HarryBlount，speakinglittle，butlisteningmuch，hadnotinspiredhiscompanionswiththesuspicionswhichAlcideJolivethadaroused。
Hewasnottakenforaspy，andthereforehisneighbors，withoutconstraint，gossipedinhispresence，allowingthemselveseventogofartherthantheirnaturalcautionwouldinmostcaseshaveallowedthem。ThecorrespondentoftheDailyTelegraphhadthusanopportunityofobservinghowmuchrecenteventspreoccupiedthemerchantsofNijni-Novgorod，andtowhatadegreethecommercewithCentralAsiawasthreatenedinitstransit。
Hethereforenotedinhisbookthisperfectlycorrectobservation，“Myfellow-travelersextremelyanxious。Nothingistalkedofbutwar，andtheyspeakofit，withafreedomwhichisastonishing，ashavingbrokenoutbetweentheVolgaandtheVistula。“
ThereadersoftheDailyTelegraphwouldnotfailtobeaswellinformedasAlcideJolivet’s“cousin。“ButasHarryBlount，seatedattheleftofthetrain，onlysawonepartofthecountry，whichwashilly，withoutgivinghimselfthetroubleoflookingattherightside，whichwascomposedofwideplains，headded，withBritishassurance，“CountrymountainousbetweenMoscowandWladimir。“
ItwasevidentthattheRussiangovernmentpurposedtakingseveremeasurestoguardagainstanyseriouseventualitiesevenintheinterioroftheempire。TherebellionhadnotcrossedtheSiberianfrontier，butevilinfluencesmightbefearedintheVolgaprovinces，soneartothecountryoftheKirghiz。
ThepolicehadasyetfoundnotracesofIvanOgareff。Itwasnotknownwhetherthetraitor，callingintheforeignertoavengehispersonalrancor，hadrejoinedFeofar-Khan，orwhetherhewasendeavoringtofomentarevoltinthegovernmentofNijni-Novgorod，whichatthistimeofyearcontainedapopulationofsuchdiverseelements。PerhapsamongthePersians，Armenians，orKalmucks，whoflockedtothegreatmarket，hehadagents，instructedtoprovokearisingintheinterior。
Allthiswaspossible，especiallyinsuchacountryasRussia。Infact，thisvastempire，4，000，000squaremilesinextent，doesnotpossessthehomogeneousnessofthestatesofWesternEurope。TheRussianterritoryinEuropeandAsiacontainsmorethanseventymillionsofinhabitants。Initthirtydifferentlanguagesarespoken。
TheSclavonianracepredominates，nodoubt，buttherearebesidesRussians，Poles，Lithuanians，Courlanders。Addtothese，Finns，Laplanders，Esthonians，severalothernortherntribeswithunpronounceablenames，thePermiaks，theGermans，theGreeks，theTartars，theCaucasiantribes，theMongol，Kalmuck，Samoid，Kamtschatkan，andAleutianhordes，andonemayunderstandthattheunityofsovastastatemustbedifficulttomaintain，andthatitcouldonlybetheworkoftime，aidedbythewisdomofmanysuccessiverulers。
Bethatasitmay，IvanOgareffhadhithertomanagedtoescapeallsearch，andveryprobablyhemighthaverejoinedtheTartararmy。
Butateverystationwherethetrainstopped，inspectorscameforwardwhoscrutinizedthetravelersandsubjectedthemalltoaminuteexamination，asbyorderofthesuperintendentofpolice，theseofficialswereseekingIvanOgareff。Thegovernment，infact，believedittobecertainthatthetraitorhadnotyetbeenabletoquitEuropeanRussia。Ifthereappearedcausetosuspectanytraveler，hewascarriedofftoexplainhimselfatthepolicestation，andinthemeantimethetrainwentonitsway，nopersontroublinghimselfabouttheunfortunateoneleftbehind。
WiththeRussianpolice，whichisveryarbitrary，itisabsolutelyuselesstoargue。Militaryrankisconferredonitsemployees，andtheyactinmilitaryfashion。Howcananyone，moreover，helpobeying，unhesitatingly，orderswhichemanatefromamonarchwhohastherighttoemploythisformulaattheheadofhisukase:
“We，bythegraceofGod，EmperorandAutocratofalltheRussiasofMoscow，Kiev，Wladimir，andNovgorod，CzarofKasanandAstrakhan，CzarofPoland，CzarofSiberia，CzaroftheTauricChersonese，SeigniorofPskov，PrinceofSmolensk，Lithuania，Volkynia，Podolia，andFinland，PrinceofEsthonia，Livonia，Courland，andofSemigallia，ofBialystok，Karelia，Sougria，Perm，Viatka，Bulgaria，andmanyothercountries；LordandSovereignPrinceoftheterritoryofNijni-Novgorod，Tchemigoff，Riazan，Polotsk，Rostov，Jaroslavl，Bielozersk，Oudoria，Obdoria，Kondinia，Vitepsk，andofMstislaf，GovernoroftheHyperboreanRegions，LordofthecountriesofIveria，Kartalinia，Grou-zinia，Kabardinia，andArmenia，HereditaryLordandSuzerainoftheScherkessprinces，ofthoseofthemountains，andofothers；heirofNorway，DukeofSchleswig-Holstein，Stormarn，Dittmarsen，andOldenburg。“Apowerfullord，intruth，ishewhosearmsareaneaglewithtwoheads，holdingascepterandaglobe，surroundedbytheescutcheonsofNovgorod，Wladimir，Kiev，Kasan，Astrakhan，andofSiberia，andenvironedbythecollaroftheorderofSt。Andrew，surmountedbyaroyalcrown！
AstoMichaelStrogoff，hispaperswereinorder，andhewas，consequently，freefromallpolicesupervision。
AtthestationofWladimirthetrainstoppedforseveralminutes，whichappearedsufficienttoenablethecorrespondentoftheDailyTelegraphtotakeatwofoldview，physicalandmoral，andtoformacompleteestimateofthisancientcapitalofRussia。
AttheWladimirstationfreshtravelersjoinedthetrain。
Amongothers，ayounggirlenteredthecompartmentoccupiedbyMichaelStrogoff。Avacantplacewasfoundoppositethecourier。
Theyounggirltookit，afterplacingbyhersideamodesttraveling-bagofredleather，whichseemedtoconstituteallherluggage。
Thenseatingherselfwithdowncasteyes，notevenglancingatthefellow-travelerswhomchancehadgivenher，shepreparedforajourneywhichwasstilltolastseveralhours。
MichaelStrogoffcouldnothelplookingattentivelyathisnewly-arrivedfellow-traveler。Asshewassoplacedastotravelwithherbacktotheengine，heevenofferedherhisseat，whichhemightprefertoherown，butshethankedhimwithaslightbendofhergracefulneck。
Theyounggirlappearedtobeaboutsixteenorseventeenyearsofage。
Herhead，trulycharming，wasofthepurestSclavonictype——
slightlysevere，andlikelyinafewsummerstounfoldintobeautyratherthanmereprettiness。Frombeneathasortofkerchiefwhichsheworeonherheadescapedinprofusionlightgoldenhair。
Hereyeswerebrown，soft，andexpressiveofmuchsweetnessoftemper。
Thenosewasstraight，andattachedtoherpaleandsomewhatthincheeksbydelicatelymobilenostrils。Thelipswerefinelycut，butitseemedasiftheyhadlongsinceforgottenhowtosmile。
Theyoungtravelerwastallandupright，asfarascouldbejudgedofherfigurefromtheverysimpleandamplepelissethatcoveredher。
Althoughshewasstillaveryyounggirlintheliteralsenseoftheterm，thedevelopmentofherhighforeheadandclearly-cutfeaturesgavetheideathatshewasthepossessorofgreatmoralenergy——
apointwhichdidnotescapeMichaelStrogoff。Evidentlythisyounggirlhadalreadysufferedinthepast，andthefuturedoubtlessdidnotpresentitselftoheringlowingcolors；butshehadsurelyknownhowtostrugglestillwiththetrialsoflife。
Herenergywasevidentlybothpromptandpersistent，andhercalmnessunalterable，evenundercircumstancesinwhichamanwouldbelikelytogivewayorlosehisself-command。
Suchwastheimpressionwhichsheproducedatfirstsight。
MichaelStrogoff，beinghimselfofanenergetictemperament，wasnaturallystruckbythecharacterofherphysiognomy，and，whiletakingcarenottocauseherannoyancebyatoopersistentgaze，heobservedhisneighborwithnosmallinterest。Thecostumeoftheyoungtravelerwasbothextremelysimpleandappropriate。
Shewasnotrich——thatcouldbeeasilyseen；butnottheslightestmarkofnegligencewastobediscernedinherdress。
Allherluggagewascontainedintheleatherbagwhich，forwantofroom，sheheldonherlap。
Sheworealong，darkpelisse，gracefullyadjustedattheneckbyabluetie。Underthispelisse，ashortskirt，alsodark，felloverarobewhichreachedtheankles。Half-bootsofleather，thicklysoled，asifchoseninanticipationofalongjourney，coveredhersmallfeet。
MichaelStrogofffanciedthatherecognized，bycertaindetails，thefashionofthecostumeofLivonia，andthoughthisneighboranativeoftheBalticprovinces。
Butwhitherwasthisyounggirlgoing，alone，atanagewhenthefosteringcareofafather，ortheprotectionofabrother，isconsideredamatterofnecessity？Hadshenowcome，afteranalreadylongjourney，fromtheprovincesofWesternRussia？WasshemerelygoingtoNijni-Novgorod，orwastheendofhertravelsbeyondtheeasternfrontiersoftheempire？
Wouldsomerelation，somefriend，awaitherarrivalbythetrain？
Orwasitnotmoreprobable，onthecontrary，thatshewouldfindherselfasmuchisolatedinthetownasshewasinthiscompartment？
Itwasprobable。
Infact，theeffectofhabitscontractedinsolitudewasclearlymanifestedinthebearingoftheyounggirl。Themannerinwhichsheenteredthecarriageandpreparedherselfforthejourney，theslightdisturbanceshecausedamongthosearoundher，thecareshetooknottoincommodeorgivetroubletoanyone，allshowedthatshewasaccustomedtobealone，andtodependonherselfonly。
MichaelStrogoffobservedherwithinterest，but，himselfreserved，hesoughtnoopportunityofaccostingher。Onceonly，whenherneighbor——
themerchantwhohadjumbledtogethersoimprudentlyinhisremarkstallowandshawls——beingasleep，andthreateningherwithhisgreathead，whichwasswayingfromoneshouldertotheother，MichaelStrogoffawokehimsomewhatroughly，andmadehimunderstandthathemustholdhimselfupright。
Themerchant，rudeenoughbynature，grumbledsomewordsagainst“peoplewhointerferewithwhatdoesnotconcernthem，“butMichaelStrogoffcastonhimaglancesosternthatthesleeperleantontheoppositeside，andrelievedtheyoungtravelerfromhisunpleasantvicinity。
Thelatterlookedattheyoungmanforaninstant，andmuteandmodestthankswereinthatlook。
ButacircumstanceoccurredwhichgaveStrogoffajustideaofthecharacterofthemaiden。TwelveverstsbeforearrivingatNijni-Novgorod，atasharpcurveoftheironway，thetrainexperiencedaveryviolentshock。Then，foraminute，itranontotheslopeofanembankment。
Travelersmoreorlessshakenabout，cries，confusion，generaldisorderinthecarriages——suchwastheeffectatfirstproduced。
Itwastobefearedthatsomeseriousaccidenthadhappened。
Consequently，evenbeforethetrainhadstopped，thedoorswereopened，andthepanic-strickenpassengersthoughtonlyofgettingoutofthecarriages。
MichaelStrogoffthoughtinstantlyoftheyounggirl；but，whilethepassengersinhercompartmentwereprecipitatingthemselvesoutside，screamingandstruggling，shehadremainedquietlyinherplace，herfacescarcelychangedbyaslightpallor。
Shewaited——MichaelStrogoffwaitedalso。
Bothremainedquiet。
“Adeterminednature！“thoughtMichaelStrogoff。
However，alldangerhadquicklydisappeared。Abreakageofthecouplingoftheluggage-vanhadfirstcausedtheshockto，andthenthestoppageof，thetrain，whichinanotherinstantwouldhavebeenthrownfromthetopoftheembankmentintoabog。
Therewasanhour’sdelay。Atlast，theroadbeingcleared，thetrainproceeded，andathalf-pasteightintheeveningarrivedatthestationofNijni-Novgorod。
Beforeanyonecouldgetoutofthecarriages，theinspectorsofpolicepresentedthemselvesatthedoorsandexaminedthepassengers。
MichaelStrogoffshowedhispodorojna，madeoutinthenameofNicholasKorpanoff。Hehadconsequentlynodifficulty。
Astotheothertravelersinthecompartment，allboundforNijni-Novgorod，theirappearance，happilyforthem，wasinnowisesuspicious。
Theyounggirlinherturn，exhibited，notapassport，sincepassportsarenolongerrequiredinRussia，butapermitindorsedwithaprivateseal，andwhichseemedtobeofaspecialcharacter。
Theinspectorreadthepermitwithattention。Then，havingattentivelyexaminedthepersonwhosedescriptionitcontained:
“YouarefromRiga？“hesaid。
“Yes，“repliedtheyounggirl。
“YouaregoingtoIrkutsk？“
“Yes。“
“Bywhatroute？“
“ByPerm。“