“Yes，general，“repliedtheGrandDuke，“andIdojusticetotheirpatriotism。ThankstoGod，theyhavenotyetbeensubjectedtothehorrorsofepidemicandfamine，andIhavereasontohopethattheywillescapethem；
butIcannotadmiretheircourageontherampartsenough。
Youhearmywords，SirMerchant，andIbegyoutorepeatsuchtothem。“
“IthankyourHighnessinthenameofthetown，“answeredthemerchantchief。“MayIaskyouwhatisthemostdistantdatewhenwemayexpecttherelievingarmy？“
“Sixdaysatmost，sir，“repliedtheGrandDuke。“Abraveandclevermessengermanagedthismorningtogetintothetown，andhetoldmethatfiftythousandRussiansunderGeneralKisselef，areadvancingbyforcedmarches。Twodaysago，theywereonthebanksoftheLena，atKirensk，andnow，neitherfrostnorsnowwillkeepthemback。
Fiftythousandgoodmen，takingtheTartarsontheflank，willsoonsetusfree。“
“Iwilladd，“saidthechiefofthemerchants，“thatweshallbereadytoexecuteyourorders，anydaythatyourHighnessmaycommandasortie。“
“Good，sir，“repliedtheGrandDuke。“Waittilltheheadsoftherelievingcolumnsappearontheheights，andwewillspeedilycrushtheseinvaders。“
ThenturningtoGeneralVoranzoff，“To-morrow，“saidhe，“wewillvisittheworksontherightbank。IceisdriftingdowntheAngara，whichwillnotbelonginfreezing，andinthatcasetheTartarsmightperhapscross。“
“WillyourHighnessallowmetomakeanobservation？“
saidthechiefofthemerchants。
“Doso，sir。“
“Ihavemorethanonceseenthetemperaturefalltothirtyandfortydegreesbelowzero，andtheAngarahasstillcarrieddowndriftingicewithoutentirelyfreezing。
Thisisnodoubtowingtotheswiftnessofitscurrent。
IfthereforetheTartarshavenoothermeansofcrossingtheriver，IcanassureyourHighnessthattheywillnotenterIrkutskinthatway。“
Thegovernor-generalconfirmedthisassertion。
“Itisafortunatecircumstance，“respondedtheGrandDuke。
“Nevertheless，wemustholdourselvesreadyforanyemergency。“
Hethen，turningtowardstheheadofthepolice，asked，“Haveyounothingtosaytome，sir？“
“IhaveyourHighness，“answeredtheheadofpolice，“apetitionwhichisaddressedtoyouthroughme。“
“Addressedbywhom？“
“BytheSiberianexiles，whom，asyourHighnessknows，areinthetowntothenumberoffivehundred。“
Thepoliticalexiles，distributedovertheprovince，hadbeencollectedinIrkutsk，fromthebeginningoftheinvasion。
Theyhadobeyedtheordertorallyinthetown，andleavethevillageswheretheyexercisedtheirdifferentprofessions，somedoctors，someprofessors，eitherattheGymnasium，orattheJapaneseSchool，orattheSchoolofNavigation。TheGrandDuke，trustingliketheCzarintheirpatriotism，hadarmedthem，andtheyhadthoroughlyprovedtheirbravery。
“Whatdotheexilesask？“saidtheGrandDuke。
“TheyasktheconsentofyourHighness，“answeredtheheadofpolice，“totheirformingaspecialcorpsandbeingplacedinthefrontofthefirstsortie。“
“Yes，“repliedtheGrandDukewithanemotionwhichhedidnotseektohide，“theseexilesareRussians，anditistheirrighttofightfortheircountry！“
“IbelieveImayassureyourHighness，“saidthegovernor-general，“youwillhavenobettersoldiers。“
“Buttheymusthaveachief，“saidtheGrandDuke，“whowillhebe？“
“TheywishtorecommendtoyourHighness，“saidtheheadofpolice，“oneoftheirnumber，whohasdistinguishedhimselfonseveraloccasions。“
“IsheaRussian？“
“Yes，aRussianfromtheBalticprovinces。“
“Hisname？“
“IsWassiliFedor。“
ThisexilewasNadia’sfather。WassiliFedor，aswehavealreadysaid，followedhisprofessionofamedicalmaninIrkutsk。Hewascleverandcharitable，andalsopossessedthegreatestcourageandmostsincerepatriotism。Allthetimewhichhedidnotdevotetothesickheemployedinorganizingthedefense。
Itwashewhohadunitedhiscompanionsinexileinthecommoncause。
Theexiles，tillthenmingledwiththepopulation，hadbehavedinsuchawayastodrawonthemselvestheattentionoftheGrandDuke。Inseveralsorties，theyhadpaidwiththeirbloodtheirdebttoholyRussia——holyastheybelieve，andadoredbyherchildren！
WassiliFedorhadbehavedheroically；hisnamehadbeenmentionedseveraltimes，butheneveraskedeitherthanksorfavors，andwhentheexilesofIrkutskthoughtofformingthemselvesintoaspecialcorps，hewasignorantoftheirintentionofchoosinghimfortheircaptain。
Whentheheadofpolicementionedthisname，theGrandDukeansweredthatitwasnotunknowntohim。
“Indeed，“remarkedGeneralVoranzoff，“WassiliFedorisamanofworthandcourage。Hisinfluenceoverhiscompanionshasalwaysbeenverygreat。“
“HowlonghashebeenatIrkutsk？“askedtheDuke。
“Fortwoyears。“
“Andhisconduct？“
“Hisconduct，“answeredtheheadofpolice，“isthatofamanobedienttothespeciallawswhichgovernhim。“
“General，“saidtheGrandDuke，“General，begoodenoughtopresenthimtomeimmediately。“
TheordersoftheGrandDukewereobeyed，andbeforehalfanhourhadpassed，Fedorwasintroducedintohispresence。
Hewasamanoverforty，tall，ofasternandsadcountenance。
Onefeltthathiswholelifewassummedupinasingleword——
strife——hehadstrivenandsuffered。Hisfeaturesboreamarkedresemblancetothoseofhisdaughter，NadiaFedor。
ThisTartarinvasionhadseverelywoundedhiminhistenderestaffections，andruinedthehopeofthefather，exiledeightthousandverstsfromhisnativetown。Aletterhadapprisedhimofthedeathofhiswife，andatthesametimeofthedepartureofhisdaughter，whohadobtainedfromthegovernmentanauthorizationtojoinhimatIrkutsk。NadiamusthaveleftRigaonthe10thofJuly。Theinvasionhadbegunonthe15thofJuly；ifatthattimeNadiahadpassedthefrontier，whatcouldhavebecomeofherinthemidstoftheinvaders？
Theanxietyoftheunhappyfathermaybesupposedwhen，fromthattime，hehadnofurthernewsofhisdaughter。
WassiliFedorenteredthepresenceoftheGrandDuke，bowed，andwaitedtobequestioned。
“WassiliFedor，“saidtheGrandDuke，“yourcompanionsinexilehaveaskedtobeallowedtoformaselectcorps。
Theyarenotignorantthatinthiscorpstheymustmakeuptheirmindstobekilledtothelastman？“
“Theyarenotignorantofit，“repliedFedor。
“Theywishtohaveyoufortheircaptain。“
“I，yourHighness？“
“Doyouconsenttobeplacedattheirhead？“
“Yes，ifitisforthegoodofRussia。“
“CaptainFedor，“saidtheGrandDuke，“youarenolongeranexile。“
“Thanks，yourHighness，butcanIcommandthosewhoaresostill？“
“Theyaresonolonger！“ThebrotheroftheCzarhadgrantedapardontoallFedor’scompanionsinexile，nowhiscompanionsinarms！
WassiliFedorwrung，withemotion，thehandwhichtheGrandDukeheldouttohim，andretired。
Thelatter，turnedtohisofficers，“TheCzarwillnotrefusetoratifythatpardon，“saidhe，smiling；“weneedheroestodefendthecapitalofSiberia，andIhavejustmadesome。“
Thispardon，sogenerouslyaccordedtotheexilesofIrkutsk，wasindeedanactofrealjusticeandsoundpolicy。
Itwasnownight。ThroughthewindowsofthepalaceburnedthefiresoftheTartarcamp，flickeringbeyondtheAngara。Downtheriverdriftednumerousblocksofice，someofwhichstuckonthepilesoftheoldbridges；othersweresweptalongbythecurrentwithgreatrapidity。Itwasevident，asthemerchanthadobserved，thatitwouldbeverydifficultfortheAngaratofreezeallover。
ThedefendersofIrkutskhadnottodreadbeingattackedonthatside。
Teno’clockhadjuststruck。TheGrandDukewasabouttodismisshisofficersandretiretohisapartments，whenatumultwasheardoutsidethepalace。
Almostimmediatelythedoorwasthrownopen，anaide-de-campappeared，andadvancedrapidlytowardstheGrandDuke。
“YourHighness，“saidhe，“acourierfromtheCzar！“
ALLthemembersofthecouncilsimultaneouslystartedforward。
AcourierfromtheCzararrivedinIrkutsk！Hadtheseofficersforamomentconsideredtheimprobabilityofthisfact，theywouldcertainlynothavecreditedwhattheyheard。
TheGrandDukeadvancedquicklytohisaide-de-camp。“Thiscourier！“
heexclaimed。
Amanentered。Heappearedexhaustedwithfatigue。
HeworethedressofaSiberianpeasant，wornintotatters，andexhibitingseveralshot-holes。AMuscovitecapwasonhishead。
Hisfacewasdisfiguredbyarecently-healedscar。
Themanhadevidentlyhadalongandpainfuljourney；
hisshoesbeinginastatewhichshowedthathehadbeenobligedtomakepartofitonfoot。
“HisHighnesstheGrandDuke？“heasked。
TheGrandDukewentuptohim。“YouareacourierfromtheCzar？“heasked。
“Yes，yourHighness。“
“Youcome？“
“FromMoscow。“
“YouleftMoscow？“
“Onthe15thofJuly。“
“Yourname？“
“MichaelStrogoff。“
ItwasIvanOgareff。Hehadtakenthedesignationofthemanwhomhebelievedthathehadrenderedpowerless。NeithertheGrandDukenoranyoneknewhiminIrkutsk，andhehadnoteventodisguisehisfeatures。
Ashewasinapositiontoprovehispretendedidentity，noonecouldhaveanyreasonfordoubtinghim。Hecame，therefore，sustainedbyhisironwill，tohastenbytreasonandassassinationthegreatobjectoftheinvasion。
AfterOgareffhadreplied，theGrandDukesignedtoallhisofficerstowithdraw。HeandthefalseMichaelStrogoffremainedaloneinthesaloon。
TheGrandDukelookedatIvanOgareffforsomemomentswithextremeattention。Thenhesaid，“Onthe15thofJulyyouwereatMoscow？“
“Yes，yourHighness；andonthenightofthe14thIsawHisMajestytheCzarattheNewPalace。“
“HaveyoualetterfromtheCzar？“
“Hereitis。“
AndIvanOgareffhandedtotheGrandDuketheImperialletter，crumpledtoalmostmicroscopicsize。
“Wasthelettergivenyouinthisstate？“
“No，yourHighness，butIwasobligedtoteartheenvelope，thebettertohideitfromtheEmir’ssoldiers。“
“WereyoutakenprisonerbytheTartars？“
“Yes，yourHighness，Iwastheirprisonerforseveraldays，“
answeredOgareff。“Thatisthereasonthat，havingleftMoscowonthe15thofJuly，asthedateofthatlettershows，IonlyreachedIrkutskonthe2dofOctober，aftertravelingseventy-ninedays。“
TheGrandDuketooktheletter。HeunfoldeditandrecognizedtheCzar’ssignature，precededbythedecisiveformula，writtenbyhisbrother’shand。Therewasnopossibledoubtoftheauthenticityofthisletter，noroftheidentityofthecourier。ThoughOgareff’scountenancehadatfirstinspiredtheGrandDukewithsomedistrust，heletnothingofitappear，anditsoonvanished。
TheGrandDukeremainedforafewminuteswithoutspeaking。
Hereadtheletterslowly，soastotakeinitsmeaningfully。
“MichaelStrogoff，doyouknowthecontentsofthisletter？“heasked。
“Yes，yourHighness。Imighthavebeenobligedtodestroyit，topreventitsfallingintothehandsoftheTartars，andshouldsuchhavebeenthecase，IwishedtobeabletobringthecontentsofittoyourHighness。“
“Youknowthatthisletterenjoinsusalltodie，ratherthangiveupthetown？“
“Iknowit。“