WhenIvanOgareffenteredonthepathoftreason，hesawatoncehowhemightturnthiswomantoaccount。
Whateverorderhemightgiveher，Sangarrewouldexecuteit。
Aninexplicableinstinct，morepowerfulstillthanthatofgratitude，hadurgedhertomakeherselftheslaveofthetraitortowhomshehadbeenattachedsincetheverybeginningofhisexileinSiberia。
Confidanteandaccomplice，Sangarre，withoutcountry，withoutfamily，hadbeendelightedtoputhervagabondlifetotheserviceoftheinvadersthrownbyOgareffonSiberia。Tothewonderfulcunningnaturaltoherracesheaddedawildenergy，whichknewneitherforgivenessnorpity。
ShewasasavageworthytosharethewigwamofanApacheorthehutofanAndaman。
SinceherarrivalatOmsk，whereshehadrejoinedhimwithherTsiganes，SangarrehadnotagainleftOgareff。ThecircumstancethatMichaelandMarfaStrogoffhadmetwasknowntoher。
SheknewandsharedOgareff’sfearsconcerningthejourneyofacourieroftheCzar。HavingMarfaStrogoffinherpower，shewouldhavebeenthewomantotortureherwithalltherefinementofaRedSkininordertowresthersecretfromher。ButthehourhadnotyetcomeinwhichOgareffwishedtheoldSiberiantospeak。
Sangarrehadtowait，andshewaited，withoutlosingsightofherwhomshewaswatching，observingherslightestgestures，herslightestwords，endeavoringtocatchtheword“son“escapingfromherlips，butasyetalwaysbaffledbyMarfa’staciturnity。
Atthefirstflourishofthetrumpetsseveralofficersofhighrank，followedbyabrilliantescortofUsbeckhorsemen，movedtothefrontofthecamptoreceiveIvanOgareff。Arrivedinhispresence，theypaidhimthegreatestrespect，andinvitedhimtoaccompanythemtoFeofar-Khan’stent。
Imperturbableasusual，Ogareffrepliedcoldlytothedeferencepaidtohim。Hewasplainlydressed；but，fromasortofimpudentbravado，hestillworetheuniformofaRussianofficer。
Ashewasabouttoenterthecamp，Sangarre，passingamongtheofficersapproachedandremainedmotionlessbeforehim。
“Nothing？“askedOgareff。
“Nothing。“
“Havepatience。“
“Isthetimeapproachingwhenyouwillforcetheoldwomantospeak？“
“Itisapproaching，Sangarre。“
“Whenwilltheoldwomanspeak？“
“WhenwereachTomsk。“
“Andweshallbethere——“
“Inthreedays。“
AstrangegleamshotfromSangarre’sgreatblackeyes，andsheretiredwithacalmstep。Ogareffpressedhisspursintohishorse’sflanks，and，followedbyhisstaffofTartarofficers，rodetowardstheEmir’stent。
Feofar-Khanwasexpectinghislieutenant。Thecouncil，composedofthebeareroftheroyalseal，thekhodja，andsomehighofficers，hadtakentheirplacesinthetent。
IvanOgareffdismountedandentered。
Feofar-Khanwasamanofforty，tall，ratherpale，ofafiercecountenance，andevileyes。Acurlyblackbeardflowedoverhischest。
Withhiswarcostume，coatofmailofgoldandsilver，cross-beltandscabbardglisteningwithpreciousstones，bootswithgoldenspurs，helmetornamentedwithanaigretteofbrilliantdiamonds，FeofarpresentedanaspectratherstrangethanimposingforaTartarSardana-palus，anundisputedsovereign，whodirectsathispleasurethelifeandfortuneofhissubjects。
WhenIvanOgareffappeared，thegreatdignitariesremainedseatedontheirgold-embroideredcushions；butFeofarrosefromarichdivanwhichoccupiedthebackpartofthetent，thegroundbeinghiddenunderthethickvelvet-pileofaBokhariancarpet。
TheEmirapproachedOgareffandgavehimakiss，themeaningofwhichhecouldnotmistake。Thiskissmadethelieutenantchiefofthecouncil，andplacedhimtemporarilyabovethekhodja。
ThenFeofarspoke。“Ihavenoneedtoquestionyou，“saidhe；
“speak，Ivan。Youwillfindhereearsveryreadytolistentoyou。“
“Takhsir，“answeredOgareff，“thisiswhatIhavetomakeknowntoyou。“HespokeintheTartarlanguage，givingtohisphrasestheemphaticturnwhichdistinguishesthelanguagesoftheOrientals。“Takhsir，thisisnotthetimeforunnecessarywords。
WhatIhavedoneattheheadofyourtroops，youknow。
ThelinesoftheIchimandtheIrtycharenowinourpower；andtheTurcomanhorsemencanbathetheirhorsesinthenowTartarwaters。
TheKirghizhordesroseatthevoiceofFeofar-Khan。Youcannowpushyourtroopstowardstheeast，andwherethesunrises，ortowardsthewest，wherehesets。“
“AndifImarchwiththesun？“askedtheEmir，withouthiscountenancebetrayinganyofhisthoughts。
“Tomarchwiththesun，“answeredOgareff，“istothrowyourselftowardsEurope；itistoconquerrapidlytheSiberianprovincesofTobolskasfarastheUralMountains。“
“AndifIgotomeetthisluminaryoftheheavens？“
“ItistosubduetotheTartardominion，withIrkutsk，therichestcountriesofCentralAsia。“
“ButthearmiesoftheSultanofSt。Petersburg？“saidFeofar-Khan，designatingtheEmperorofRussiabythisstrangetitle。
“Youhavenothingtofearfromthem，“repliedIvanOgareff。
“Theinvasionhasbeensudden；andbeforetheRussianarmycansuccorthem，IrkutskorTobolskwillhavefallenintoyourpower。
TheCzar’stroopshavebeenoverwhelmedatKolyvan，astheywillbeeverywherewhereyoursmeetthem。“
“AndwhatadvicedoesyourdevotiontotheTartarcausesuggest？“
askedtheEmir，afterafewmoments’silence。
“Myadvice，“answeredIvanOgareffquickly，“istomarchtomeetthesun。
ItistogivethegrassoftheeasternsteppestotheTurcomanhorsestoconsume。ItistotakeIrkutsk，thecapitaloftheeasternprovinces，andwithitahostage，thepossessionofwhomisworthawholecountry。
IntheplaceoftheCzar，theGrandDukehisbrothermustfallintoyourhands。“
ThiswasthegreatresultaimedatbyIvanOgareff。Tolistentohim，onewouldhavetakenhimforoneofthecrueldescendantsofStephanRazine，thecelebratedpiratewhoravagedSouthernRussiaintheeighteenthcentury。
ToseizetheGrandDuke，murderhimpitilessly，wouldfullysatisfyhishatred。Besides，withthecaptureofIrkutsk，allEasternSiberiawouldpasstotheTartars。
“Itshallbethus，Ivan，“repliedFeofar。
“Whatareyourorders，Takhsir？“
“To-dayourheadquartersshallberemovedtoTomsk。“
Ogareffbowed，and，followedbythehousch-begui，heretiredtoexecutetheEmir’sorders。
Ashewasabouttomounthishorse，toreturntotheoutposts，atumultbrokeoutatsomedistance，inthepartofthecampreservedfortheprisoners。Shoutswereheard，andtwoorthreeshotsfired。
Perhapsitwasanattemptatrevoltorescape，whichmustbesummarilysuppressed。
IvanOgareffandthehousch-beguiwalkedforwardandalmostimmediatelytwomen，whomthesoldiershadnotbeenabletokeepbackappearedbeforethem。
Thehousch-begui，withoutmoreinformation，madeasignwhichwasanorderfordeath，andtheheadsofthetwoprisonerswouldhaverolledonthegroundhadnotOgareffutteredafewwordswhicharrestedtheswordalreadyraisedaloft。
TheRussianhadperceivedthattheseprisonerswerestrangers，andheorderedthemtobebroughttohim。
TheywereHarryBlountandAlcidejolivet。
OnOgareff’sarrivalinthecamp，theyhaddemandedtobeconductedtohispresence。Thesoldiershadrefused。
Inconsequence，astruggle，anattemptatflight，shotsfiredwhichhappilymissedthetwocorrespondents，buttheirexecutionwouldnothavebeenlongdelayed，ifithadnotbeenfortheinterventionoftheEmir’slieutenant。
Thelatterobservedtheprisonersforsomemoments，theybeingabsolutelyunknowntohim。Theyhadbeenpresentatthatsceneinthepost-houseatIchim，inwhichMichaelStrogoffhadbeenstruckbyOgareff；
butthebrutaltravelerhadpaidnoattentiontothepersonsthencollectedinthecommonroom。
BlountandJolivet，onthecontrary，recognizedhimatonce，andthelattersaidinalowvoice，“Hullo！ItseemsthatColonelOgareffandtherudepersonageofIchimareone！“Thenheaddedinhiscompanion’sear，“Explainouraffair，Blount。Youwilldomeaservice。
ThisRussiancolonelinthemidstofaTartarcampdisgustsme；
andalthough，thankstohim，myheadisstillonmyshoulders，myeyeswouldexhibitmyfeelingswereItoattempttolookhimintheface。“
Sosaying，AlcideJolivetassumedalookofcompleteandhaughtyindifference。
WhetherornotIvanOgareffperceivedthattheprisoner’sattitudewasinsultingtowardshim，hedidnotletitappear。
“Whoareyou，gentlemen？“heaskedinRussian，inacoldtone，butfreefromitsusualrudeness。
“TwocorrespondentsofEnglishandFrenchnewspapers，“
repliedBlountlaconically。
“Youhave，doubtless，paperswhichwillestablishyouridentity？“
“HereareletterswhichaccreditusinRussia，fromtheEnglishandFrenchchancellor’soffice。“
IvanOgarefftooktheletterswhichBlountheldout，andreadthemattentively。“Youask，“saidhe，“authorizationtofollowourmilitaryoperationsinSiberia？“
“Weasktobefree，thatisall，“answeredtheEnglishcorrespondentdryly。
“Youareso，gentlemen，“answeredOgareff；“IamcurioustoreadyourarticlesintheDailyTelegraph。“
“Sir，“repliedBlount，withthemostimperturbablecoolness，“itissixpenceanumber，includingpostage。“Andthereuponhereturnedtohiscompanion，whoappearedtoapprovecompletelyofhisreplies。
IvanOgareff，withoutfrowning，mountedhishorse，andgoingtotheheadofhisescort，soondisappearedinacloudofdust。
“Well，Jolivet，whatdoyouthinkofColonelIvanOgareff，general-in-chiefoftheTartartroops？“askedBlount。
“Ithink，mydearfriend，“repliedAlcide，smiling，“thatthehousch-beguimadeaverygracefulgesturewhenhegavetheorderforourheadstobecutoff。“
WhateverwasthemotivewhichledOgarefftoactthusinregardtothetwocorrespondents，theywerefreeandcouldroveattheirpleasureoverthesceneofwar。Theirintentionwasnottoleaveit。
Thesortofantipathywhichformerlytheyhadentertainedforeachotherhadgivenplacetoasincerefriendship。Circumstanceshavingbroughtthemtogether，theynolongerthoughtofseparating。
Thepettyquestionsofrivalrywereforeverextinguished。
HarryBlountcouldneverforgetwhatheowedhiscompanion，who，ontheotherhand，nevertriedtoremindhimofit。
Thisfriendshiptooassistedthereportingoperations，andwasthustotheadvantageoftheirreaders。
“Andnow，“askedBlount，“whatshallwedowithourliberty？“
“Takeadvantageofit，ofcourse，“repliedAlcide，“andgoquietlytoTomsktoseewhatisgoingonthere。“
“Untilthetime——verynear，Ihope——whenwemayrejoinsomeRussianregiment？“
“Asyousay，mydearBlount，itwon’tdotoTartariseourselvestoomuch。Thebestsideisthatofthemostcivilizedarmy，anditisevidentthatthepeopleofCentralAsiawillhaveeverythingtoloseandabsolutelynothingtogainfromthisinvasion，whiletheRussianswillsoonrepulsethem。
Itisonlyamatteroftime。“
ThearrivalofIvanOgareff，whichhadgivenJolivetandBlounttheirliberty，wastoMichaelStrogoff，onthecontrary，aseriousdanger。
ShouldchancebringtheCzar’scourierintoOgareff’spresence，thelattercouldnotfailtorecognizeinhimthetravelerwhomhehadsobrutallytreatedattheIchimpost-house，andalthoughMichaelhadnotrepliedtotheinsultashewouldhavedoneunderanyothercircumstances，attentionwouldbedrawntohim，andatoncetheaccomplishmentofhisplanswouldberenderedmoredifficult。
