HALFanhourafterwards，MichaelandNadiahadleftTomsk。
ManyothersoftheprisonerswerethatnightabletoescapefromtheTartars，forofficersandsoldiers，allmoreorlessintoxicated，hadunconsciouslyrelaxedthevigilantguardwhichtheyhadhithertomaintained。Nadia，afterhavingbeencarriedoffwiththeotherprisoners，hadbeenabletoescapeandreturntothesquare，atthemomentwhenMichaelwasledbeforetheEmir。There，minglingwiththecrowd，shehadwitnessedtheterriblescene。Notacryescapedherwhenthescorchingbladepassedbeforehercompanion’seyes。
Shekept，byherstrengthofwill，muteandmotionless。
AprovidentialinspirationbadeherrestrainherselfandretainherlibertythatshemightleadMarfa’ssontothatgoalwhichhehadsworntoreach。HerheartforaninstantceasedtobeatwhentheagedSiberianwomanfellsenselesstotheground，butonethoughtrestoredhertoherformerenergy。
“Iwillbetheblindman’sdog，“saidshe。
OnOgareff’sdeparture，Nadiahadconcealedherselfintheshade。
Shehadwaitedtillthecrowdleftthesquare。Michael，abandonedasawretchedbeingfromwhomnothingwastobefeared，wasalone。
Shesawhimdrawhimselftowardshismother，bendoverher，kissherforehead，thenriseandgropehiswayinflight。
Afewinstantslater，sheandhe，handinhand，haddescendedthesteepslope，when，afterhavingfollowedthehighbanksoftheTomtothefurthestextremityofthetown，theyhappilyfoundabreachintheinclosure。
TheroadtoIrkutskwastheonlyonewhichpenetratedtowardstheeast。
Itcouldnotbemistaken。Itwaspossiblethatonthemorrow，aftersomehoursofcarousal，thescoutsoftheEmir，oncemorescatteringoverthesteppes，mightcutoffallcommunication。
Itwasofthegreatestimportancethereforetogetinadvanceofthem。
HowcouldNadiabearthefatiguesofthatnight，fromthel6thtothe17thofAugust？Howcouldshehavefoundstrengthforsolongastage？Howcouldherfeet，bleedingunderthatforcedmarch，havecarriedherthither？Itisalmostincomprehensible。
Butitisnonethelesstruethatonthenextmorning，twelvehoursaftertheirdeparturefromTomsk，MichaelandshereachedthetownofSemilowskoe，afterajourneyofthirty-fivemiles。
Michaelhadnotutteredasingleword。ItwasnotNadiawhoheldhishand，itwashewhoheldthatofhiscompanionduringthewholeofthatnight；but，thankstothattremblinglittlehandwhichguidedhim，hehadwalkedathisordinarypace。
Semilowskoewasalmostentirelyabandoned。Theinhabitantshadfled。
Notmorethantwoorthreehouseswerestilloccupied。
Allthatthetowncontained，usefulorprecious，hadbeencarriedoffinwagons。However，Nadiawasobligedtomakeahaltofafewhours。
Theybothrequiredfoodandrest。
Theyounggirlledhercompaniontotheextremityofthetown。
Theretheyfoundanemptyhouse，thedoorwideopen。
Anoldricketywoodenbenchstoodinthemiddleoftheroom，nearthehighstovewhichistobefoundinallSiberianhouses。
Theysilentlyseatedthemselves。
Nadiagazedinhercompanion’sfaceasshehadneverbeforegazed。
Therewasmorethangratitude，morethanpity，inthatlook。
CouldMichaelhaveseenher，hewouldhavereadinthatsweetdesolategazeaworldofdevotionandtenderness。
Theeyelidsoftheblindman，maderedbytheheatedblade，fellhalfoverhiseyes。Thepupilsseemedtobesingularlyenlarged。
Therichblueoftheiriswasdarkerthanformerly。Theeyelashesandeyebrowswerepartlyburnt，butinappearance，atleast，theoldpenetratinglookappearedtohaveundergonenochange。
Ifhecouldnolongersee，ifhisblindnesswascomplete，itwasbecausethesensibilityoftheretinaandopticnervewasradicallydestroyedbythefierceheatofthesteel。
ThenMichaelstretchedouthishands。
“Areyouthere，Nadia？“heasked。
“Yes，“repliedtheyounggirl；“Iamclosetoyou，andIwillnotgoawayfromyou，Michael。“
Athisname，pronouncedbyNadiaforthefirsttime，athrillpassedthroughMichael’sframe。Heperceivedthathiscompanionknewall，whohewas。
“Nadia，“repliedhe，“wemustseparate！“
“Weseparate？Howso，Michael？“
“Imustnotbeanobstacletoyourjourney！YourfatheriswaitingforyouatIrkutsk！Youmustrejoinyourfather！“
“Myfatherwouldcurseme，Michael，wereItoabandonyounow，afterallyouhavedoneforme！“
“Nadia，Nadia，“repliedMichael，“youshouldthinkonlyofyourfather！“
“Michael，“repliedNadia，“youhavemoreneedofmethanmyfather。
DoyoumeantogiveupgoingtoIrkutsk？“
“Never！“criedMichael，inatonewhichplainlyshowedthatnoneofhisenergywasgone。
“Butyouhavenottheletter！“
“ThatletterofwhichIvanOgareffrobbedme！Well！Ishallmanagewithoutit，Nadia！Theyhavetreatedmeasaspy！
Iwillactasaspy！IwillgoandrepeatatIrkutskallI
haveseen，allIhaveheard；IswearitbyHeavenabove！
Thetraitorshallmeetmeonedayfacetoface！ButImustarriveatIrkutskbeforehim。“
“Andyetyouspeakofourseparating，Michael？“
“Nadia，theyhavetakeneverythingfromme！“
“Ihavesomeroublesstill，andmyeyes！Icanseeforyou，Michael；
andIwillleadyouthither，whereyoucouldnotgoalone！“
“Andhowshallwego？“
“Onfoot。“
“Andhowshallwelive？“
“Bybegging。“
“Letusstart，Nadia。“
“Come，Michael。“
Thetwoyoungpeoplenolongerkeptthenames“brother“and“sister。“
Intheircommonmisfortune，theyfeltstillcloserunited。
Theyleftthehouseafteranhour’srepose。Nadiahadprocuredinthetownsomemorselsof“tchornekhleb，“asortofbarleybread，andalittlemead，called“meod“inRussia。Thishadcosthernothing，forshehadalreadybegunherplanofbegging。
ThebreadandmeadhadinsomedegreeappeasedMichael’shungerandthirst。Nadiagavehimthelion’sshareofthisscantymeal。
Heatethepiecesofbreadhiscompaniongavehim，drankfromthegourdsheheldtohislips。
“Areyoueating，Nadia？“heaskedseveraltimes。
“Yes，Michael，“invariablyrepliedtheyounggirl，whocontentedherselfwithwhathercompanionleft。
MichaelandNadiaquittedSemilowskoe，andoncemoresetoutonthelaboriousroadtoIrkutsk。Thegirlboreupinamarvelouswayagainstfatigue。HadMichaelseenher，perhapshewouldnothavehadthecouragetogoon。
ButNadianevercomplained，andMichael，hearingnosigh，walkedataspeedhewasunabletorepress。Andwhy？
DidhestillexpecttokeepbeforetheTartars？Hewasonfoot，withoutmoney；hewasblind，andifNadia，hisonlyguide，weretobeseparatedfromhim，hecouldonlyliedownbythesideoftheroadandthereperishmiserably。
Butif，ontheotherhand，byenergeticperseverancehecouldreachKrasnoiarsk，allwasperhapsnotlost，sincethegovernor，towhomhewouldmakehimselfknown，wouldnothesitatetogivehimthemeansofreachingIrkutsk。
Michaelwalkedon，speakinglittle，absorbedinhisownthoughts。
HeheldNadia’shand。Thetwowereinincessantcommunication。Itseemedtothemthattheyhadnoneedofwordstoexchangetheirthoughts。
FromtimetotimeMichaelsaid，“Speaktome，Nadia。“
“WhyshouldI，Michael？Wearethinkingtogether！“theyounggirlwouldreply，andcontrivedthathervoiceshouldnotbetrayherextremefatigue。
Butsometimes，asifherhearthadceasedtobeatforaninstant，herlimbstottered，herstepsflagged，herarmsfelltohersides，shedroppedbehind。Michaelthenstopped，hefixedhiseyesonthepoorgirl，asthoughhewouldtrytopiercethegloomwhichsurroundedhim；
hisbreastheaved；then，supportinghiscompanionmorethanbefore，hestartedonafresh。
However，amidstthesecontinualmiseries，afortunatecircumstanceonthatdayoccurredwhichitappearedlikelywouldconsiderablyeasetheirfatigue。TheyhadbeenwalkingfromSemilowskoefortwohourswhenMichaelstopped。
“Istherenooneontheroad？“
“Notasinglesoul，“repliedNadia。
“Doyounothearsomenoisebehindus？IftheyareTartarswemusthide。
Keepagoodlook-out！“
“Wait，Michael！“repliedNadia，goingbackafewstepstowheretheroadturnedtotheright。
MichaelStrogoffwaitedaloneforaminute，listeningattentively。
Nadiareturnedalmostimmediatelyandsaid，“Itisacart。
Ayoungmanisleadingit。“
“Ishealone？“
“Alone。“
Michaelhesitatedaninstant。Shouldhehide？orshouldhe，onthecontrary，trytofindaplaceinthevehicle，ifnotforhimself，atleastforher？Forhimself，hewouldbequitecontenttolayonehandonthecart，topushitifnecessary，forhislegsshowednosignoffailinghim；buthefeltsurethatNadia，compelledtowalkeversincetheycrossedtheObi，thatis，foreightdays，mustbealmostexhausted。Hewaited。
Thecartwassoonatthecorneroftheroad。Itwasaverydilapidatedvehicle，knowninthecountryasakibitka，justcapableofholdingthreepersons。Usuallythekibitkaisdrawnbythreehorses，butthishadbutone，abeastwithlonghairandaverylongtail。
ItwasoftheMongolbreed，knownforstrengthandcourage。
Ayoungmanwasleadingit，withadogbesidehim。
NadiasawatoncethattheyoungmanwasRussian；hisfacewasphlegmatic，butpleasant，andatonceinspiredconfidence。
Hedidnotappeartobeintheslightesthurry；hewasnotwalkingfastthathemightsparehishorse，and，tolookathim，itwouldnothavebeenbelievedthathewasfollowingaroadwhichmightatanyinstantbeswarmingwithTartars。
Nadia，holdingMichaelbythehand，madewayforthevehicle。
Thekibitkastopped，andthedriversmilinglylookedattheyounggirl。
“Andwhereareyougoingtointhisfashion？“heasked，openingwidehisgreathonesteyes。
Atthesoundofhisvoice，Michaelsaidtohimselfthathehadhearditbefore。Anditwassatisfactorytohimtorecognizethemanforhisbrowatoncecleared。
“Well，whereareyougoing？“repeatedtheyoungman，addressinghimselfmoredirectlytoMichael。
“WearegoingtoIrkutsk，“hereplied。
“Oh！littlefather，youdonotknowthattherearestillverstsandverstsbetweenyouandIrkutsk？“
“Iknowit。“
“Andyouaregoingonfoot？“
“Onfoot。“
“You，well！buttheyounglady？“
“Sheismysister，“saidMichael，whojudgeditprudenttogiveagainthisnametoNadia。
“Yes，yoursister，littlefather！But，believeme，shewillneverbeabletogettoIrkutsk！“
“Friend，“returnedMichael，approachinghim，“theTartarshaverobbedusofeverything，andIhavenotacopecktoofferyou；
butifyouwilltakemysisterwithyou，Iwillfollowyourcartonfoot；
Iwillrunwhennecessary，Iwillnotdelayyouanhour！“
“Brother，“exclaimedNadia，“Iwillnot！Iwillnot！
Sir，mybrotherisblind！“
“Blind！“repeatedtheyoungman，muchmoved。
“TheTartarshaveburntouthiseyes！“repliedNadia，extendingherhands，asifimploringpity。
