“Youknowalsothatitinformsmeofthemovementsofthetroopswhichhavecombinedtostoptheinvasion？“
“Yes，yourHighness，butthemovementshavefailed。“
“Whatdoyoumean？“
“ImeanthatIchim，Omsk，Tomsk，tospeakonlyofthemoreimportanttownsofthetwoSiberias，havebeensuccessivelyoccupiedbythesoldiersofFeofar-Khan。“
“Buttherehasbeenfighting？HavenotourCossacksmettheTartars？“
“Severaltimes，yourHighness。“
“Andtheywererepulsed？“
“Theywerenotinsufficientforcetoopposetheenemy。“
“Wheredidtheencounterstakeplace？“
“AtKolyvan，atTomsk。“Untilnow，Ogareffhadonlyspokenthetruth，but，inthehopeoftroublingthedefendersofIrkutskbyexaggeratingthedefeats，headded，“AndathirdtimebeforeKrasnoiarsk。“
“Andwhatofthislastengagement？“askedtheGrandDuke，throughwhosecompressedlipsthewordscouldscarcelypass。
“Itwasmorethananengagement，yourHighness，“answeredOgareff；
“itwasabattle。“
“Abattle？“
“TwentythousandRussians，fromthefrontierprovincesandthegovernmentofTobolsk，engagedwithahundredandfiftythousandTartars，and，notwithstandingtheircourage，wereoverwhelmed。“
“Youlie！“exclaimedtheGrandDuke，endeavoringinvaintocurbhispassion。
“Ispeakthetruth，yourHighness，“repliedIvanOgareffcoldly。
“IwaspresentatthebattleofKrasnoiarsk，anditwasthereI
wasmadeprisoner！“
TheGrandDukegrewcalmer，andbyasignificantgesturehegaveOgarefftounderstandthathedidnotdoubthisveracity。
“WhatdaydidthisbattleofKrasnoiarsktakeplace？“heasked。
“Onthe2dofSeptember。“
“AndnowalltheTartartroopsareconcentratedhere？“
“All。“
“Andyouestimatethem？“
“Ataboutfourhundredthousandmen。“
AnotherexaggerationofOgareff’sintheestimateoftheTartararmy，withthesameobjectasbefore。
“AndImustnotexpectanyhelpfromtheWestprovinces？“
askedtheGrandDuke。
“None，yourHighness，atanyratebeforetheendofthewinter。“
“Well，hearthis，MichaelStrogoff。ThoughImustexpectnohelpeitherfromtheEastorfromtheWest，evenwerethesebarbarianssixhundredthousandstrong，IwillnevergiveupIrkutsk！“
Ogareff’sevileyeslightlycontracted。ThetraitorthoughttohimselfthatthebrotheroftheCzardidnotreckontheresultoftreason。
TheGrandDuke，whowasofanervoustemperament，hadgreatdifficultyinkeepingcalmwhilsthearingthisdisastrousnews。
Hewalkedtoandfrointheroom，underthegazeofOgareff，whoeyedhimasavictimreservedforvengeance。Hestoppedatthewindows，helookedforthatthefiresintheTartarcamp，helistenedtothenoiseoftheice-blocksdriftingdowntheAngara。
Aquarterofanhourpassedwithouthisputtinganymorequestions。
Thentakinguptheletter，here-readapassageandsaid，“YouknowthatinthisletterIamwarnedofatraitor，ofwhomImustbeware？“
“Yes，yourHighness。“
“HewilltrytoenterIrkutskindisguise；gainmyconfidence，andbetraythetowntotheTartars。“
“Iknowallthat，yourHighness，andIknowalsothatIvanOgareffhassworntorevengehimselfpersonallyontheCzar’sbrother。“
“Why？“
“ItissaidthattheofficerinquestionwascondemnedbytheGrandDuketoahumiliatingdegradation。“
“Yes，Iremember。Butitisaproofthatthevillain，whocouldafterwardsserveagainsthiscountryandheadaninvasionofbarbarians，deservedit。“
“HisMajestytheCzar，“saidOgareff，“wasparticularlyanxiousthatyoushouldbewarnedofthecriminalprojectsofIvanOgareffagainstyourperson。“
“Yes；ofthattheletterinformsme。“
“AndHisMajestyhimselfspoketomeofit，tellingmeIwasaboveallthingstobewareofthetraitor。“
“Didyoumeetwithhim？“
“Yes，yourHighness，afterthebattleofKrasnoiarsk。IfhehadonlyguessedthatIwasthebearerofaletteraddressedtoyourHighness，inwhichhisplanswererevealed，Ishouldnothavegotoffsoeasily。“
“No；youwouldhavebeenlost！“repliedtheGrandDuke。“Andhowdidyoumanagetoescape？“
“BythrowingmyselfintotheIrtych。“
“AndhowdidyouenterIrkutsk？“
“Undercoverofasortie，whichwasmadethiseveningtorepulseaTartardetachment。Imingledwiththedefendersofthetown，mademyselfknown，andwasimmediatelyconductedbeforeyourHighness。“
“Good，MichaelStrogoff，“answeredtheGrandDuke。“Youhaveshowncourageandzealinyourdifficultmission。Iwillnotforgetyou。
Haveyouanyfavortoask？“
“None；unlessitistobeallowedtofightatthesideofyourHighness，“repliedOgareff。
“Sobeit，Strogoff。Iattachyoufromto-daytomyperson，andyoushallbelodgedinthepalace。“
“Andifaccordingtohisintention，IvanOgareffshouldpresenthimselftoyourHighnessunderafalsename？“
“Wewillunmaskhim，thankstoyou，whoknowhim，andIwillmakehimdieundertheknout。Go！“
Ogareffgaveamilitarysalute，notforgettingthathewasacaptainofthecouriersoftheCzar，andretired。
Ogareffhadsofarplayedhisunworthypartwithsuccess。
TheGrandDuke’sentireconfidencehadbeenaccordedhim。
Hecouldnowbetrayitwheneveritsuitedhim。
Hewouldinhabittheverypalace。Hewouldbeinthesecretofalltheoperationsforthedefenseofthetown。
Hethusheldthesituationinhishand，asitwere。
NooneinIrkutskknewhim，noonecouldsnatchoffhismask。
Heresolvedthereforetosettoworkwithoutdelay。
Indeed，timepressed。ThetownmustbecapturedbeforethearrivaloftheRussiansfromtheNorthandEast，andthatwasonlyaquestionofafewdays。TheTartarsoncemastersofIrkutsk，itwouldnotbeeasytotakeitagainfromthem。
Atanyrate，eveniftheywereobligedtoabandonitlater，theywouldnotdosobeforetheyhadutterlydestroyedit，andbeforetheheadoftheGrandDukehadrolledatthefeetofFeofar-Khan。
IvanOgareff，havingeveryfacilityforseeing，observing，andacting，occupiedhimselfthenextdaywithvisitingtheramparts。
Hewaseverywherereceivedwithcordialcongratulationsfromofficers，soldiers，andcitizens。TothemthiscourierfromtheCzarwasalinkwhichconnectedthemwiththeempire。
Ogareffrecounted，withanassurancewhichneverfailed，numerousfictitiouseventsofhisjourney。Then，withthecunningforwhichhewasnoted，withoutdwellingtoomuchonitatfirst，hespokeofthegravityofthesituation，exaggeratingthesuccessoftheTartarsandthenumbersofthebarbarianforces，ashehadwhenspeakingtotheGrandDuke。Accordingtohim，theexpectedsuccorswouldbeinsufficient，ifevertheyarrivedatall，anditwastobefearedthatabattlefoughtunderthewallsofIrkutskwouldbeasfatalasthebattlesofKolyvan，Tomsk，andKrasnoiarsk。
Ogareffwasnottoofreeintheseinsinuations。
HewishedtoallowthemtosinkgraduallyintothemindsofthedefendersofIrkutsk。Hepretendedonlytoanswerwithreluctancewhenmuchpressedwithquestions。
Healwaysaddedthattheymustfighttothelastman，andblowupthetownratherthanyield！
Thesefalsestatementswouldhavedonemoreharmhaditbeenpossible；
butthegarrisonandthepopulationofIrkutskweretoopatriotictoletthemselvesbemoved。Ofallthesoldiersandcitizensshutupinthistown，isolatedattheextremityoftheAsiaticworld，notonedreamedofevenspeakingofacapitulation。ThecontemptoftheRussiansforthesebarbarianswasboundless。
NoonesuspectedtheodiouspartplayedbyIvanOgareff；
nooneguessedthatthepretendedcourieroftheCzarwasatraitor。
ItoccurredverynaturallythatonhisarrivalinIrkutsk，afrequentintercoursewasestablishedbetweenOgareffandoneofthebravestdefendersofthetown，WassiliFedor。Weknowwhatanxietythisunhappyfathersuffered。Ifhisdaughter，NadiaFedor，hadleftRussiaonthedatefixedbythelastletterhehadreceivedfromRiga，whathadbecomeofher？
Wasshestilltryingtocrosstheinvadedprovinces，orhadshelongsincebeentakenprisoner？TheonlyalleviationtoWassiliFedor’sanxietywaswhenhecouldobtainanopportunityofengaginginbattlewiththeTartars——
opportunitieswhichcametooseldomforhistaste。
Theveryeveningthepretendedcourierarrived，WassiliFedorwenttothegovernor-general’spalaceand，acquaintingOgareffwiththecircumstancesunderwhichhisdaughtermusthaveleftEuropeanRussia，toldhimallhisuneasinessabouther。
OgareffdidnotknowNadia，althoughhehadmetheratIchimonthedayshewastherewithMichaelStrogoff；butthen，hehadnotpaidmoreattentiontoherthantothetworeporters，whoatthesametimewereinthepost-house；hethereforecouldgiveWassiliFedornonewsofhisdaughter。
“Butatwhattime，“askedOgareff，“mustyourdaughterhavelefttheRussianterritory？“
“Aboutthesametimethatyoudid，“repliedFedor。
“IleftMoscowonthe15thofJuly。“
“NadiamustalsohavequittedMoscowatthattime。
Herlettertoldmesoexpressly。“
“ShewasinMoscowonthe15thofJuly？“
“Yes，certainly，bythatdate。“
“Thenitwasimpossibleforher——Butno，Iammistaken——
Iwasconfusingdates。Unfortunately，itistooprobablethatyourdaughtermusthavepassedthefrontier，andyoucanonlyhaveonehope，thatshestoppedonlearningthenewsoftheTartarinvasion！“
Thefather’sheadfell！HeknewNadia，andheknewtoowellthatnothingwouldhavepreventedherfromsettingout。
IvanOgareffhadjustcommittedgratuitouslyanactofrealcruelty。
WithawordhemighthavereassuredFedor。AlthoughNadiahadpassedthefrontierundercircumstanceswithwhichweareacquainted，Fedor，bycomparingthedateonwhichhisdaughterwouldhavebeenatNijni-Novgorod，andthedateoftheproclamationwhichforbadeanyonetoleaveit，wouldnodoubthaveconcludedthus:
thatNadiahadnotbeenexposedtothedangersoftheinvasion，andthatshewasstill，inspiteofherself，intheEuropeanterritoryoftheEmpire。
Ogareffobedienttohisnature，amanwhowasnevertouchedbythesufferingsofothers，mighthavesaidthatword。
Hedidnotsayit。Fedorretiredwithhisheartbroken。
Inthatinterviewhislasthopewascrushed。
Duringthetwofollowingdays，the3rdand4thofOctober，theGrandDukeoftenspoketothepretendedMichaelStrogoff，andmadehimrepeatallthathehadheardintheImperialCabinetoftheNewPalace。Ogareff，preparedforallthesequestions，repliedwithouttheleasthesitation。HeintentionallydidnotconcealthattheCzar’sgovernmenthadbeenutterlysurprisedbytheinvasion，thattheinsurrectionhadbeenpreparedinthegreatestpossiblesecrecy，thattheTartarswerealreadymastersofthelineoftheObiwhenthenewsreachedMoscow，andlastly，thatnoneofthenecessarypreparationswerecompletedintheRussianprovincesforsendingintoSiberiathetroopsrequisiteforrepulsingtheinvaders。
IvanOgareff，beingentirelyfreeinhismovements，begantostudyIrkutsk，thestateofitsfortifications，theirweakpoints，soastoprofitsubsequentlybyhisobservations，intheeventofbeingpreventedfromconsummatinghisactoftreason。