SUCHwerenowtherelativesituationsofMarfaStrogoffandNadia。AllwasunderstoodbytheoldSiberian，andthoughtheyounggirlwasignorantthathermuch-regrettedcompanionstilllived，sheatleastknewhisrelationshiptoherwhomshehadmadehermother；
andshethankedGodforhavinggivenherthejoyoftakingtheplaceofthesonwhomtheprisonerhadlost。
ButwhatneitherofthemcouldknowwasthatMichael，havingbeencapturedatKolyvan，wasinthesameconvoyandwasonhiswaytoTomskwiththem。
TheprisonersbroughtbyIvanOgareffhadbeenaddedtothosealreadykeptbytheEmirintheTartarcamp。Theseunfortunatepeople，consistingofRussians，Siberians，soldiersandcivilians，numberedsomethousands，andformedacolumnwhichextendedoverseveralversts。Someamongthembeingconsidereddangerouswerehandcuffedandfastenedtoalongchain。
Therewere，too，womenandchildren，manyofthelattersuspendedtothepommelsofthesaddles，whiletheformerweredraggedmercilesslyalongtheroadonfoot，ordrivenforwardasiftheywereanimals。
Thehorsemencompelledthemtomaintainacertainorder，andtherewerenolaggardswiththeexceptionofthosewhofellnevertoriseagain。
Inconsequenceofthisarrangement，MichaelStrogoff，marchinginthefirstranksofthosewhohadlefttheTartarcamp——
thatistosay，amongtheKolyvanprisoners——wasunabletominglewiththeprisonerswhohadarrivedafterhimfromOmsk。HehadthereforenosuspicionthathismotherandNadiawerepresentintheconvoy，nordidtheysupposethathewasamongthoseinfront。
ThisjourneyfromthecamptoTomsk，performedunderthelashesandspear-pointsofthesoldiers，provedfataltomany，andterribletoall。
Theprisonerstraveledacrossthesteppe，overaroadmadestillmoredustybythepassageoftheEmirandhisvanguard。
Ordershadbeengiventomarchrapidly。Theshorthaltswererare。
Thehundredmilesunderaburningskyseemedinterminable，thoughtheywereperformedasrapidlyaspossible。
Thecountry，whichextendsfromtherightoftheObitothebaseofthespurdetachedfromtheSayanokMountains，isverysterile。Onlyafewstuntedandburnt-upshrubshereandtherebreakthemonotonyoftheimmenseplain。
Therewasnocultivation，fortherewasnowater；anditwaswaterthattheprisoners，parchedbytheirpainfulmarch，mostneeded。
Tofindastreamtheymusthavedivergedfiftyverstseastward，totheveryfootofthemountains。
ThereflowstheTom，alittleaffluentoftheObi，whichpassesnearTomskbeforelosingitselfinoneofthegreatnorthernarteries。
Therewaterwouldhavebeenabundant，thesteppelessarid，theheatlesssevere。ButthestrictestordershadbeengiventothecommandersoftheconvoytoreachTomskbytheshortestway，fortheEmirwasmuchafraidofbeingtakenintheflankandcutoffbysomeRussiancolumndescendingfromthenorthernprovinces。
Itisuselesstodwelluponthesufferingsoftheunhappyprisoners。
Manyhundredsfellonthesteppe，wheretheirbodieswouldlieuntilwinter，whenthewolveswoulddevourtheremnantsoftheirbones。
AsNadiahelpedtheoldSiberian，sointhesamewaydidMichaelrendertohismorefeeblecompanionsinmisfortunesuchservicesashissituationallowed。Heencouragedsome，supportedothers，goingtoandfro，untilaprickfromasoldier’slanceobligedhimtor俿um？theplacewhichhadbeenassignedhimintheranks。
Whydidhenotendeavortoescape？
Thereasonwasthathehadnowquitedeterminednottoventureuntilthesteppewassafeforhim。HewasresolvedinhisideaofgoingasfarasTomsk“attheEmir’sexpense，“andindeedhewasright。
Asheobservedthenumerousdetachmentswhichscouredtheplainontheconvoy’sflanks，nowtothesouth，nowtothenorth，itwasevidentthatbeforehecouldhavegonetwoverstshemusthavebeenrecaptured。TheTartarhorsemenswarmed——
itactuallyappearedasiftheysprangfromtheearth——likeinsectswhichathunderstormbringstothesurfaceoftheground。
Flightundertheseconditionswouldhavebeenextremelydifficult，ifnotimpossible。Thesoldiersoftheescortdisplayedexcessivevigilance，fortheywouldhavepaidfortheslightestcarelessnesswiththeirheads。
Atnightfallofthe15thofAugust，theconvoyreachedthelittlevillageofZabediero，thirtyverstsfromTomsk。
Theprisoners’firstmovementwouldhavebeentorushintotheriver，buttheywerenotallowedtoleavetheranksuntilthehalthadbeenorganized。AlthoughthecurrentoftheTomwasjustnowlikeatorrent，itmighthavefavoredtheflightofsomeboldordesperateman，andthestrictestmeasuresofvigilanceweretaken。Boats，requisitionedatZabediero，werebroughtuptotheTomandformedalineofobstaclesimpossibletopass。
Astotheencampmentontheoutskirtsofthevillage，itwasguardedbyacordonofsentinels。
MichaelStrogoff，whonownaturallythoughtofescape，saw，aftercarefullysurveyingthesituation，thatundertheseconditionsitwasperfectlyimpossible；so，notwishingtocompromisehimself，hewaited。
TheprisonersweretoencampforthewholenightonthebanksoftheTom，fortheEmirhadputofftheentranceofhistroopsintoTomsk。IthadbeendecidedthatamilitaryfeteshouldmarktheinaugurationoftheTartarheadquartersinthisimportantcity。
Feofar-Khanalreadyoccupiedthefortress，butthebulkofhisarmybivouackedunderitswalls，waitinguntilthetimecameforthemtomakeasolemnentry。
IvanOgarefflefttheEmiratTomsk，wherebothhadarrivedtheeveningbefore，andreturnedtothecampatZabediero。Fromherehewastostartthenextdaywiththerear-guardoftheTartararmy。
Ahousehadbeenarrangedforhiminwhichtopassthenight。
AtsunrisehorseandfootsoldiersweretoproceedtoTomsk，wheretheEmirwishedtoreceivethemwiththepompusualtoAsiaticsovereigns。Assoonasthehaltwasorganized，theprisoners，wornoutwiththeirthreedays’journey，andsufferingfromburningthirst，coulddrinkandtakealittlerest。
Thesunhadalreadyset，whenNadia，supportingMarfaStrogoff，reachedthebanksoftheTom。Theyhadnottillthenbeenabletogetthroughthosewhocrowdedthebanks，butatlasttheycametodrinkintheirturn。
Theoldwomanbentovertheclearstream，andNadia，plunginginherhand，carriedittoMarfa’slips。Thensherefreshedherself。
Theyfoundnewlifeinthesewelcomewaters。SuddenlyNadiastartedup；
aninvoluntarycryescapedher。
MichaelStrogoffwasthere，afewstepsfromher。Itwashe。
Thedyingraysofthesunfelluponhim。
AtNadia’scryMichaelstarted。Buthehadsufficientcommandoverhimselfnottoutterawordbywhichhemighthavebeencompromised。
Andyet，whenhesawNadia，healsorecognizedhismother。
Feelinghecouldnotlongkeepmasterofhimselfatthisunexpectedmeeting，hecoveredhiseyeswithhishandsandwalkedquicklyaway。
Nadia’simpulsewastorunafterhim，buttheoldSiberianmurmuredinherear，“Stay，mydaughter！“
“Itishe！“repliedNadia，chokingwithemotion。“Helives，mother！
Itishe！“
“Itismyson，“answeredMarfa，“itisMichaelStrogoff，andyouseethatIdonotmakeasteptowardshim！
Imitateme，mydaughter。“
Michaelhadjustexperiencedthemostviolentemotionwhichamancanfeel。HismotherandNadiawerethere！
Thetwoprisonerswhowerealwaystogetherinhisheart，Godhadbroughtthemtogetherinthiscommonmisfortune。
DidNadiaknowwhohewas？Yes，forhehadseenMarfa’sgesture，holdingherbackasshewasabouttorushtowardshim。
Marfa，then，hadunderstoodall，andkepthissecret。
Duringthatnight，Michaelwastwentytimesonthepointoflookingforandjoininghismother；butheknewthathemustresistthelonginghefelttotakeherinhisarms，andoncemorepressthehandofhisyoungcompanion。Theleastimprudencemightbefatal。Hehadbesidesswornnottoseehismother。
OnceatTomsk，sincehecouldnotescapethisverynight，hewouldsetoffwithouthavingevenembracedthetwobeingsinwhomallthehappinessofhislifewascentered，andwhomheshouldleaveexposedtosomanyperils。
MichaelhopedthatthisfreshmeetingattheZabedierocampwouldhavenodisastrousconsequenceseithertohismotherortohimself。
Buthedidnotknowthatpartofthisscene，althoughitpassedsorapidly，hadbeenobservedbySangarre，Ogareff’sspy。
TheTsiganewasthere，afewpacesoff，onthebank，asusual，watchingtheoldSiberianwoman。ShehadnotcaughtsightofMichael，forhedisappearedbeforeshehadtimetolookaround；
butthemother’sgestureasshekeptbackNadiahadnotescapedher，andthelookinMarfa’seyestoldherall。
ItwasnowbeyonddoubtthatMarfaStrogoff’sson，theCzar’scourier，wasatthismomentinZabediero，amongIvanOgareff’sprisoners。
Sangarredidnotknowhim，butsheknewthathewasthere。
Shedidnotthenattempttodiscoverhim，foritwouldhavebeenimpossibleinthedarkandtheimmensecrowd。
AsforagainwatchingNadiaandMarfaStrogoff，thatwasequallyuseless。
Itwasevidentthatthetwowomenwouldkeepontheirguard，anditwouldbeimpossibletooverhearanythingofanaturetocompromisethecourieroftheCzar。TheTsigane’sfirstthoughtwastotellIvanOgareff。Shethereforeimmediatelylefttheencampment。
Aquarterofanhourafter，shereachedZabediero，andwasshownintothehouseoccupiedbytheEmir’slieutenant。OgareffreceivedtheTsiganedirectly。
“Whathaveyoutotellme，Sangarre？“heasked。
“MarfaStrogoff’ssonisintheencampment。“
“Aprisoner？“
“Aprisoner。“
“Ah！“exclaimedOgareff，“Ishallknow——“
“Youwillknownothing，Ivan，“repliedTsigane；“foryoudonotevenknowhimbysight。“
“Butyouknowhim；youhaveseenhim，Sangarre？“
“Ihavenotseenhim；buthismotherbetrayedherselfbyagesture，whichtoldmeeverything。“
“Areyounotmistaken？“
“Iamnotmistaken。“
“YouknowtheimportancewhichIattachtotheapprehensionofthiscourier，“saidIvanOgareff。“IftheletterwhichhehasbroughtfromMoscowreachesIrkutsk，ifitisgiventotheGrandDuke，theGrandDukewillbeonhisguard，andIshallnotbeabletogetathim。Imusthavethatletteratanyprice。
Nowyoucometotellmethatthebearerofthisletterisinmypower。
Irepeat，Sangarre，areyounotmistaken？“
Ogareffspokewithgreatanimation。Hisemotionshowedtheextremeimportanceheattachedtothepossessionofthisletter。SangarrewasnotatallputoutbytheurgencywithwhichOgareffrepeatedhisquestion。
“Iamnotmistaken，Ivan，“shesaid。
“But，Sangarre，therearethousandsofprisoners；andyousaythatyoudonotknowMichaelStrogoff。“
“No，“answeredtheTsigane，withalookofsavagejoy，“Idonotknowhim；
buthismotherknowshim。Ivan，wemustmakehismotherspeak。“
“To-morrowsheshallspeak！“criedOgareff。Sosaying，heextendedhishandtotheTsigane，whokissedit；forthereisnothingservileinthisactofrespect，itbeingusualamongtheNorthernraces。
Sangarrereturnedtothecamp。ShefoundoutNadiaandMarfaStrogoff，andpassedthenightinwatchingthem。
Althoughwornoutwithfatigue，theoldwomanandthegirldidnotsleep。Theirgreatanxietykeptthemawake。
Michaelwasliving，butaprisoner。DidOgareffknowhim，orwouldhenotsoonfindhimout？Nadiawasoccupiedbytheonethoughtthathewhomshehadthoughtdeadstilllived。
ButMarfasawfurtherintothefuture:and，althoughshedidnotcarewhatbecameofherself，shehadeveryreasontofearforherson。
Sangarre，undercoverofthenight，hadcreptnearthetwowomen，andremainedthereseveralhourslistening。Sheheardnothing。
FromaninstinctivefeelingofprudencenotawordwasexchangedbetweenNadiaandMarfaStrogoff。Thenextday，the16thofAugust，aboutteninthemorning，trumpet-callsresoundedthroughouttheencampment。
TheTartarsoldierswerealmostimmediatelyunderarms。
IvanOgareffarrived，surroundedbyalargestaffofTartarofficers。
Hisfacewasmorecloudedthanusual，andhisknittedbrowgavesignsoflatentwrathwhichwaswaitingforanoccasiontobreakforth。
MichaelStrogoff，hiddeninagroupofprisoners，sawthismanpass。
Hehadapresentimentthatsomecatastrophewasimminent:
forIvanOgareffknewnowthatMarfawasthemotherofMichaelStrogoff。
Ogareffdismounted，andhisescortclearedalargecircleroundhim。
JustthenSangarreapproachedhim，andsaid，“Ihavenonews。“
IvanOgareff’sonlyreplywastogiveanordertooneofhisofficers。
Thentheranksofprisonerswerebrutallyhurriedupbythesoldiers。
Theunfortunatepeople，drivenonwithwhips，orpushedonwithlances，arrangedthemselvesroundthecamp。Astrongguardofsoldiersdrawnupbehind，renderedescapeimpossible。