“Burntouthiseyes！Oh！poorlittlefather！IamgoingtoKrasnoiarsk。Well，whyshouldnotyouandyoursistermountinthekibitka？Bysittingalittleclose，itwillholdusallthree。Besides，mydogwillnotrefusetogoonfoot；
onlyIdon’tgofast，Isparemyhorse。“
“Friend，whatisyourname？“askedMichael。
“MynameisNicholasPigassof。“
“ItisanamethatIwillneverforget，“saidMichael。
“Well，jumpup，littleblindfather。Yoursisterwillbebesideyou，inthebottomofthecart；Isitinfronttodrive。
Thereisplentyofgoodbirchbarkandstrawinthebottom；
it’slikeanest。Serko，makeroom！“
Thedogjumpeddownwithoutmoretelling。HewasananimaloftheSiberianrace，grayhair，ofmediumsize，withanhonestbighead，justmadetopat，andhe，moreover，appearedtobemuchattachedtohismaster。
Inamomentmore，MichaelandNadiawereseatedinthekibitka。
MichaelheldouthishandsasiftofeelforthoseofPigassof。“Youwishtoshakemyhands！“saidNicholas。“Theretheyare，littlefather！
shakethemaslongasitwillgiveyouanypleasure。“
Thekibitkamovedon；thehorse，whichNicholasnevertouchedwiththewhip，ambledalong。ThoughMichaeldidnotgainanyinspeed，atleastsomefatiguewassparedtoNadia。
Suchwastheexhaustionoftheyounggirl，that，rockedbythemonotonousmovementofthekibitka，shesoonfellintoasleep，itssoundnessprovinghercompleteprostration。
MichaelandNicholaslaidheronthestrawascomfortablyaspossible。
Thecompassionateyoungmanwasgreatlymoved，andifateardidnotescapefromMichael’seyes，itwasbecausethered-hotironhaddriedupthelast！
“Sheisverypretty，“saidNicholas。
“Yes，“repliedMichael。
“Theytrytobestrong，littlefather，theyarebrave，buttheyareweakafterall，thesedearlittlethings！
Haveyoucomefromfar。“
“Veryfar。“
“Pooryoungpeople！Itmusthavehurtyouverymuchwhentheyburntyoureyes！“
“Verymuch，“answeredMichael，turningtowardsNicholasasifhecouldseehim。
“Didyounotweep？“
“Yes。“
“Ishouldhavewepttoo。Tothinkthatonecouldneveragainseethoseoneloves。Buttheycanseeyou，however；
that’sperhapssomeconsolation！“
“Yes，perhaps。Tellme，myfriend，“continuedMichael，“haveyouneverseenmeanywherebefore？“
“You，littlefather？No，never。“
“Thesoundofyourvoiceisnotunknowntome。“
“Why！“returnedNicholas，smiling，“heknowsthesoundofmyvoice！
PerhapsyouaskmethattofindoutwhereIcomefrom。
IcomefromKolyvan。“
“FromKolyvan？“repeatedMichael。“ThenitwasthereImetyou；
youwereinthetelegraphoffice？“
“Thatmaybe，“repliedNicholas。“Iwasstationedthere。
Iwastheclerkinchargeofthemessages。“
“Andyoustayedatyourpostuptothelastmoment？“
“Why，it’satthatmomentoneoughttobethere！“
“ItwasthedaywhenanEnglishmanandaFrenchmanweredisputing，roublesinhand，fortheplaceatyourwicket，andtheEnglishmantelegraphedsomepoetry。“
“Thatispossible，butIdonotrememberit。“
“What！youdonotrememberit？“
“IneverreadthedispatchesIsend。Mydutybeingtoforgetthem，theshortestwayisnottoknowthem。“
ThisreplyshowedNicholasPigassof’scharacter。
Inthemeanwhilethekibitkapursueditsway，atapacewhichMichaellongedtorendermorerapid。ButNicholasandhishorsewereaccustomedtoapacewhichneitherofthemwouldliketoalter。
Thehorsewentfortwohoursandrestedone——soon，dayandnight。
Duringthehaltsthehorsegrazed，thetravelersateincompanywiththefaithfulSerko。Thekibitkawasprovisionedforatleasttwentypersons，andNicholasgenerouslyplacedhissuppliesatthedisposalofhistwoguests，whomhebelievedtobebrotherandsister。
Afteraday’srest，Nadiarecoveredsomestrength。
Nicholastookthebestpossiblecareofher。
Thejourneywasbeingmadeundertolerablecircumstances，slowlycertainly，butsurely。Itsometimeshappenedthatduringthenight，Nicholas，althoughdriving，fellasleep，andsnoredwithaclearnesswhichshowedthecalmnessofhisconscience。
Perhapsthen，bylookingclose，Michael’shandmighthavebeenseenfeelingforthereins，andgivingthehorseamorerapidpace，tothegreatastonishmentofSerko，who，however，saidnothing。
ThetrotwasexchangedfortheambleassoonasNicholasawoke，butthekibitkahadnotthelessgainedsomeversts。
ThustheypassedtheriverIchirnsk，thevillagesofIchisnokoe，Berikylokoe，Kuskoe，theriverMarunsk，thevillageofthesamename，Bogostowskoe，and，lastly，theIchoula，alittlestreamwhichdividesWesternfromEasternSiberia。Theroadnowlaysometimesacrosswidemoors，whichextendedasfarastheeyecouldreach，sometimesthroughthickforestsoffirs，ofwhichtheythoughttheyshouldnevergettotheend。
Everywherewasadesert；thevillageswerealmostentirelyabandoned。
ThepeasantshadfledbeyondtheYenisei，hopingthatthiswideriverwouldperhapsstoptheTartars。
Onthe22dofAugust，thekibitkaenteredthetownofAtchinsk，twohundredandfiftymilesfromTomsk。EightymilesstilllaybetweenthemandKrasnoiarsk。
Noincidenthadmarkedthejourney。Forthesixdaysduringwhichtheyhadbeentogether，Nicholas，Michael，andNadiahadremainedthesame，theoneinhisunchange-ablecalm，theothertwo，uneasy，andthinkingofthetimewhentheircompanionwouldleavethem。
MichaelsawthecountrythroughwhichtheytraveledwiththeeyesofNicholasandtheyounggirl。Inturns，theyeachdescribedtohimthescenestheypassed。Heknewwhetherhewasinaforestoronaplain，whetherahutwasonthesteppe，orwhetheranySiberianwasinsight。
Nicholaswasneversilent，helovedtotalk，and，fromhispeculiarwayofviewingthings，hisfriendswereamusedbyhisconversation。
Oneday，Michaelaskedhimwhatsortofweatheritwas。
“Fineenough，littlefather，“heanswered，“butsoonweshallfeelthefirstwinterfrosts。PerhapstheTartarswillgointowinterquartersduringthebadseason。“
MichaelStrogoffshookhisheadwithadoubtfulair。
“Youdonotthinkso，littlefather？“resumedNicholas。“YouthinkthattheywillmarchontoIrkutsk？“
“Ifearso，“repliedMichael。
“Yes……youareright；theyhavewiththemabadman，whowillnotletthemloiterontheway。YouhaveheardspeakofIvanOgareff？“
“Yes。“
“Youknowthatitisnotrighttobetrayone’scountry！“
“No……itisnotright……“answeredMichael，whowishedtoremainunmoved。
“Littlefather，“continuedNicholas，“itseemstomethatyouarenothalfindignantenoughwhenIvanOgareffisspokenof。
YourRussianheartoughttoleapwhenhisnameisuttered。“
“Believeme，myfriend，Ihatehimmorethanyoucaneverhatehim，“saidMichael。
“Itisnotpossible，“repliedNicholas；“no，itisnotpossible！
WhenIthinkofIvanOgareff，oftheharmwhichheisdoingtooursacredRussia，IgetintosucharagethatifIcouldgetholdofhim——“
“Ifyoucouldgetholdofhim，friend？“
“IthinkIshouldkillhim。“
“AndI，Iamsureofit，“returnedMichaelquietly。
ATnightfall，onthe25thofAugust，thekibitkacameinsightofKrasnoiarsk。ThejourneyfromTomskhadtakeneightdays。
Ifithadnotbeenaccomplishedasrapidlyasitmight，itwasbecauseNicholashadsleptlittle。Consequently，itwasimpossibletoincreasehishorse’space，thoughinotherhands，thejourneywouldnothavetakensixtyhours。
Happily，therewasnolongeranyfearofTartars。Notascouthadappearedontheroadoverwhichthekibitkahadjusttraveled。
Thiswasstrangeenough，andevidentlysomeseriouscausehadpreventedtheEmir’stroopsfrommarchingwithoutdelayuponIrkutsk。Somethinghadoccurred。AnewRussiancorps，hastilyraisedinthegovernmentofYeniseisk，hadmarchedtoTomsktoendeavortoretakethetown。But，beingtooweaktowithstandtheEmir’stroops，nowconcentratedthere，theyhadbeenforcedtoeffectaretreat。Feofar-Khan，includinghisownsoldiers，andthoseoftheKhanatsofKhokhandandKoun-douze，hadnowunderhiscommandtwohundredandfiftythousandmen，towhichtheRussiangovernmentcouldnotasyetopposeasufficientforce。
Theinvasioncouldnot，therefore，beimmediatelystopped，andthewholeTartararmymightatoncemarchuponIrkutsk。ThebattleofTomskwasonthe22ndofAugust，thoughthisMichaeldidnotknow，butitexplainedwhythevanguardoftheEmir’sarmyhadnotappearedatKrasnoiarskbythe25th。
However，thoughMichaelStrogoffcouldnotknowtheeventswhichhadoccurredsincehisdeparture，heatleastknewthathewasseveraldaysinadvanceoftheTartars，andthatheneednotdespairofreachingbeforethemthetownofIrkutsk，stillsixhundredmilesdistant。
Besides，atKrasnoiarsk，ofwhichthepopulationisabouttwelvethousandsouls，hedependeduponobtainingsomemeansoftransport。
SinceNicholasPigassofwastostopinthattown，itwouldbenecessarytoreplacehimbyaguide，andtochangethekibitkaforanothermorerapidvehicle。Michael，afterhavingaddressedhimselftothegovernorofthetown，andestablishedhisidentityandqualityasCourieroftheCzar——whichwouldbeeasy——
doubtednotthathewouldbeenabledtogettoIrkutskintheshortestpossibletime。HewouldthankthegoodNicholasPigassof，andsetoutimmediatelywithNadia，forhedidnotwishtoleaveheruntilhehadplacedherinherfather’sarms。
ThoughNicholashadresolvedtostopatKrasnoiarsk，itwasonlyashesaid，“onconditionoffindingemploymentthere。“
Infact，thismodelclerk，afterhavingstayedtothelastminuteathispostinKolyvan，wasendeavoringtoplacehimselfagainatthedisposalofthegovernment。
“WhyshouldIreceiveasalarywhichIhavenotearned？“
hewouldsay。
IntheeventofhisservicesnotbeingrequiredatKrasnoiarsk，whichitwasexpectedwouldbestillintelegraphiccommunicationwithIrkutsk，heproposedtogotoOudinsk，oreventothecapitalofSiberiaitself。Inthelattercase，hewouldcontinuetotravelwiththebrotherandsister；andwherewouldtheyfindasurerguide，oramoredevotedfriend？
ThekibitkawasnowonlyhalfaverstfromKrasnoiarsk。Thenumerouswoodencrosseswhichareerectedattheapproachestothetown，couldbeseentotherightandleftoftheroad。Itwassevenintheevening；
theoutlineofthechurchesandofthehousesbuiltonthehighbankoftheYeniseiwereclearlydefinedagainsttheeveningsky，andthewatersoftheriverreflectedtheminthetwilight。
“Wherearewe，sister？“askedMichael。
“Halfaverstfromthefirsthouses，“repliedNadia。
“Canthetownbeasleep？“observedMichael。“Notasoundstrikesmyear。“
“AndIcannotseetheslightestlight，norevensmokemountingintotheair，“addedNadia。
“Whataqueertown！“saidNicholas。“Theymakenonoiseinit，andgotobeduncommonlyearly！“
ApresentimentofimpendingmisfortunepassedacrossMichael’sheart。
HehadnotsaidtoNadiathathehadplacedallhishopesonKrasnoiarsk，whereheexpectedtofindthemeansofsafelyfinishinghisjourney。
Hemuchfearedthathisanticipationswouldagainbedisappointed。
ButNadiahadguessedhisthoughts，althoughshecouldnotunderstandwhyhercompanionshouldbesoanxioustoreachIrkutsk，nowthattheImperialletterwasgone。Sheonedaysaidsomethingofthesorttohim。
“IhavesworntogotoIrkutsk，“hereplied。
Buttoaccomplishhismission，itwasnecessarythatatKrasnoiarskheshouldfindsomemorerapidmodeoflocomotion。