“TheFatherordersit！“answeredMichael，forthefirsttimeinvokingtheall-powerfulnameoftheEmperor。
“Forward，myswallows！“criedtheiemschik，seizingonehorse，whileMichaeldidthesametotheother。
Thusurged，thehorsesbegantostruggleonward。
Theycouldnolongerrear，andthemiddlehorsenotbeinghamperedbytheothers，couldkeepinthecenteroftheroad。
Itwaswiththegreatestdifficultythateithermanorbeastscouldstandagainstthewind，andforeverythreestepstheytookinadvance，theylostone，andeventwo，bybeingforcedbackwards。
Theyslipped，theyfell，theygotupagain。Thevehicleranagreatriskofbeingsmashed。Ifthehoodhadnotbeensecurelyfastened，itwouldhavebeenblownawaylongbefore。
MichaelStrogoffandtheiemschiktookmorethantwohoursingettingupthisbitofroad，onlyhalfaverstinlength，sodirectlyexposedwasittothelashingofthestorm。
Thedangerwasnotonlyfromthewindwhichbatteredagainstthetravelers，butfromtheavalancheofstonesandbrokentrunkswhichwerehurtlingthroughtheair。
Suddenly，duringaflashoflightning，oneofthesemasseswasseencrashingandrollingdownthemountaintowardsthetarantass。
Theiemschikutteredacry。
MichaelStrogoffinvainbroughthiswhipdownontheteam，theyrefusedtomove。
Afewfeetfartheron，andthemasswouldpassbehindthem！
Michaelsawthetarantassstruck，hiscompanioncrushed；
hesawtherewasnotimetodragherfromthevehicle。
Then，possessedinthishourofperilwithsuperhumanstrength，hethrewhimselfbehindit，andplantinghisfeetontheground，bymainforceplaceditoutofdanger。
Theenormousmassasitpassedgrazedhischest，takingawayhisbreathasthoughithadbeenacannon-ball，thencrushingtopowdertheflintsontheroad，itboundedintotheabyssbelow。
“Oh，brother！“criedNadia，whohadseenitallbythelightoftheflashes。
“Nadia！“repliedMichael，“fearnothing！“
“ItisnotonmyownaccountthatIfear！“
“Godiswithus，sister！“
“Withmetruly，brother，sinceHehassenttheeinmyway！“
murmuredtheyounggirl。
Theimpetusthetarantasshadreceivedwasnottobelost，andthetiredhorsesoncemoremovedforward。Dragged，sotospeak，byMichaelandtheiemschik，theytoiledontowardsanarrowpass，lyingnorthandsouth，wheretheywouldbeprotectedfromthedirectsweepofthetempest。
Atoneendahugerockjuttedout，roundthesummitofwhichwhirledaneddy。Behindtheshelteroftherocktherewasacomparativecalm；
yetoncewithinthecircumferenceofthecyclone，neithermannorbeastcouldresistitspower。
Indeed，somefirswhichtoweredabovethisprotectionwereinatriceshornoftheirtops，asthoughagiganticscythehadsweptacrossthem。
Thestormwasnowatitsheight。Thelightningfilledthedefile，andthethunderclapshadbecomeonecontinuedpeal。Theground，struckbytheconcussion，trembledasthoughthewholeUralchainwasshakentoitsfoundations。
Happily，thetarantasscouldbesoplacedthatthestormmightstrikeitobliquely。Butthecounter-currents，directedtowardsitbytheslope，couldnotbesowellavoided，andsoviolentweretheythateveryinstantitseemedasthoughitwouldbedashedtopieces。
Nadiawasobligedtoleaveherseat，andMichael，bythelightofoneofthelanterns，discoveredanexcavationbearingthemarksofaminer’spick，wheretheyounggirlcouldrestinsafetyuntiltheycouldoncemorestart。
Justthen——itwasoneo’clockinthemorning——therainbegantofallintorrents，andthisinadditiontothewindandlightning，madethestormtrulyfrightful。Tocontinuethejourneyatpresentwasutterlyimpossible。Besides，havingreachedthispass，theyhadonlytodescendtheslopesoftheUralMountains，andtodescendnow，withtheroadtornupbyathousandmountaintorrents，intheseeddiesofwindandrain，wasuttermadness。
“Towaitisindeedserious，“saidMichael，“butitmustcertainlybedone，toavoidstilllongerdetentions。Theveryviolenceofthestormmakesmehopethatitwillnotlastlong。
Aboutthreeo’clockthedaywillbegintobreak，andthedescent，whichwecannotriskinthedark，weshallbeable，ifnotwithease，atleastwithoutsuchdanger，toattemptaftersunrise。“
“Letuswait，brother，“repliedNadia；“butifyoudelay，letitnotbetosparemefatigueordanger。“
“Nadia，Iknowthatyouarereadytobraveeverything，but，inexposingbothofus，Iriskmorethanmylife，morethanyours，Iamnotfulfillingmytask，thatdutywhichbeforeeverythingelseImustaccomplish。“
“Aduty！“murmuredNadia。
Justthenabrightflashlitupthesky；aloudclapfollowed。
Theairwasfilledwithsulphuroussuffocatingvapor，andaclumpofhugepines，struckbytheelectricfluid，scarcelytwentyfeetfromthetarantass，flareduplikeagigantictorch。
Theiemschikwasstrucktothegroundbyacounter-shock，but，regaininghisfeet，foundhimselfhappilyunhurt。
Justasthelastgrowlingsofthethunderwerelostintherecessesofthemountain，MichaelfeltNadia’shandpressinghis，andheheardherwhisperthesewordsinhisear:
“Cries，brother！Listen！“
DURINGthemomentarylullwhichfollowed，shoutscouldbedistinctlyheardfromfartheron，atnogreatdistancefromthetarantass。
Itwasanearnestappeal，evidentlyfromsometravelerindistress。
Michaellistenedattentively。Theiemschikalsolistened，butshookhishead，asthoughitwasimpossibletohelp。
“Theyaretravelerscallingforaid，“criedNadia。
“Theycanexpectnothing，“repliedtheiemschik。
“Whynot？“criedMichael。“Oughtnotwedoforthemwhattheywouldforusundersimilarcircumstances？“
“Surelyyouwillnotriskthecarriageandhorses！“
“Iwillgoonfoot，“repliedMichael，interruptingtheiemschik。
“Iwillgo，too，brother，“saidtheyounggirl。
“No，remainhere，Nadia。Theiemschikwillstaywithyou。
Idonotwishtoleavehimalone。“
“Iwillstay，“repliedNadia。
“Whateverhappens，donotleavethisspot。“
“YouwillfindmewhereInowam。“
Michaelpressedherhand，and，turningthecorneroftheslope，disappearedinthedarkness。
“Yourbrotheriswrong，“saidtheiemschik。
“Heisright，“repliedNadiasimply。
MeanwhileStrogoffstroderapidlyon。Ifhewasinagreathurrytoaidthetravelers，hewasalsoveryanxioustoknowwhoitwasthathadnotbeenhinderedfromstartingbythestorm；
forhehadnodoubtthatthecriescamefromthetelga，whichhadsolongprecededhim。
Therainhadstopped，butthestormwasragingwithredoubledfury。
Theshouts，borneontheair，becamemoredistinct。
NothingwastobeseenofthepassinwhichNadiaremained。
Theroadwoundalong，andthesqualls，checkedbythecorners，formededdieshighlydangerous，topasswhich，withoutbeingtakenoffhislegs，Michaelhadtousehisutmoststrength。
Hesoonperceivedthatthetravelerswhoseshoutshehadheardwereatnogreatdistance。Eventhen，onaccountofthedarkness，Michaelcouldnotseethem，yethehearddistinctlytheirwords。
Thisiswhatheheard，andwhatcausedhimsomesurprise:
“Areyoucomingback，blockhead？“
“Youshallhaveatasteoftheknoutatthenextstage。“
“Doyouhear，youdevil’spostillion！Hullo！Below！“
“Thisishowacarriagetakesyouinthiscountry！“
“Yes，thisiswhatyoucallatelga！“
“Oh，thatabominabledriver！Hegoesonanddoesnotappeartohavediscoveredthathehasleftusbehind！“
“Todeceiveme，too！Me，anhonorableEnglishman！Iwillmakeacomplaintatthechancellor’sofficeandhavethefellowhanged。“
Thiswassaidinaveryangrytone，butwassuddenlyinterruptedbyaburstoflaughterfromhiscompanion，whoexclaimed，“Well！thisisagoodjoke，Imustsay。“
“Youventuretolaugh！“saidtheBritonangrily。
“Certainly，mydearconfrere，andthatmostheartily。
’PonmywordIneversawanythingtocomeuptoit。“
Justthenacrashingclapofthunderre-echoedthroughthedefile，andthendiedawayamongthedistantpeaks。Whenthesoundofthelastgrowlhadceased，themerryvoicewenton:
“Yes，itundoubtedlyisagoodjoke。ThismachinecertainlynevercamefromFrance。“
“NorfromEngland，“repliedtheother。
Ontheroad，bythelightoftheflashes，Michaelsaw，twentyyardsfromhim，twotravelers，seatedsidebysideinamostpeculiarvehicle，thewheelsofwhichweredeeplyimbeddedintherutsformedintheroad。
Heapproachedthem，theonegrinningfromeartoear，andtheothergloomilycontemplatinghissituation，andrecognizedthemasthetworeporterswhohadbeenhiscompanionsonboardtheCaucasus。
“Good-morningtoyou，sir，“criedtheFrenchman。“Delightedtoseeyouhere。Letmeintroduceyoutomyintimateenemy，Mr。Blount。“
TheEnglishreporterbowed，andwasabouttointroduceinhisturnhiscompanion，AlcideJolivet，inaccordancewiththerulesofsociety，whenMichaelinterruptedhim。
“Perfectlyunnecessary，sir；wealreadyknoweachother，forwetraveledtogetherontheVolga。“
“Ah，yes！exactlyso！Mr——“
“NicholasKorpanoff，merchant，ofIrkutsk。ButmayIknowwhathashappenedwhich，thoughamisfortunetoyourcompanion，amusesyousomuch？“
“Certainly，Mr。Korpanoff，“repliedAlcide。“Fancy！ourdriverhasgoneoffwiththefrontpartofthisconfoundedcarriage，andleftusquietlyseatedinthebackpart！Sohereweareintheworsehalfofatelga；nodriver，nohorses。
Isitnotajoke？“
“Nojokeatall，“saidtheEnglishman。
“Indeeditis，mydearfellow。Youdonotknowhowtolookatthebrightsideofthings。“
“How，pray，arewetogoon？“askedBlount。
“Thatistheeasiestthingintheworld，“repliedAlcide。“Goandharnessyourselftowhatremainsofourcart；Iwilltakethereins，andcallyoumylittlepigeon，likeatrueiemschik，andyouwilltrotofflikearealpost-horse。“
“Mr。Jolivet，“repliedtheEnglishman，“thisjokingisgoingtoofar，itpassesalllimitsand——“
“Nowdobequiet，mydearsir。Whenyouaredoneup，Iwilltakeyourplace；andcallmeabroken-windedsnailandfaint-heartedtortoiseifIdon’ttakeyouoverthegroundatarattlingpace。“
Alcidesaidallthiswithsuchperfectgood-humorthatMichaelcouldnothelpsmiling。“Gentlemen，“saidhe，“hereisabetterplan。
WehavenowreachedthehighestridgeoftheUralchain，andthushavemerelytodescendtheslopesofthemountain。
Mycarriageiscloseby，onlytwohundredyardsbehind。
Iwilllendyouoneofmyhorses，harnessittotheremainsofthetelga，andto-mor-how，ifnoaccidentbefallsus，wewillarrivetogetheratEkaterenburg。“
“That，Mr。Korpanoff，“saidAlcide，“isindeedagenerousproposal。“
“Indeed，sir，“repliedMichael，“Iwouldwillinglyofferyouplacesinmytarantass，butitwillonlyholdtwo，andmysisterandI
alreadyfillit。“。
