“Really，sir，“answeredAlcide，“withyourhorseandourdemi-telgawewillgototheworld’send。“
“Sir，“saidHarryBlount，“wemostwillinglyacceptyourkindoffer。
And，astothatiemschik——“
“Oh！Iassureyouthatyouarenotthefirsttravelerswhohavemetwithasimilarmisfortune，“repliedMichael。
“Butwhyshouldnotourdrivercomeback？Heknowsperfectlywellthathehasleftusbehind，wretchthatheis！“
“He！Heneversuspectedsuchathing。“
“What！thefellownotknowthathewasleavingthebetterhalfofhistelgabehind？“
“Notabit，andinallgoodfaithisdrivingtheforepartintoEkaterenburg。“
“DidInottellyouthatitwasagoodjoke，confrere？“criedAlcide。
“Then，gentlemen，ifyouwillfollowme，“saidMichael，“wewillreturntomycarriage，and——“
“Butthetelga，“observedtheEnglishman。
“Thereisnottheslightestfearthatitwillflyaway，mydearBlount！“
exclaimedAlcide；“ithastakensuchgoodrootintheground，thatifitwerelefthereuntilnextspringitwouldbegintobud。“
“Comethen，gentlemen，“saidMichaelStrogoff，“andwewillbringupthetarantass。“
TheFrenchmanandtheEnglishman，descendingfromtheirseats，nolongerthehinderone，sincethefronthadtakenitsdeparture，followedMichael。
Walkingalong，AlcideJolivetchatteredawayasusual，withhisinvariablegood-humor。“Faith，Mr。Korpanoff，“
saidhe，“youhaveindeedgotusoutofabadscrape。“
“Ihaveonlydone，sir，“repliedMichael，“whatanyonewouldhavedoneinmyplace。“
“Well，sir，youhavedoneusagoodturn，andifyouaregoingfartherwemaypossiblymeetagain，and——“
AlcideJolivetdidnotputanydirectquestiontoMichaelastowherehewasgoing，butthelatter，notwishingittobesuspectedthathehadanythingtoconceal，atoncereplied，“IamboundforOmsk，gentlemen。“
“Mr。BlountandI，“repliedAlcide，“gowheredangeriscertainlytobefound，andwithoutdoubtnewsalso。“
“Totheinvadedprovinces？“askedMichaelwithsomeearnestness。
“Exactlyso，Mr。Korpanoff；andwemaypossiblymeetthere。“
“Indeed，sir，“repliedMichael，“Ihavelittleloveforcannon-ballsorlancepoints，andambynaturetoogreataloverofpeacetoventurewherefightingisgoingon。“
“Iamsorry，sir，extremelysorry；wemustonlyregretthatweshallseparatesosoon！ButonleavingEkaterenburgitmaybeourfortunatefatetotraveltogether，ifonlyforafewdays？“
“DoyougoontoOmsk？“askedMichael，afteramoment’sreflection。
“Weknownothingasyet，“repliedAlcide；“butweshallcertainlygoasfarasIshim，andoncethere，ourmovementsmustdependoncircumstances。“
“Wellthen，gentlemen，“saidMichael，“wewillbefellow-travelersasfarasIshim。“
Michaelwouldcertainlyhavepreferredtotravelalone，buthecouldnot，withoutappearingatleastsingular，seektoseparatehimselffromthetworeporters，whoweretakingthesameroadthathewas。
Besides，sinceAlcideandhiscompanionintendedtomakesomestayatIshim，hethoughtitratherconvenientthanotherwisetomakethatpartofthejourneyintheircompany。
Theninanindifferenttoneheasked，“Doyouknow，withanycertainty，wherethisTartarinvasionis？“
“Indeed，sir，“repliedAlcide，“weonlyknowwhattheysaidatPerm。Feofar-Khan’sTartarshaveinvadedthewholeprovinceofSemipolatinsk，andforsomedays，byforcedmarches，havebeendescendingtheIrtish。YoumusthurryifyouwishtogettoOmskbeforethem。“
“IndeedImust，“repliedMichael。
“ItisreportedalsothatColonelOgareffhassucceededinpassingthefrontierindisguise，andthathewillnotbeslowinjoiningtheTartarchiefintherevoltedcountry。“
“Buthowdotheyknowit？“askedMichael，whomthisnews，moreorlesstrue，sodirectlyconcerned。
“Oh！asthesethingsarealwaysknown，“repliedAlcide；
“itisintheair。“
“ThenhaveyoureallyreasontothinkthatColonelOgareffisinSiberia？“
“ImyselfhavehearditsaidthathewastotaketheroadfromKasantoEkaterenburg。“
“Ah！youknowthat，Mr。Jolivet？“saidHarryBlount，rousedfromhissilence。
“Iknewit，“repliedAlcide。
“Anddoyouknowthathewentdisguisedasagypsy！“askedBlount。
“Asagypsy！“exclaimedMichael，almostinvoluntarily，andhesuddenlyrememberedthelookoftheoldBohemianatNijni-Novgorod，hisvoyageonboardtheCaucasus，andhisdisembarkingatKasan。
“Justwellenoughtomakeafewremarksonthesubjectinalettertomycousin，“repliedAlcide，smiling。
“YoulostnotimeatKasan，“drylyobservedtheEnglishman。
“No，mydearfellow！andwhiletheCaucasuswaslayinginhersupplyoffuel，Iwasemployedinobtainingastoreofinformation。“
MichaelnolongerlistenedtothereparteewhichHarryBlountandAlcideexchanged。Hewasthinkingofthegypsytroupe，oftheoldTsigane，whosefacehehadnotbeenabletosee，andofthestrangewomanwhoaccompaniedhim，andthenofthepeculiarglancewhichshehadcastathim。Suddenly，closebyheheardapistol-shot。
“Ah！forward，sirs！“criedhe。
“Hullo！“saidAlcidetohimself，“thisquietmerchantwhoalwaysavoidsbulletsisinagreathurrytogowheretheyareflyingaboutjustnow！“
QuicklyfollowedbyHarryBlount，whowasnotamantobebehindindanger，hedashedafterMichael。Inanotherinstantthethreewereoppositetheprojectingrockwhichprotectedthetarantassattheturningoftheroad。
Theclumpofpinesstruckbythelightningwasstillburning。
Therewasnoonetobeseen。However，Michaelwasnotmistaken。
Suddenlyadreadfulgrowlingwasheard，andthenanotherreport。
“Abear；“criedMichael，whocouldnotmistakethegrowling。
“Nadia；Nadia！“Anddrawinghiscutlassfromhisbelt，Michaelboundedroundthebuttressbehindwhichtheyounggirlhadpromisedtowait。
Thepines，completelyenvelopedinflames，threwawildglareonthescene。AsMichaelreachedthetarantass，ahugeanimalretreatedtowardshim。
Itwasamonstrousbear。Thetempesthaddrivenitfromthewoods，andithadcometoseekrefugeinthiscave，doubtlessitshabitualretreat，whichNadiathenoccupied。
Twoofthehorses，terrifiedatthepresenceoftheenormouscreature，breakingtheirtraces，hadescaped，andtheiemschik，thinkingonlyofhisbeasts，leavingNadiafacetofacewiththebear，hadgoneinpursuitofthem。
Butthebravegirlhadnotlostherpresenceofmind。
Theanimal，whichhadnotatfirstseenher，wasattackingtheremaininghorse。Nadia，leavingtheshelterinwhichshehadbeencrouching，hadruntothecarriage，takenoneofMichael’srevolvers，and，advancingresolutelytowardsthebear，hadfiredclosetoit。
Theanimal，slightlywoundedintheshoulder，turnedonthegirl，whorushedforprotectionbehindthetarantass，butthen，seeingthatthehorsewasattemptingtobreakitstraces，andknowingthatifitdidso，andtheotherswerenotrecovered，theirjourneycouldnotbecontinued，withthemostperfectcoolnesssheagainapproachedthebear，and，asitraiseditspawstostrikeherdown，gaveitthecontentsofthesecondbarrel。
ThiswasthereportwhichMichaelhadjustheard。Inaninstanthewasonthespot。Anotherboundandhewasbetweenthebearandthegirl。
Hisarmmadeonemovementupwards，andtheenormousbeast，rippedupbythatterribleknife，felltothegroundalifelessmass。
HehadexecutedinsplendidstylethefamousblowoftheSiberianhunters，whoendeavornottodamagethepreciousfurofthebear，whichfetchesahighprice。
“Youarenotwounded，sister？“saidMichael，springingtothesideoftheyounggirl。
“No，brother，“repliedNadia。
Atthatmomentthetwojournalistscameup。Alcideseizedthehorse’shead，and，inaninstant，hisstrongwristmasteredit。
HiscompanionandhehadseenMichael’srapidstroke。
“Bravo！“criedAlcide；“forasimplemerchant，Mr。Korpanoff，youhandlethehunter’sknifeinamostmasterlyfashion。“
“Mostmasterly，indeed，“addedBlount。
“InSiberia，“repliedMichael，“weareobligedtodoalittleofeverything。“
Alcideregardedhimattentively。Seeninthebrightglare，hisknifedrippingwithblood，histallfigure，hisfootfirmonthehugecarcass，hewasindeedworthlookingat。
“Aformidablefellow，“saidAlcidetohimself。
Thenadvancingrespectfully，hesalutedtheyounggirl。
Nadiabowedslightly。
Alcideturnedtowardshiscompanion。“Thesisterworthyofthebrother！“
saidhe。“Now，wereIabear，Ishouldnotmeddlewithtwosobraveandsocharming。“
HarryBlount，perfectlyupright，stood，hatinhand，atsomedistance。
Hiscompanion’seasymannersonlyincreasedhisusualstiffness。
Atthatmomenttheiemschik，whohadsucceededinrecapturinghistwohorses，reappeared。Hecastaregretfulglanceatthemagnificentanimallyingontheground，lothtoleaveittothebirdsofprey，andthenproceededoncemoretoharnesshisteam。
Michaelacquaintedhimwiththetravelers’situation，andhisintentionofloaningoneofthehorses。
“Asyouplease，“repliedtheiemschik。“Only，youknow，twocarriagesinsteadofone。“
“Allright，myfriend，“saidAlcide，whounderstoodtheinsinuation，“wewillpaydouble。“
“Thengeeup，myturtle-doves！“criedtheiemschik。
Nadiaagaintookherplaceinthetarantass。Michaelandhiscompanionsfollowedonfoot。Itwasthreeo’clock。Thestormstillsweptwithterrificviolenceacrossthedefile。Whenthefirststreaksofdaybreakappearedthetarantasshadreachedthetelga，whichwasstillconscientiouslyimbeddedasfarasthecenterofthewheel。Suchbeingthecase，itcanbeeasilyunderstoodhowasuddenjerkwouldseparatethefrontfromthehinderpart。
Oneofthehorseswasnowharnessedbymeansofcordstotheremainsofthetelga，thereporterstooktheirplaceonthesingularequipage，andthetwocarriagesstartedoff。
