheresidenceoftheCzar’srepresentative，itcanboastofincludinginthefirstrankofitsnotablesthechiefofthemerchantsofthetown，theprincipalgranteesoftheimperialgovernment’smines。
Butthemillionaireswereflednow，andexceptforthecrouchingpoor，thetownstoodemptytothehordesofFeofar-Khan。Atfouro’clocktheEmirmadehisentryintothesquare，greetedbyaflourishoftrumpets，therollingsoundofthebigdrums，salvoesofartilleryandmusketry。
Feofarmountedhisfavoritehorse，whichcarriedonitsheadanaigretteofdiamonds。TheEmirstillworehisuniform。
Hewasaccompaniedbyanumerousstaff，andbesidehimwalkedtheKhansofKhokhandandKoundougeandthegranddignitariesoftheKhanats。
AtthesamemomentappearedontheterracethechiefofFeofar’swives，thequeen，ifthistitlemaybegiventothesultanaofthestatesofBokhara。But，queenorslave，thiswomanofPersianoriginwaswonderfullybeautiful。
ContrarytotheMahometancustom，andnodoubtbysomecapriceoftheEmir，shehadherfaceuncovered。Herhair，dividedintofourplaits，felloverherdazzlingwhiteshoulders，scarcelyconcealedbyaveilofsilkworkedingold，whichfellfromthebackofacapstuddedwithgemsofthehighestvalue。
Underherblue-silkpetticoat，fellthe“zirdjameh“ofsilkengauze，andabovethesashlaythe“pirahn。“Butfromtheheadtothelittlefeet，suchwastheprofusionofjewels——
goldbeadsstrungonsilverthreads，chapletsofturquoises，“firouzehs“fromthecelebratedminesofElbourz，necklacesofcornelians，agates，emeralds，opals，andsapphires