AndthemujikrelatedtoMichaelStrogoffthedifferentincidentsofthestrugglewhichhehadwitnessed——theattackupontheferrybytheTartarboats，thepillageofthetarantass，andthemassacreoftheboatmen。
ButMichaelStrogofflistenednolonger，andslippinghishandunderhisgarmenthefelttheimperialletterstillsecuredinhisbreast。
Hebreathedasighofrelief。
Butthatwasnotall。“Ayounggirlaccompaniedme，“saidhe。
“Theyhavenotkilledher，“repliedthemujik，anticipatingtheanxietywhichhereadintheeyesofhisguest。“Theyhavecarriedheroffintheirboat，andhavecontinuedthedescentofIrtych。ItisonlyoneprisonermoretojointhemanytheyaretakingtoTomsk！“
MichaelStrogoffwasunabletoreply。Hepressedhishanduponhishearttorestrainitsbeating。But，notwithstandingthesemanytrials，thesentimentofdutymasteredhiswholesoul。
“WhereamI？“askedhe。
“UpontherightbankoftheIrtych，onlyfiveverstsfromOmsk，“
repliedthemujik。
“WhatwoundcanIhavereceivedwhichcouldhavethusprostratedme？
Itwasnotagunshotwound？“
“No；alance-thrustinthehead，nowhealing，“repliedthemujik。
“Afterafewdays’rest，littlefather，thouwiltbeabletoproceed。
Thoudidstfallintotheriver；buttheTartarsneithertouchednorsearchedthee；andthypurseisstillinthypocket。“
MichaelStrogoffgrippedthemujik’shand。Then，recoveringhimselfwithasuddeneffort，“Friend，“saidhe，“howlonghaveIbeeninthyhut？“
“Threedays。“
“Threedayslost！“
“Threedayshastthoulainunconscious。“
“Hastthouahorsetosellme？“
“Thouwishesttogo？“
“Atonce。“
“Ihaveneitherhorsenorcarriage，littlefather。
WheretheTartarhaspassedthereremainsnothing！“
“Well，IwillgoonfoottoOmsktofindahorse。“
“Afewmorehoursofrest，andthouwiltbeinabetterconditiontopursuethyjourney。“
“Notanhour！“
“Comenow，“repliedthemujik，recognizingthefactthatitwasuselesstostruggleagainstthewillofhisguest，“Iwillguidetheemyself。
Besides，“headded，“theRussiansarestillingreatforceatOmsk，andthoucouldst，perhaps，passunperceived。“
“Friend，“repliedMichaelStrogoff，“Heavenrewardtheeforallthouhastdoneforme！“
“Onlyfoolsexpectrewardonearth，“repliedthemujik。
MichaelStrogoffwentoutofthehut。Whenhetriedtowalkhewasseizedwithsuchfaintnessthat，withouttheassistanceofthemujik，hewouldhavefallen；butthefreshairquicklyrevivedhim。
Hethenfeltthewoundinhishead，theviolenceofwhichhisfurcaphadlessened。Withtheenergywhichhepossessed，hewasnotamantosuccumbundersuchatrifle。Beforehiseyeslayasinglegoal——far-distantIrkutsk。Hemustreachit！
ButhemustpassthroughOmskwithoutstoppingthere。
“GodprotectmymotherandNadia！“hemurmured。“Ihavenolongertherighttothinkofthem！“
MichaelStrogoffandthemujiksoonarrivedinthemercantilequarterofthelowertown。Thesurroundingearthworkhadbeendestroyedinmanyplaces，andtherewerethebreachesthroughwhichthemarauderswhofollowedthearmiesofFeofar-Khanhadpenetrated。
WithinOmsk，initsstreetsandsquares，theTartarsoldiersswarmedlikeants；butitwaseasytoseethatahandofironimposeduponthemadisciplinetowhichtheywerelittleaccustomed。
Theywalkednowherealone，butinarmedgroups，todefendthemselvesagainstsurprise。
Inthechiefsquare，transformedintoacamp，guardedbymanysentries，2，000Tartarsbivouacked。Thehorses，picketedbutstillsaddled，werereadytostartatthefirstorder。Omskcouldonlybeatemporaryhalting-placeforthisTartarcavalry，whichpreferredtherichplainsofEasternSiberia，wherethetownsweremorewealthy，and，consequently，pillagemoreprofitable。
Abovethemercantiletownrosetheupperquarter，whichIvanOgareff，notwithstandingseveralassaultsvigorouslymadebutbravelyrepelled，hadnotyetbeenabletoreduce。UponitsembattledwallsfloatedthenationalcolorsofRussia。
ItwasnotwithoutalegitimatepridethatMichaelStrogoffandhisguide，vowingfidelity，salutedthem。
MichaelStrogoffwasperfectlyacquaintedwiththetownofOmsk，andhetookcaretoavoidthosestreetswhichweremuchfrequented。
Thiswasnotfromanyfearofbeingrecognized。Inthetownhisoldmotheronlycouldhavecalledhimbyname，buthehadswornnottoseeher，andhedidnot。Besides——andhewisheditwithhiswholeheart——
shemighthavefledintosomequietportionofthesteppe。
Themujikveryfortunatelyknewapostmasterwho，ifwellpaid，wouldnotrefuseathisrequesteithertoletortosellacarriageorhorses。
Thereremainedthedifficultyofleavingthetown，butthebreachesinthefortificationswould，ofcourse，facilitatehisdeparture。
Themujikwasaccordinglyconductinghisgueststraighttotheposting-house，when，inanarrowstreet，MichaelStrogoff，comingtoasuddenstopsprangbehindajuttingwall。
“Whatisthematter？“askedtheastonishedmujik。
“Silence！“repliedMichael，withhisfingeronhislips。
AtthismomentadetachmentdebouchedfromtheprincipalsquareintothestreetwhichMichaelStrogoffandhiscompanionhadjustbeenfollowing。
Attheheadofthedetachment，composedoftwentyhorsemen，wasanofficerdressedinaverysimpleuniform。
AlthoughheglancedrapidlyfromonesidetotheotherhecouldnothaveseenMichaelStrogoff，owingtohisprecipitousretreat。
Thedetachmentwentatfulltrotintothenarrowstreet。Neithertheofficernorhisescortconcernedthemselvesabouttheinhabitants。
Severalunluckyoneshadscarcelytimetomakewayfortheirpassage。
Therewereafewhalf-stifledcries，towhichthrustsofthelancegaveaninstantreply，andthestreetwasimmediatelycleared。
Whentheescorthaddisappeared，“Whoisthatofficer？“
askedMichaelStrogoff。Andwhileputtingthequestionhisfacewaspaleasthatofacorpse。
“ItisIvanOgareff，“repliedtheSiberian，inadeepvoicewhichbreathedhatred。
“He！“criedMichaelStrogoff，fromwhomthewordescapedwithafuryhecouldnotconquer。Hehadjustrecognizedinthisofficerthetravelerwhohadstruckhimattheposting-houseofIchim。And，althoughhehadonlycaughtaglimpseofhim，itburstuponhismind，atthesametime，thatthistravelerwastheoldZingariwhosewordshehadoverheardinthemarketplaceofNijni-Novgorod。
MichaelStrogoffwasnotmistaken。Thetwomenwereoneandthesame。
ItwasunderthegarbofaZingari，minglingwiththebandofSangarre，thatIvanOgareffhadbeenabletoleavethetownofNijni-Novgorod，wherehehadgonetoseekhisconfidants。SangarreandherZingari，wellpaidspies，wereabsolutelydevotedtohim。Itwashewho，duringthenight，onthefair-groundhadutteredthatsingularsentence，whichMichaelStrogoffcouldnotunderstand；itwashewhowasvoyagingonboardtheCaucasus，withthewholeoftheBohemianband；
itwashewho，bythisotherroute，fromKasantoIchim，acrosstheUrals，hadreachedOmsk，wherenowheheldsupremeauthority。
IvanOgareffhadbeenbarelythreedaysatOmsk，andhaditnotbeenfortheirfatalmeetingatIchim，andfortheeventwhichhaddetainedhimthreedaysonthebanksoftheIrtych，MichaelStrogoffwouldhaveevidentlybeatenhimonthewaytoIrkutsk。
Andwhoknowshowmanymisfortuneswouldhavebeenavoidedinthefuture！
Inanycase——andnowmorethanever——MichaelStrogoffmustavoidIvanOgareff，andcontrivenottobeseen。Whenthemomentofencounteringhimfacetofaceshouldarrive，heknewhowtomeetit，evenshouldthetraitorbemasterofthewholeofSiberia。
ThemujikandMichaelresumedtheirwayandarrivedattheposting-house。ToleaveOmskbyoneofthebreacheswouldnotbedifficultafternightfall。Asforpurchasingacarriagetoreplacethetarantass，thatwasimpossible。
Therewerenonetobeletorsold。ButwhatwanthadMichaelStrogoffnowforacarriage？Washenotalone，alas？Ahorsewouldsufficehim；and，veryfortunately，ahorsecouldbehad。
Itwasananimalofstrengthandmettle，andMichaelStrogoff，accomplishedhorsemanashewas，couldmakegooduseofit。
Itwasfouro’clockintheafternoon。MichaelStrogoff，compelledtowaittillnightfall，inordertopassthefortifications，butnotdesiringtoshowhimself，remainedintheposting-house，andtherepartookoffood。
Therewasagreatcrowdinthepublicroom。TheyweretalkingoftheexpectedarrivalofacorpsofMuscovitetroops，notatOmsk，butatTomsk——acorpsintendedtorecapturethattownfromtheTartarsofFeofar-Khan。
MichaelStrogofflentanattentiveear，buttooknopartintheconversation。Suddenlyacrymadehimtremble，acrywhichpenetratedtothedepthsofhissoul，andthesetwowordsrushedintohisear:“Myson！“
Hismother，theoldwomanMarfa，wasbeforehim！Trembling，shesmileduponhim。Shestretchedforthherarmstohim。MichaelStrogoffarose。
Hewasabouttothrowhimself——
Thethoughtofduty，theseriousdangerforhismotherandhimselfinthisunfortunatemeeting，suddenlystoppedhim，andsuchwashiscommandoverhimselfthatnotamuscleofhisfacemoved。Thereweretwentypeopleinthepublicroom。
Amongthemwere，perhaps，spies，andwasitnotknowninthetownthatthesonofMarfaStrogoffbelongedtothecorpsofthecouriersoftheCzar？
MichaelStrogoffdidnotmove。
“Michael！“criedhismother。
“Whoareyou，mygoodlady？“MichaelStrogoffstammered，unabletospeakinhisusualfirmtone。
“WhoamI，thouaskest！Dostthounolongerknowthymother？“
“Youaremistaken，“coldlyrepliedMichaelStrogoff。“Aresemblancedeceivesyou。“
TheoldMarfawentuptohim，and，lookingstraightintohiseyes，said，“ThouartnotthesonofPeterandMarfaStrogoff？“
MichaelStrogoffwouldhavegivenhislifetohavelockedhismotherinhisarms；butifheyieldeditwasalloverwithhim，withher，withhismission，withhisoath！
Completelymasterofhimself，heclosedhiseyes，inordernottoseetheinexpressibleanguishwhichagitatedthereveredcountenanceofhismother。Hedrewbackhishands，inordernottotouchthosetremblinghandswhichsoughthim。
“Idonotknowintruthwhatitisyousay，mygoodwoman，“
hereplied，steppingback。
“Michael！“againcriedhisagedmother。
“MynameisnotMichael。Ineverwasyourson！IamNicholasKorpanoff，amerchantatIrkutsk。“
Andsuddenlyheleftthepublicroom，whilstforthelasttimethewordsre-echoed，“Myson！myson！“
MichaelStrogoff，byadesperateeffort，hadgone。Hedidnotseehisoldmother，whohadfallenbackalmostinanimateuponabench。
Butwhenthepostmasterhastenedtoassisther，theagedwomanraisedherself。Suddenlyathoughtoccurredtoher。
Shedeniedbyherson！Itwasnotpossible。Asforbeingherselfdeceived，andtakinganotherforhim，equallyimpossible。
Itwascertainlyhersonwhomshehadjustseen；andifhehadnotrecognizedheritwasbecausehewouldnot，itwasbecauseheoughtnot，itwasbecausehehadsomecogentreasonsforactingthus！
Andthen，hermother’sfeelingsarisingwithinher，shehadonlyonethought——“CanI，unwittingly，haveruinedhim？“
“Iammad，“shesaidtoherinterrogators。“Myeyeshavedeceivedme！
Thisyoungmanisnotmychild。Hehadnothisvoice。Letusthinknomoreofit；ifwedoIshallendbyfindinghimeverywhere。“
LessthantenminutesafterwardsaTartarofficerappearedintheposting-house。“MarfaStrogoff？“heasked。
“ItisI，“repliedtheoldwoman，inatonesocalm，andwithafacesotranquil，thatthosewhohadwitnessedthemeetingwithhersonwouldnothaveknownher。