thatherdressseemedtobeliterallymadeofpreciousstones。
Thethousandsofdiamondswhichsparkledonherneck，arms，hands，atherwaist，andatherfeetmighthavebeenvaluedatalmostcountlessmillionsofroubles。
TheEmirandtheKhansdismounted，asdidthedignitarieswhoescortedthem。Allenteredamagnificenttenterectedonthecenterofthefirstterrace。Beforethetent，asusual，theKoranwaslaid。
Feofar’slieutenantdidnotmakethemwait，andbeforefiveo’clockthetrumpetsannouncedhisarrival。IvanOgareff——
theScarredCheek，ashewasalreadynick-named——wearingtheuniformofaTartarofficer，dismountedbeforetheEmir’stent。
HewasaccompaniedbyapartyofsoldiersfromthecampatZabediero，whorangedupatthesidesofthesquare，inthemiddleofwhichaplaceforthesportswasreserved。
Alargescarcouldbedistinctlyseencutobliquelyacrossthetraitor’sface。
OgareffpresentedhisprincipalofficerstotheEmir，who，withoutdepartingfromthecoldnesswhichcomposedthemainpartofhisdignity，receivedtheminawaywhichsatisfiedthemthattheystoodwellinthegoodgracesoftheirchief。
AtleastsothoughtHarryBlountandAlcideJolivet，thetwoinseparables，nowassociatedtogetherinthechaseafternews。
AfterleavingZabediero，theyhadproceededrapidlytoTomsk。TheplantheyhadagreeduponwastoleavetheTartarsassoonaspossible，andtojoinaRussianregiment，and，iftheycould，togowiththemtoIrkutsk。Allthattheyhadseenoftheinvasion，itsburnings，itspillages，itsmurders，hadperfectlysickenedthem，andtheylongedtobeamongtheranksoftheSiberianarmy。
JolivethadtoldhiscompanionthathecouldnotleaveTomskwithoutmakingasketchofthetriumphalentryoftheTartartroops，ifitwasonlytosatisfyhiscousin’scuriosity；butthesameeveningtheybothintendedtotaketheroadtoIrkutsk，andbeingwellmountedhopedtodistancetheEmir’sscouts。
AlcideandBlountmingledthereforeinthecrowd，soastolosenodetailofafestivalwhichoughttosupplythemwithahundredgoodlinesforanarticle。TheyadmiredthemagnificenceofFeofar-Khan，hiswives，hisofficers，hisguards，andalltheEasternpomp，ofwhichtheceremoniesofEuropecangivenottheleastidea。
ButtheyturnedawaywithdisgustwhenIvanOgareffpresentedhimselfbeforetheEmir，andwaitedwithsomeimpatiencefortheamusementstobegin。
“Yousee，mydearBlount，“saidAlcide，“wehavecometoosoon，likehonestcitizenswholiketogettheirmoney’sworth。
Allthisisbeforethecurtainrises，itwouldhavebeenbettertoarriveonlyfortheballet。“
“Whatballet？“askedBlount。
“Thecompulsoryballet，tobesure。Butsee，thecurtainisgoingtorise。“AlcideJolivetspokeasifhehadbeenattheOpera，andtakinghisglassfromitscase，heprepared，withtheairofaconnoisseur，“toexaminethefirstactofFeofar’scompany。“
Apainfulceremonywastoprecedethesports。Infact，thetriumphofthevanquishercouldnotbecompletewithoutthepublichumiliationofthevanquished。Thiswaswhyseveralhundredsofprisonerswerebroughtunderthesoldiers’whips。
TheyweredestinedtomarchpastFeofar-Khanandhisalliesbeforebeingcrammedwiththeircompanionsintotheprisonsinthetown。
InthefirstranksoftheseprisonersfiguredMichaelStrogoff。
AsOgareffhadordered，hewasspeciallyguardedbyafileofsoldiers。
HismotherandNadiaweretherealso。
TheoldSiberian，althoughenergeticenoughwhenherownsafetywasinquestion，wasfrightfullypale。Sheexpectedsometerriblescene。ItwasnotwithoutreasonthathersonhadbeenbroughtbeforetheEmir。Shethereforetrembledforhim。
IvanOgareffwasnotamantoforgivehavingbeenstruckinpublicbytheknout，andhisvengeancewouldbemerciless。
SomefrightfulpunishmentfamiliartothebarbariansofCentralAsiawould，nodoubt，beinflictedonMichael。OgareffhadprotectedhimagainstthesoldiersbecausehewellknewwhatwouldhappenbyreservinghimforthejusticeoftheEmir。
ThemotherandsonhadnotbeenabletospeaktogethersincetheterriblesceneinthecampatZabediero。Theyhadbeenpitilesslykeptapart——abitteraggravationoftheirmisery，foritwouldhavebeensomeconsolationtohavebeentogetherduringthesedaysofcaptivity。Marfalongedtoaskherson’spardonfortheharmshehadunintentionallydonehim，forshereproachedherselfwithnothavingcommandedhermaternalfeelings。
Ifshehadrestrainedherselfinthatpost-houseatOmsk，whenshefoundherselffacetofacewithhim，Michaelwouldhavepassedunrecognized，andallthesemisfortuneswouldhavebeenavoided。
Michael，onhisside，thoughtthatifhismotherwasthere，ifOgareffhadbroughtherwithhim，itwastomakehersufferwiththesightofhisownpunishment，orperhapssomefrightfuldeathwasreservedforheralso。
AstoNadia，sheonlyaskedherselfhowshecouldsavethemboth，howcometotheaidofsonandmother。
Asyetshecouldonlywonder，butshefeltinstinctivelythatshemustaboveeverythingavoiddrawingattentionuponherself，thatshemustconcealherself，makeherselfinsignificant。
Perhapsshemightatleastgnawthroughthemesheswhichimprisonedthelion。Atanyrateifanyopportunitywasgivenhershewouldseizeuponit，andsacrificeherself，ifneedbe，forthesonofMarfaStrogoff。
InthemeantimethegreaterpartoftheprisonerswerepassingbeforetheEmir，andastheypassedeachwasobligedtoprostratehimself，withhisforeheadinthedust，intokenofservitude。Slaverybeginsbyhumiliation。Whentheunfortunatepeopleweretooslowinbending，theroughguardsthrewthemviolentlytotheground。
AlcideJolivetandhiscompanioncouldnotwitnesssuchasightwithoutfeelingindignant。
“Itiscowardly——letusgo，“saidAlcide。
“No，“answeredBlount；“wemustseeitall。“
“Seeitall！——ah！“criedAlcide，suddenly，graspinghiscompanion’sarm。
“Whatisthematterwithyou？“askedthelatter。
“Look，Blount；itisshe！“
“Whatshe？“
“Thesisterofourtravelingcompanion——alone，andaprisoner！
Wemustsaveher。“
“Calmyourself，“repliedBlountcoolly。“Anyinterferenceonourpartinbehalfoftheyounggirlwouldbeworsethanuseless。“
AlcideJolivet，whohadbeenabouttorushforward，stopped，andNadia——
whohadnotperceivedthem，herfeaturesbeinghalfhiddenbyherhair——
passedinherturnbeforetheEmirwithoutattractinghisattention。
However，afterNadiacameMarfaStrogoff；andasshedidnotthrowherselfquicklyinthedust，theguardsbrutallypushedher。
Shefell。
Hersonstruggledsoviolentlythatthesoldierswhowereguardinghimcouldscarcelyholdhimback。Buttheoldwomanrose，andtheywereabouttodragheron，whenOgareffinterposed，saying，“Letthatwomanstay！“
AstoNadia，shehappilyregainedthecrowdofprisoners。
IvanOgareffhadtakennonoticeofher。
MichaelwasthenledbeforetheEmir，andthereheremainedstanding，withoutcastingdownhiseyes。
“Yourforeheadtotheground！“criedOgareff。
“No！“answeredMichael。
Twosoldiersendeavoredtomakehimbend，buttheywerethemselveslaidonthegroundbyabuffetfromtheyoungman’sfist。
OgareffapproachedMichael。“Youshalldie！“hesaid。
“Icandie，“answeredMichaelfiercely；“butyourtraitor’sface，Ivan，willnotthelesscarryforevertheinfamousbrandoftheknout。“
AtthisreplyIvanOgareffbecameperfectlylivid。
“Whoisthisprisoner？“askedtheEmir，inatoneofvoiceterriblefromitsverycalmness。
“ARussianspy，“answeredOgareff。InassertingthatMichaelwasaspyheknewthatthesentencepronouncedagainsthimwouldbeterrible。
TheEmirmadeasignatwhichallthecrowdbentlowtheirheads。
ThenhepointedwithhishandtotheKoran，whichwasbroughthim。
Heopenedthesacredbookandplacedhisfingerononeofitspages。
Itwaschance，orrather，accordingtotheideasoftheseOrientals，GodHimselfwhowasabouttodecidethefateofMichaelStrogoff。ThepeopleofCentralAsiagivethenameof“fal“tothispractice。Afterhavinginterpretedthesenseoftheversetouchedbythejudge’sfinger，theyapplythesentencewhateveritmaybe。
TheEmirhadlethisfingerrestonthepageoftheKoran。ThechiefoftheUlemasthenapproached，andreadinaloudvoiceaversewhichendedwiththesewords，“Andhewillnomoreseethethingsofthisearth。“
“Russianspy！“exclaimedFeofar-Kahninavoicetremblingwithfury，“youhavecometoseewhatisgoingonintheTartarcamp。
Thenlookwhileyoumay。“
CHAPTERV“LOOKWHILEYOUMAY！“
MICHAELwasheldbeforetheEmir’sthrone，atthefootoftheterrace，hishandsboundbehindhisback。
Hismotherovercomeatlastbymentalandphysicaltorture，hadsunktotheground，daringneithertolooknorlisten。
“Lookwhileyoumay，“exclaimedFeofar-Kahn，stretchinghisarmtowardsMichaelinathreateningmanner。DoubtlessIvanOgareff，beingwellacquaintedwithTartarcustoms，hadtakeninthefullmeaningofthesewords，forhislipscurledforaninstantinacruelsmile；
hethentookhisplacebyFeofar-Khan。
Atrumpetcallwasheard。Thiswasthesignalfortheamusementstobegin。“Herecomestheballet，“saidAlcidetoBlount；
“but，contrarytoourcustoms，thesebarbariansgiveitbeforethedrama。“
Michaelhadbeencommandedtolookateverything。Helooked。
AtroopofdancerspouredintotheopenspacebeforetheEmir’stent。
DifferentTartarinstruments，the“doutare，“along-handledguitar，the“kobize，“akindofvioloncello，the“tschibyzga，“alongreedflute；windinstruments，tom-toms，tambourines，unitedwiththedeepvoicesofthesingers，formedastrangeharmony。
Addedtothiswerethestrainsofanaerialorchestra，composedofadozenkites，which，fastenedbystringstotheircenters，resoundedinthebreezelikeAEolianharps。
Thenthedancersbegan。TheperformerswereallofPersianorigin；
theywerenolongerslaves，butexercisedtheirprofessionatliberty。
FormerlytheyfiguredofficiallyintheceremoniesatthecourtofTeheran，butsincetheaccessionofthereigningfamily，banishedortreatedwithcontempt，theyhadbeencompelledtoseektheirfortuneelsewhere。Theyworethenationalcostume，andwereadornedwithaprofusionofjewels。Littletrianglesofgold，studdedwithjewels，glitteredintheirears。Circlesofsilver，markedwithblack，surroundedtheirnecksandlegs。
Theseperformersgracefullyexecutedvariousdances，sometimesalone，sometimesingroups。Theirfaceswereuncovered，butfromtimetotimetheythrewalightveilovertheirheads，andagauzecloudpassedovertheirbrighteyesassmokeoverastarrysky。
SomeofthesePersiansworeleathernbeltsembroideredwithpearls，fromwhichhunglittletriangularbags。
Fromthesebags，embroideredwithgoldenfiligree，theydrewlongnarrowbandsofscarletsilk，onwhichwerebraidedversesoftheKoran。Thesebands，whichtheyheldbetweenthem，formedabeltunderwhichtheotherdancersdarted；and，astheypassedeachverse，followingthepreceptitcontained，theyeitherprostratedthemselvesontheearthorlightlyboundedupwards，asthoughtotakeaplaceamongthehourisofMohammed’sheaven。
Butwhatwasremarkable，andwhatstruckAlcide，wasthatthePersiansappearedratherindolentthanfiery。
Theirpassionhaddesertedthem，and，bythekindofdancesaswellasbytheirexecution，theyrecalledratherthecalmandself-possessednauchgirlsofIndiathantheimpassioneddancersofEgypt。
Whenthiswasover，asternvoicewasheardsaying:
“Lookwhileyoumay！“