Nothingcouldbemoreprimitive，nothingcouldbelesscomfortable；
but，ontheotherhand，shouldanyaccidenthappenontheway，nothingcouldbemoreeasilyrepaired。ThereisnowantoffirsontheRussianfrontier，andaxle-treesgrownaturallyinforests。
Thepostextraordinary，knownbythenameof“perck-ladnoi，“
iscarriedbythetelga，asanyroadisgoodenoughforit。
Itmustbeconfessedthatsometimestheropeswhichfastentheconcerntogetherbreak，andwhilstthehinderpartremainsstuckinsomebog，thefore-partarrivesatthepost-houseontwowheels；
butthisresultisconsideredquitesatisfactory。
MichaelStrogoffwouldhavebeenobligedtoemployatelga，ifhehadnotbeenluckyenoughtodiscoveratarantass。
ItistobehopedthattheinventionofRussiancoach-builderswilldevisesomeimprovementinthislast-namedvehicle。
Springsarewantinginitaswellasinthetelga；
intheabsenceofiron，woodisnotspared；butitsfourwheels，witheightorninefeetbetweenthem，assureacertainequilibriumoverthejoltingroughroads。Asplash-boardprotectsthetravelersfromthemud，andastrongleathernhood，whichmaybepulledquiteovertheoccupiers，sheltersthemfromthegreatheatandviolentstormsofthesummer。
Thetarantassisassolidandaseasytorepairasthetelga，andis，moreover，lessaddictedtoleavingitshinderpartinthemiddleoftheroad。
ItwasnotwithoutcarefulsearchthatMichaelmanagedtodiscoverthistarantass，andtherewasprobablynotasecondtobefoundinallPerm。Hehaggledlongabouttheprice，forform’ssake，toactuptohispartasNicholasKorpanoff，aplainmerchantofIrkutsk。
Nadiahadfollowedhercompanioninhissearchafterasuitablevehicle。
Althoughtheobjectofeachwasdifferent，bothwereequallyanxioustoarriveattheirgoal。Onewouldhavesaidthesamewillanimatedthemboth。
“Sister，“saidMichael，“IwishIcouldhavefoundamorecomfortableconveyanceforyou。“
“Doyousaythattome，brother，whenIwouldhavegoneonfoot，ifneedwere，torejoinmyfather？“
“Idonotdoubtyourcourage，Nadia，buttherearephysicalfatiguesawomanmaybeunabletoendure。“
“Ishallendurethem，whatevertheybe，“repliedthegirl。
“Ifyoueverhearacomplaintfrommeyoumayleavemeintheroad，andcontinueyourjourneyalone。“
Halfanhourlater，thepodorojnabeingpresentedbyMichael，threepost-horseswereharnessedtothetarantass。Theseanimals，coveredwithlonghair，wereverylikelong-leggedbears。
Theyweresmallbutspirited，beingofSiberianbreed。
Thewayinwhichtheiemschikharnessedthemwasthus:
one，thelargest，wassecuredbetweentwolongshafts，onwhosefartherendwasahoopcarryingtasselsandbells；thetwoothersweresimplyfastenedbyropestothestepsofthetarantass。
Thiswasthecompleteharness，withmerestringsforreins。
NeitherMichaelStrogoffnortheyoungLivoniangirlhadanybaggage。
Therapiditywithwhichonewishedtomakethejourney，andthemorethanmodestresourcesoftheother，preventedthemfromembarrassingthemselveswithpackages。Itwasafortunatething，underthecircumstances，forthetarantasscouldnothavecarriedbothbaggageandtravelers。
Itwasonlymadefortwopersons，withoutcountingtheiemschik，whokepthisequilibriumonhisnarrowseatinamarvelousmanner。
Theiemschikischangedateveryrelay。Themanwhodrovethetarantassduringthefirststagewas，likehishorses，aSiberian，andnolessshaggythanthey；longhair，cutsquareontheforehead，hatwithaturned-upbrim，redbelt，coatwithcrossedfacingsandbuttonsstampedwiththeimperialcipher。
Theiemschik，oncomingupwithhisteam，threwaninquisitiveglanceatthepassengersofthetarantass。Noluggage！——
andhadtherebeen，whereintheworldcouldhehavestowedit？
Rathershabbyinappearancetoo。Helookedcontemptuous。
“Crows，“saidhe，withoutcaringwhetherhewasoverheardornot；
“crows，atsixcopecksaverst！“
“No，eagles！“saidMichael，whounderstoodtheiemschik’sslangperfectly；
“eagles，doyouhear，atninecopecksaverst，andatipbesides。“
Hewasansweredbyamerrycrackofthewhip。
InthelanguageoftheRussianpostillionsthe“crow“isthestingyorpoortraveler，whoatthepost-housesonlypaystwoorthreecopecksaverstforthehorses。The“eagle“isthetravelerwhodoesnotmindexpense，tosaynothingofliberaltips。
Thereforethecrowcouldnotclaimtoflyasrapidlyastheimperialbird。
NadiaandMichaelimmediatelytooktheirplacesinthetarantass。
Asmallstoreofprovisionswasputinthebox，incaseatanytimetheyweredelayedinreachingthepost-houses，whichareverycomfortablyprovidedunderdirectionoftheState。Thehoodwaspulledup，asitwasinsupport-ablyhot，andattwelveo’clockthetarantassleftPerminacloudofdust。
Thewayinwhichtheiemschikkeptupthepaceofhisteamwouldhavecertainlyastonishedtravelerswho，beingneitherRussiansnorSiberians，werenotaccustomedtothissortofthing。
Theleader，ratherlargerthantheothers，kepttoasteadylongtrot，perfectlyregular，whetherupordownhill。
Thetwootherhorsesseemedtoknownootherpacethanthegallop，thoughtheyperformedmanyaneccentriccurvetteastheywentalong。
Theiemschik，however，nevertouchedthem，onlyurgingthemonbystartlingcracksofhiswhip。Butwhatepithetshelavishedonthem，includingthenamesofallthesaintsinthecalendar，whentheybehavedlikedocileandconscientiousanimals！
Thestringwhichservedasreinswouldhavehadnoinfluenceonthespiritedbeasts，butthewords“napravo，“totheright，“nalevo，“totheleft，pronouncedinagutturaltone，weremoreeffectualthaneitherbridleorsnaffle。
Andwhatamiableexpressions！“Goon，mydoves！“theiemschikwouldsay。“Goon，prettyswallows！Fly，mylittlepigeons！
Holdup，mycousinontheleft！Geeup，mylittlefatherontheright！“
Butwhenthepaceslackened，whatinsultingexpressions，instantlyunderstoodbythesensitiveanimals！
“Goon，youwretchedsnail！Confoundyou，youslug！
I’llroastyoualive，youtortoise，you！“
Whetherornotitwasfromthiswayofdriving，whichrequirestheiemschikstopossessstrongthroatsmorethanmusculararms，thetarantassflewalongatarateoffromtwelvetofourteenmilesanhour。MichaelStrogoffwasaccustomedbothtothesortofvehicleandthemodeoftraveling。Neitherjerksnorjoltsincommodedhim。HeknewthataRussiandrivernevereventriestoavoideitherstones，ruts，bogs，fallentrees，ortrenches，whichmayhappentobeintheroad。Hewasusedtoallthat。
Hiscompanionranariskofbeinghurtbytheviolentjoltsofthetarantass，butshewouldnotcomplain。
ForalittlewhileNadiadidnotspeak。Thenpossessedwiththeonethought，thatofreachingherjourney’send，“IhavecalculatedthattherearethreehundredverstsbetweenPermandEkaterenburg，brother，“saidshe。
“AmIright？“
“Youarequiteright，Nadia，“answeredMichael；“andwhenwehavereachedEkaterenburg，weshallbeatthefootoftheUralMountainsontheoppositeside。“
“Howlongwillittaketogetacrossthemountains？“
“Forty-eighthours，forweshalltraveldayandnight。
Isaydayandnight，Nadia，“addedhe，“forIcannotstopevenforamoment；IgoonwithoutresttoIrkutsk。“
“Ishallnotdelayyou，brother；no，notevenforanhour，andwewilltraveldayandnight。“
“Wellthen，Nadia，iftheTartarinvasionhasonlylefttheroadopen，weshallarriveintwentydays。“
“Youhavemadethisjourneybefore？“askedNadia。
“Manytimes。“
“Duringwinterweshouldhavegonemorerapidlyandsurely，shouldwenot？“
“Yes，especiallywithmorerapidity，butyouwouldhavesufferedmuchfromthefrostandsnow。“
“Whatmatter！WinteristhefriendofRussia。“
“Yes，Nadia，butwhataconstitutionanyonemusthavetoenduresuchfriendship！IhaveoftenseenthetemperatureintheSiberiansteppesfalltomorethanfortydegreesbelowfreezingpoint！
Ihavefelt，notwithstandingmyreindeercoat，myheartgrowingchill，mylimbsstiffening，myfeetfreezingintriplewoolensocks；Ihaveseenmysleighhorsescoveredwithacoatingofice，theirbreathcongealedattheirnostrils。
Ihaveseenthebrandyinmyflaskchangeintohardstone，onwhichnotevenmyknifecouldmakeanimpression。
Butmysleighflewlikethewind。Notanobstacleontheplain，whiteandlevelfartherthantheeyecouldreach！Noriverstostopone！Hardiceeverywhere，therouteopen，theroadsure！
Butatthepriceofwhatsuffering，Nadia，thosealonecouldsay，whohaveneverreturned，butwhosebodieshavebeencoveredupbythesnowstorm。“
“However，youhavereturned，brother，“saidNadia。
“Yes，butIamaSiberian，and，whenquiteachild，Iusedtofollowmyfathertothechase，andsobecameinuredtothesehardships。
Butwhenyousaidtome，Nadia，thatwinterwouldnothavestoppedyou，thatyouwouldhavegonealone，readytostruggleagainstthefrightfulSiberianclimate，Iseemedtoseeyoulostinthesnowandfalling，nevertoriseagain。“
“Howmanytimeshaveyoucrossedthesteppeinwinter？“
askedtheyoungLivonian。
“Threetimes，Nadia，whenIwasgoingtoOmsk。“
“AndwhatwereyougoingtodoatOmsk？“
“Seemymother，whowasexpectingme。“
“AndIamgoingtoIrkutsk，wheremyfatherexpectsme。
Iamtakinghimmymother’slastwords。Thatisasmuchastotellyou，brother，thatnothingwouldhavepreventedmefromsettingout。“
“Youareabravegirl，Nadia，“repliedMichael。“GodHimselfwouldhaveledyou。“
Alldaythetarantasswasdrivenrapidlybytheiemschiks，whosucceededeachotherateverystage。Theeaglesofthemountainwouldnothavefoundtheirnamedishonoredbythese“eagles“
ofthehighway。Thehighpricepaidforeachhorse，andthetipsdealtoutsofreely，recommendedthetravelersinaspecialway。
Perhapsthepostmastersthoughtitsingularthat，afterthepublicationoftheorder，ayoungmanandhissister，evidentlybothRussians，couldtravelfreelyacrossSiberia，whichwasclosedtoeveryoneelse，buttheirpaperswereallenregleandtheyhadtherighttopass。
However，MichaelStrogoffandNadiawerenottheonlytravelersontheirwayfromPermtoEkaterenburg。Atthefirststages，thecourieroftheCzarhadlearntthatacarriageprecededthem，but，astherewasnowantofhorses，hedidnottroublehimselfaboutthat。
Duringtheday，haltsweremadeforfoodalone。
Atthepost-housescouldbefoundlodgingandprovision。
Besides，iftherewasnotaninn，thehouseoftheRussianpeasantwouldhavebeennolesshospitable。Inthevillages，whicharealmostallalike，withtheirwhite-walled，green-roofedchapels，thetravelermightknockatanydoor，anditwouldbeopenedtohim。
Themoujikwouldcomeout，smilingandextendinghishandtohisguest。
Hewouldofferhimbreadandsalt，theburningcharcoalwouldbeputintothe“samovar，“andhewouldbemadequiteathome。
Thefamilywouldturnoutthemselvesratherthanthatheshouldnothaveroom。Thestrangeristherelationofall。
Heis“onesentbyGod。“
OnarrivingthateveningMichaelinstinctivelyaskedthepostmasterhowmanyhoursagothecarriagewhichprecededthemhadpassedthatstage。
“Twohoursago，littlefather，“repliedthepostmaster。
“Isitaberlin？“
“No，atelga。“
“Howmanytravelers？“
“Two。“
“Andtheyaregoingfast？“
“Eagles！“
