Butscarcelyhadheopenedthedoor，whenawomanrushedintotheroom，herclothesdrenched，herhairindisorder。
“Sangarre！“exclaimedOgareff，inthefirstmomentofsurprise，andnotsupposingthatitcouldbeanyotherwomanthanthegypsy。
ItwasnotSangarre；itwasNadia！
Atthemomentwhen，floatingontheice，thegirlhadutteredacryonseeingthefirespreadingalongthecurrent，Michaelhadseizedherinhisarms，andplungedwithherintotheriveritselftoseekarefugeinitsdepthsfromtheflames。
TheblockwhichborethemwasnotthirtyfathomsfromthefirstquayofIrkutsk。
Swimmingbeneaththewater，MichaelmanagedtogetafootingwithNadiaonthequay。MichaelStrogoffhadreachedhisjourney’send！
HewasinIrkutsk！
“Tothegovernor’spalace！“saidhetoNadia。
Inlessthantenminutes，theyarrivedattheentrancetothepalace。
LongtonguesofflamefromtheAngaralickeditswalls，butwerepowerlesstosetitonfire。Beyondthehousesonthebankwereinablaze。
Thepalacebeingopentoall，MichaelandNadiaenteredwithoutdifficulty。Intheconfusion，nooneremarkedthem，althoughtheirgarmentsweredripping。Acrowdofofficerscomingfororders，andofsoldiersrunningtoexecutethem，filledthegreathallonthegroundfloor。There，inasuddeneddyoftheconfusedmultitude，Michaelandtheyounggirlwereseparatedfromeachother。
Nadiarandistractedthroughthepassages，callinghercompanion，andaskingtobetakentotheGrandDuke。Adoorintoaroomfloodedwithlightopenedbeforeher。Sheentered，andfoundherselfsuddenlyfacetofacewiththemanwhomshehadmetatIchim，whomshehadseenatTomsk；facetofacewiththeonewhosevillainoushandwouldaninstantlaterbetraythetown！
“IvanOgareff！“shecried。
Onhearinghisnamepronounced，thewretchstarted。Hisrealnameknown，allhisplanswouldbebalked。Therewasbutonethingtobedone:
tokillthepersonwhohadjustutteredit。OgareffdartedatNadia；
butthegirl，aknifeinherhand，retreatedagainstthewall，determinedtodefendherself。
“IvanOgareff！“againcriedNadia，knowingwellthatsodetestedanamewouldsoonbringherhelp。
“Ah！Besilent！“hissedoutthetraitorbetweenhisclenchedteeth。
“IvanOgareff！“exclaimedathirdtimethebraveyounggirl，inavoicetowhichhatehadaddedten-foldstrength。
Madwithfury，Ogareff，drawingadaggerfromhisbelt，againrushedatNadiaandcompelledhertoretreatintoacorneroftheroom。
Herlasthopeappearedgone，whenthevillain，suddenlyliftedbyanirresistibleforce，wasdashedtotheground。
“Michael！“criedNadia。
ItwasMichaelStrogoff。MichaelhadheardNadia’scall。
Guidedbyhervoice，hehadjustintimereachedIvanOgareff’sroom，andenteredbytheopendoor。
“Fearnothing，Nadia，“saidhe，placinghimselfbetweenherandOgareff。
“Ah！“criedthegirl，“takecare，brother！Thetraitorisarmed！
Hecansee！“
Ogareffrose，and，thinkinghehadanimmeasurableadvantageovertheblindmanleapeduponhim。Butwithonehand，theblindmangraspedthearmofhisenemy，seizedhisweapon，andhurledhimagaintotheground。
Palewithrageandshame，Ogareffrememberedthatheworeasword。
Hedrewitandreturnedasecondtimetothecharge。
Ablindman！Ogareffhadonlytodealwithablindman！
Hewasmorethanamatchforhim！
Nadia，terrifiedatthedangerwhichthreatenedhercompanionrantothedoorcallingforhelp！
“Closethedoor，Nadia！“saidMichael。“Callnoone，andleavemealone！
TheCzar’scourierhasnothingtofearto-dayfromthisvillain！
Lethimcomeon，ifhedares！Iamreadyforhim。“
Inthemeantime，Ogareff，gatheringhimselftogetherlikeatigerabouttospring，utterednotaword。Thenoiseofhisfootsteps，hisverybreathing，heendeavoredtoconcealfromtheearoftheblindman。
Hisobjectwastostrikebeforehisopponentwasawareofhisapproach，tostrikehimwithadeadlyblow。
Nadia，terrifiedandatthesametimeconfident，watchedthisterriblescenewithinvoluntaryadmiration。Michael’scalmbearingseemedtohaveinspiredher。Michael’ssoleweaponwashisSiberianknife。
Hedidnotseehisadversaryarmedwithasword，itistrue；butHeaven’ssupportseemedtobeaffordedhim。How，almostwithoutstirring，didhealwaysfacethepointofthesword？
IvanOgareffwatchedhisstrangeadversarywithvisibleanxiety。
Hissuperhumancalmhadaneffectuponhim。Invain，appealingtohisreason，didhetellhimselfthatinsounequalacombatalltheadvantageswereonhisside。Theimmobilityoftheblindmanfrozehim。
Hehadsettledontheplacewherehewouldstrikehisvictim。
Hehadfixeduponit！What，then，hinderedhimfromputtinganendtohisblindantagonist？
Atlast，withaspringhedrovehisswordfullatMichael’sbreast。
Animperceptiblemovementoftheblindman’sknifeturnedasidetheblow。
Michaelhadnotbeentouched，andcoollyheawaitedasecondattack。
ColddropsstoodonOgareff’sbrow。Hedrewbackastep，thenagainleapedforward。Butashadthefirst，thissecondattemptfailed。
Theknifehadsimplyparriedtheblowfromthetraitor’suselesssword。
Madwithrageandterrorbeforethislivingstatue，hegazedintothewide-openeyesoftheblindman。
Thoseeyeswhichseemedtopiercetothebottomofhissoul，andyetwhichdidnot，couldnot，see——exercisedasortofdreadfulfascinationoverhim。
Allatonce，Ogareffutteredacry。Asuddenlightflashedacrosshisbrain。“Hesees！“heexclaimed，“hesees！“
Andlikeawildbeasttryingtoretreatintoitsden，stepbystep，terrified，hedrewbacktotheendoftheroom。
Thenthestatuebecameanimated，theblindmanwalkedstraightuptoIvanOgareff，andplacinghimselfrightbeforehim，“Yes，Isee！“
saidhe。“IseethemarkoftheknoutwhichIgaveyou，traitorandcoward！IseetheplacewhereIamabouttostrikeyou！
Defendyourlife！ItisaduelIdeigntoofferyou！
Myknifeagainstyoursword！“
“Hesees！“saidNadia。“GraciousHeaven，isitpossible！“
Ogarefffeltthathewaslost。Butmusteringallhiscourage，hesprangforwardonhisimpassibleadversary。Thetwobladescrossed，butatatouchfromMichael’sknife，wieldedinthehandoftheSiberianhunter，theswordflewinsplinters，andthewretch，stabbedtotheheart，felllifelessontheground。
Atthesamemoment，thedoorwasthrownopen。TheGrandDuke，accompaniedbysomeofhisofficers，appearedonthethreshold。
TheGrandDukeadvanced。Inthebodylyingontheground，herecognizedthemanwhomhebelievedtobetheCzar’scourier。
Then，inathreateningvoice，“Whokilledthatman？“heasked。
“I，“repliedMichael。
Oneoftheofficersputapistoltohistemple，readytofire。
“Yourname？“askedtheGrandDuke，beforegivingtheorderforhisbrainstobeblownout。
“YourHighness，“answeredMichael，“askmeratherthenameofthemanwholiesatyourfeet！“
“Thatman，Iknowhim！Heisaservantofmybrother！
HeistheCzar’scourier！“
“Thatman，yourHighness，isnotacourieroftheCzar！HeisIvanOgareff！“
“IvanOgareff！“exclaimedtheGrandDuke。
“Yes，IvantheTraitor！“
“Butwhoareyou，then？“
“MichaelStrogoff！“
wasnot，hadneverbeen，blind。Apurelyhumanphenomenon，atthesametimemoralandphysical，hadneutralizedtheactionoftheincandescentbladewhichFeofar’sexecutionerhadpassedbeforehiseyes。
Itmayberemembered，thatatthemomentoftheexecution，MarfaStrogoffwaspresent，stretchingoutherhandstowardsherson。
Michaelgazedatherasasonwouldgazeathismother，whenitisforthelasttime。Thetears，whichhisprideinvainendeavoredtosubdue，wellingupfromhisheart，gatheredunderhiseyelids，andvolatiliz-ingonthecornea，hadsavedhissight。
Thevaporformedbyhistearsinterposingbetweentheglowingsaberandhiseyeballs，hadbeensufficienttoannihilatetheactionoftheheat。Asimilareffectisproduced，whenaworkmansmelter，afterdippinghishandinvapor，canwithimpunityholditoverastreamofmeltediron。
Michaelhadimmediatelyunderstoodthedangerinwhichhewouldbeplacedshouldhemakeknownhissecrettoanyone。
Heatoncesaw，ontheotherhand，thathemightmakeuseofhissupposedblindnessfortheaccomplishmentofhisdesigns。
Becauseitwasbelievedthathewasblind，hewouldbeallowedtogofree。Hemustthereforebeblind，blindtoall，eventoNadia，blindeverywhere，andnotagestureatanymomentmustletthetruthbesuspected。Hisresolutionwastaken。
Hemustriskhislifeeventoaffordtoallhemightmeettheproofofhiswantofsight。Weknowhowperfectlyheactedtheparthehaddeterminedon。
Hismotheraloneknewthetruth，andhehadwhisperedittoherinTomskitself，whenbendingoverherinthedarkhecoveredherwithkisses。
WhenOgareffhadinhiscruelironyheldtheImperialletterbeforetheeyeswhichhebelievedweredestroyed，Michaelhadbeenabletoread，andhadreadtheletterwhichdisclosedtheodiousplansofthetraitor。
Thiswasthereasonofthewonderfulresolutionheexhibitedduringthesecondpartofhisjourney。ThiswasthereasonofhisunalterablelongingtoreachIrkutsk，soastoperformhismissionbywordofmouth。
Heknewthatthetownwouldbebetrayed！HeknewthatthelifeoftheGrandDukewasthreatened！ThesafetyoftheCzar’sbrotherandofSiberiawasinhishands。
ThisstorywastoldinafewwordstotheGrandDuke，andMichaelrepeatedalso——andwithwhatemotion！——thepartNadiahadtakenintheseevents。
“Whoisthisgirl？“askedtheGrandDuke。
“Thedaughteroftheexile，WassiliFedor，“repliedMichael。
“ThedaughterofCaptainFedor，“saidtheGrandDuke，“hasceasedtobethedaughterofanexile。TherearenolongerexilesinIrkutsk。“
Nadia，lessstronginjoythanshehadbeeningrief，fellonherkneesbeforetheGrandDuke，whoraisedherwithonehand，whileheextendedtheothertoMichael。
Anhourafter，Nadiawasinherfather’sarms。
MichaelStrogoff，Nadia，andWassiliFedorwereunited。
Thiswastheheightofhappinesstothemall。
TheTartarshadbeenrepulsedintheirdoubleattackonthetown。
WassiliFedor，withhislittleband，haddrivenbackthefirstassailantswhopresentedthemselvesattheBolchaiaGate，expectingtofinditopenandwhich，byaninstinctivefeeling，oftenarisingfromsoundjudgment，hehaddeterminedtoremainatanddefend。
AtthesametimeastheTartarsweredrivenbackthebesiegedhadmasteredthefire。Theliquidnaphthahavingrapidlyburnttothesurfaceofthewater，theflamesdidnotgobeyondthehousesontheshore，andlefttheotherquartersofthetownuninjured。
BeforedaybreakthetroopsofFeofar-Khanhadretreatedintotheircamp，leavingalargenumberofdeadonandbelowtheramparts。
AmongthedeadwasthegypsySangarre，whohadvainlyendeavoredtojoinIvanOgareff。