Thiswastheunpleasantsideofthebusiness。Afavorableresultofhisarrival，however，wastheorderwhichwasgiventoraisethecampthatveryday，andremovetheheadquarterstoTomsk。ThiswastheaccomplishmentofMichael’smostferventdesire。Hisintention，ashasbeensaid，wastoreachTomskconcealedamongsttheotherprisoners；thatistosay，withoutanyriskoffallingintothehandsofthescoutswhoswarmedabouttheapproachestothisimportanttown。
However，inconsequenceofthearrivalofIvanOgareff，hequestionedwhetheritwouldnotbebettertogiveuphisfirstplanandattempttoescapeduringthejourney。
Michaelwould，nodoubt，havekepttothelatterplanhadhenotlearntthatFeofar-KhanandOgareffhadalreadysetoutforthetownwithsomethousandsofhorsemen。“Iwillwait，then，“saidhetohimself；
“atleast，unlesssomeexceptionalopportunityforescapeoccurs。
TheadversechancesarenumerousonthissideofTomsk，whilebeyondIshallinafewhourshavepassedthemostadvancedTartarpoststotheeast。Stillthreedaysofpatience，andmayGodaidme！“
Itwasindeedajourneyofthreedayswhichtheprisoners，undertheguardofanumerousdetachmentofTartars，weretomakeacrossthesteppe。
Ahundredandfiftyverstslaybetweenthecampandthetown——
aneasymarchfortheEmir’ssoldiers，whowantedfornothing，butawretchedjourneyforthesepeople，enfeebledbyprivations。
Morethanonecorpsewouldshowtheroadtheyhadtraversed。
Itwastwoo’clockintheafternoon，onthe12thofAugust，underahotsunandcloudlesssky，thatthetoptschi-baschigavetheordertostart。
AlcideandBlount，havingboughthorses，hadalreadytakentheroadtoTomsk，whereeventsweretoreunitetheprincipalpersonagesofthisstory。
AmongsttheprisonersbroughtbyIvanOgarefftotheTartarcampwasanoldwoman，whosetaciturnityseemedtokeepherapartfromallthosewhosharedherfate。Notamurmurissuedfromherlips。
Shewaslikeastatueofgrief。Thiswomanwasmorestrictlyguardedthananyoneelse，and，withoutherappearingtonotice，wasconstantlywatchedbytheTsiganeSangarre。Notwithstandingherageshewascompelledtofollowtheconvoyofprisonersonfoot，withoutanyalleviationofhersuffering。
However，akindProvidencehadplacednearheracourageous，kind-heartedbeingtocomfortandassisther。Amongsthercompanionsinmisfortuneayounggirl，remarkableforbeautyandtaciturnity，seemedtohavegivenherselfthetaskofwatchingoverher。
Nowordshadbeenexchangedbetweenthetwocaptives，butthegirlwasalwaysattheoldwoman’ssidewhenhelpwasuseful。
Atfirstthemuteassistanceofthestrangerwasacceptedwithsomemistrust。Gradually，however，theyounggirl’sclearglance，herreserve，andthemysterioussympathywhichdrawstogetherthosewhoareinmisfortune，thawedMarfaStrogoff’scoldness。
Nadia——foritwasshe——wasthusable，withoutknowingit，torendertothemotherthoseattentionswhichshehadherselfreceivedfromtheson。Herinstinctivekindnesshaddoublyinspiredher。
Indevotingherselftoherservice，Nadiasecuredtoheryouthandbeautytheprotectionaffordedbytheageoftheoldprisoner。
Onthecrowdofunhappypeople，embitteredbysufferings，thissilentpair——oneseemingtobethegrandmother，theotherthegrand-daughter——imposedasortofrespect。
AfterbeingcarriedoffbytheTartarscoutsontheIrtych，NadiahadbeentakentoOmsk。Keptprisonerinthetown，shesharedthefateofallthosecapturedbyIvanOgareff，andconsequentlythatofMarfaStrogoff。
IfNadiahadbeenlessenergetic，shewouldhavesuccumbedtothisdoubleblow。Theinterruptiontoherjourney，thedeathofMichael，madeherbothdesperateandexcited。Divided，perhapsforever，fromherfather，aftersomanyhappyeffortshadbroughthernearhim，and，tocrownhergrief，separatedfromtheintrepidcompanionwhomGodseemedtohaveplacedinherwaytoleadher。
TheimageofMichaelStrogoff，struckbeforehereyeswithalanceanddisappearingbeneaththewatersoftheIrtych，neverleftherthoughts。
Couldsuchamanhavediedthus？ForwhomwasGodreservingHismiraclesifthisgoodman，whomanobleobjectwasurgingonwards，hadbeenallowedtoperishsomiserably？Thenangerwouldprevailovergrief。ThesceneoftheaffrontsostrangelybornebyhercompanionattheIchimrelayreturnedtohermemory。
Herbloodboiledattherecollection。
“Whowillavengehimwhocannolongeravengehimself？“shesaid。
Andinherheart，shecried，“MayitbeI！“IfbeforehisdeathMichaelhadconfidedhissecrettoher，woman，ayegirlthoughshewas，shemighthavebeenabletocarrytoasuccessfulconclusiontheinterruptedtaskofthatbrotherwhomGodhadsosoontakenfromher。
Absorbedinthesethoughts，itcanbeunderstoodhowNadiacouldremaininsensibletothemiseriesevenofhercaptivity。
ThuschancehadunitedhertoMarfaStrogoffwithoutherhavingtheleastsuspicionofwhoshewas。Howcouldsheimaginethatthisoldwoman，aprisonerlikeherself，wasthemotherofhim，whomsheonlyknewasthemerchantNicholasKorpanoff？Andontheotherhand，howcouldMarfaguessthatabondofgratitudeconnectedthisyoungstrangerwithherson？
ThethingthatfirststruckNadiainMarfaStrogoffwasthesimilarityinthewayinwhicheachboreherhardfate。
Thisstoicismoftheoldwomanunderthedailyhardships，thiscontemptofbodilysuffering，couldonlybecausedbyamoralgriefequaltoherown。SoNadiathought；andshewasnotmistaken。
ItwasaninstinctivesympathyforthatpartofhermiserywhichMarfadidnotshowwhichfirstdrewNadiatowardsher。
Thiswayofbearinghersorrowwenttotheproudheartoftheyounggirl。Shedidnotofferherservices；shegavethem。
Marfahadneithertorefusenoracceptthem。Inthedifficultpartsofthejourney，thegirlwastheretosupporther。
Whentheprovisionsweregivenout，theoldwomanwouldnothavemoved，butNadiasharedhersmallportionwithher；andthusthispainfuljourneywasperformed。Thankstohercompanion，Marfawasabletofollowthesoldierswhoguardedtheprisonerswithoutbeingfastenedtoasaddle-bow，asweremanyotherunfortunatewretches，andthusdraggedalongthisroadofsorrow。
“MayGodrewardyou，mydaughter，forwhatyouhavedoneformyoldage！“
saidMarfaStrogoffonce，andforsometimetheseweretheonlywordsexchangedbetweenthetwounfortunatebeings。
Duringthesefewdays，whichtothemappearedlikecenturies，itwouldseemthattheoldwomanandthegirlwouldhavebeenledtospeakoftheirsituation。ButMarfaStrogoff，fromacautionwhichmaybeeasilyunderstood，neverspokeaboutherselfexceptwiththegreatestbrevity。Shenevermadethesmallestallusiontoherson，nortotheunfortunatemeeting。
Nadiaalso，ifnotcompletelysilent，spokelittle。However，onedayherheartoverflowed，andshetoldalltheeventswhichhadoccurredfromherdeparturefromWladimirtothedeathofNicholasKorpanoff。
AllthatheryoungcompaniontoldintenselyinterestedtheoldSiberian。“NicholasKorpanoff！“saidshe。
“TellmeagainaboutthisNicholas。Iknowonlyoneman，onealone，inwhomsuchconductwouldnothaveastonishedme。
NicholasKorpanoff！Wasthatreallyhisname？Areyousureofit，mydaughter？“
“Whyshouldhehavedeceivedmeinthis，“repliedNadia，“whenhedeceivedmeinnootherway？“
Moved，however，byakindofpresentiment，MarfaStrogoffputquestionsuponquestionstoNadia。
“Youtoldmehewasfearless，mydaughter。Youhaveprovedthathehasbeenso？“askedshe。
“Yes，fearlessindeed！“repliedNadia。
“Itwasjustwhatmysonwouldhavedone，“saidMarfatoherself。
Thensheresumed，“Didyounotsaythatnothingstoppedhim，norastonishedhim；thathewassogentleinhisstrengththatyouhadasisteraswellasabrotherinhim，andhewatchedoveryoulikeamother？“
“Yes，yes，“saidNadia。“Brother，sister，mother——hehasbeenalltome！“
“Anddefendedyoulikealion？“
“Alionindeed！“repliedNadia。“Alion，ahero！“
“Myson，myson！“thoughttheoldSiberian。“Butyousaid，however，thatheboreaterribleinsultatthatpost-houseinIchim？“
“Hedidbearit，“answeredNadia，lookingdown。
“Heboreit！“murmuredMarfa，shuddering。
“Mother，mother，“criedNadia，“donotblamehim！Hehadasecret。
AsecretofwhichGodaloneisasyetthejudge！“
“And，“saidMarfa，raisingherheadandlookingatNadiaasthoughshewouldreadthedepthsofherheart，“inthathourofhumiliationdidyounotdespisethisNicholasKorpanoff？“
“Iadmiredwithoutunderstandinghim，“repliedthegirl。
“Ineverfelthimmoreworthyofrespect。“
Theoldwomanwassilentforaminute。
“Washetall？“sheasked。
“Verytall。“
“Andveryhandsome？Come，speak，mydaughter。“
“Hewasveryhandsome，“repliedNadia，blushing。
“Itwasmyson！Itellyouitwasmyson！“exclaimedtheoldwoman，embracingNadia。
“Yourson！“saidNadiaamazed，“yourson！“
“Come，“saidMarfa；“letusgettothebottomofthis，mychild。
Yourcompanion，yourfriend，yourprotectorhadamother。
Didheneverspeaktoyouofhismother？“
“Ofhismother？“saidNadia。“HespoketomeofhismotherasI
spoketohimofmyfather——often，always。Headoredher。“
“Nadia，Nadia，youhavejusttoldmeaboutmyownson，“
saidtheoldwoman。
Andsheaddedimpetuously，“Washenotgoingtoseethismother，whomyousayheloved，inOmsk？“
“No，“answeredNadia，“no，hewasnot。“
“Not！“criedMarfa。“Youdaretotellmenot！“
“Isayso:butitremainstometotellyouthatfrommotiveswhichoutweighedeverythingelse，motiveswhichIdonotknow，IunderstandthatNicholasKorpanoffhadtotraversethecountrycompletelyinsecret。
Tohimitwasaquestionoflifeanddeath，andstillmore，aquestionofdutyandhonor。“
“Duty，indeed，imperiousduty，“saidtheoldSiberian，“ofthosewhosacrificeeverything，eventhejoyofgivingakiss，perhapsthelast，tohisoldmother。Allthatyoudonotknow，Nadia——allthatIdidnotknowmyself——Inowknow。
Youhavemademeunderstandeverything。Butthelightwhichyouhavethrownonthemysteriesofmyheart，Icannotreturnonyours。
Sincemysonhasnottoldyouhissecret，Imustkeepit。
Forgiveme，Nadia；Icanneverrepaywhatyouhavedoneforme。“
“Mother，Iaskyounothing，“repliedNadia。
AllwasthusexplainedtotheoldSiberian，all，eventheconductofhersonwithregardtoherselfintheinnatOmsk。Therewasnodoubtthattheyounggirl’scompanionwasMichaelStrogoff，andthatasecretmissionintheinvadedcountryobligedhimtoconcealhisqualityoftheCzar’scourier。
“Ah，mybraveboy！“thoughtMarfa。“No，Iwillnotbetrayyou，andtorturesshallnotwrestfrommetheavowalthatitwasyouwhomIsawatOmsk。“
MarfacouldwithawordhavepaidNadiaforallherdevotiontoher。
Shecouldhavetoldherthathercompanion，NicholasKorpanoff，orratherMichaelStrogoff，hadnotperishedinthewatersoftheIrtych，sinceitwassomedaysafterthatincidentthatshehadmethim，thatshehadspokentohim。
Butsherestrainedherself，shewassilent，andcontentedherselfwithsaying，“Hope，mychild！Misfortunewillnotoverwhelmyou。
Youwillseeyourfatheragain；Ifeelit；andperhapshewhogaveyouthenameofsisterisnotdead。Godcannothaveallowedyourbravecompaniontoperish。Hope，mychild，hope！DoasIdo。
ThemourningwhichIwearisnotyetformyson。“
