“Well，friend，“saidhetoNicholas，“whyarewenotgoingon？“
“BecauseIamafraidofwakinguptheinhabitantsofthetownwiththenoiseofmycarriage！“Andwithalightfleckofthewhip，Nicholasputhishorseinmotion。
TenminutesaftertheyenteredtheHighStreet。Krasnoiarskwasdeserted；
therewasnolongeranAthenianinthis“NorthernAthens，“
asMadamedeBourboulonhascalledit。Notoneoftheirdashingequipagessweptthroughthewide，cleanstreets。
Notapedestrianenlivenedthefootpathsraisedatthebasesofthemagnificentwoodenhouses，ofmonumentalaspect！
NotaSiberianbelle，dressedinthelastFrenchfashion，promenadedthebeautifulpark，clearedinaforestofbirchtrees，whichstretchesawaytothebanksoftheYenisei！Thegreatbellofthecathedralwasdumb；thechimesofthechurchesweresilent。
Herewascompletedesolation。Therewasnolongeralivingbeinginthistown，latelysolively！
ThelasttelegramsentfromtheCzar’scabinet，beforetheruptureofthewire，hadorderedthegovernor，thegarrison，theinhabitants，whoevertheymightbe，toleaveKrasnoiarsk，tocarrywiththemanyarticlesofvalue，orwhichmightbeofusetotheTartars，andtotakerefugeatIrkutsk。Thesameinjunctionwasgiventoallthevillagesoftheprovince。ItwastheintentionoftheMuscovitegovernmenttolaythecountrydesertbeforetheinvaders。
Noonethoughtforaninstantofdisputingtheseorders。
Theywereexecuted，andthiswasthereasonwhynotasinglehumanbeingremainedinKrasnoiarsk。
MichaelStrogoff，Nadia，andNicholaspassedsilentlythroughthestreetsofthetown。Theyfelthalf-stupefied。Theythemselvesmadetheonlysoundtobeheardinthisdeadcity。
Michaelallowednothingofwhathefelttoappear，butheinwardlyragedagainstthebadluckwhichpursuedhim，hishopesbeingagaindisappointed。
“Alack，alack！“criedNicholas，“Ishallnevergetanyemploymentinthisdesert！“
“Friend，“saidNadia，“youmustgoonwithus。“
“Imustindeed！“repliedNicholas。“ThewireisnodoubtstillworkingbetweenOudinskandIrkutsk，andthere——
Shallwestart，littlefather？“
“Letuswaittillto-morrow，“answeredMichael。
“Youareright，“saidNicholas。“WehavetheYeniseitocross，andneedlighttoseeourwaythere！“
“Tosee！“murmuredNadia，thinkingofherblindcompanion。
Nicholasheardher，andturningtoMichael，“Forgiveme，littlefather，“
saidhe。“Alas！nightandday，itistrue，areallthesametoyou！“
“Donotreproachyourself，friend，“repliedMichael，pressinghishandoverhiseyes。“WithyouforaguideIcanstillact。
Takeafewhours’repose。Nadiamustresttoo。To-morrowwewillrecommenceourjourney！“
Michaelandhisfriendshadnottosearchlongforaplaceofrest。
Thefirsthouse，thedoorofwhichtheypushedopen，wasempty，aswellasalltheothers。Nothingcouldbefoundwithinbutafewheapsofleaves。Forwantofbetterfodderthehorsehadtocontenthimselfwiththisscantynourishment。Theprovisionsofthekibitkawerenotyetexhausted，soeachhadashare。
Then，afterhavingkneltbeforeasmallpictureofthePanaghia，hungonthewall，andstilllightedupbyaflickeringlamp，Nicholasandtheyounggirlslept，whilstMichael，overwhomsleephadnoinfluence，watched。
Beforedaybreakthenextmorning，the26thofAugust，thehorsewasdrawingthekibitkathroughtheforestsofbirchtreestowardsthebanksoftheYenisei。Michaelwasinmuchanxiety。
Howwashetocrosstheriver，if，aswasprobable，allboatshadbeendestroyedtoretardtheTartars’march？HeknewtheYenisei，itswidthwasconsiderable，itscurrentsstrong。
Ordinarilybymeansofboatsspeciallybuiltfortheconveyanceoftravelers，carriages，andhorses，thepassageoftheYeniseitakesaboutthreehours，andthenitiswithextremedifficultythattheboatsreachtheoppositebank。Now，intheabsenceofanyferry，howwasthekibitkatogetfromonebanktotheother？
Daywasbreakingwhenthekibitkareachedtheleftbank，whereoneofthewidealleysoftheparkended。
TheywereaboutahundredfeetabovetheYenisei，andcouldthereforesurveythewholeofitswidecourse。
“Doyouseeaboat？“askedMichael，castinghiseyeseagerlyaboutfromonesidetotheother，mechanically，nodoubt，asifhecouldreallysee。
“Itisscarcelylightyet，brother，“repliedNadia。“Thefogisstillthick，andwecannotseethewater。“
“ButIhearitroaring，“saidMichael。
Indeed，fromthefogissuedadullroaringsound。
Thewatersbeinghighrusheddownwithtumultuousviolence。
Allthreewaiteduntilthemistycurtainshouldrise。
Thesunwouldnotbelongindispersingthevapors。
“Well？“askedMichael。
“Thefogisbeginningtorollaway，brother，“repliedNadia，“anditwillsoonbeclear。“
“Thenyoudonotseethesurfaceofthewateryet？“
“Notyet。“
“Havepatience，littlefather，“saidNicholas。“Allthiswillsoondisappear。Look！herecomesthebreeze！
Itisdrivingawaythefog。Thetreesontheoppositehillsarealreadyappearing。Itissweeping，flyingaway。
Thekindlyraysofthesunhavecondensedallthatmassofmist。
Ah！howbeautifulitis，mypoorfellow，andhowunfortunatethatyoucannotseesuchalovelysight！“
“Doyouseeaboat？“askedMichael。
“Iseenothingofthesort，“answeredNicholas。
“Lookwell，friend，onthisandtheoppositebank，asfarasyoureyecanreach。Araft，evenacanoe？“
NicholasandNadia，graspingthebushesontheedgeofthecliff，bentoverthewater。Theviewtheythusobtainedwasextensive。
AtthisplacetheYeniseiisnotlessthanamileinwidth，andformstwoarms，ofunequalsize，throughwhichthewatersflowswiftly。
Betweenthesearmslieseveralislands，coveredwithalders，willows，andpoplars，lookinglikeverdantships，anchoredintheriver。BeyondrisethehighhillsoftheEasternshore，crownedwithforests，whosetopswerethenempurpledwithlight。
TheYeniseistretchedoneithersideasfarastheeyecouldreach。
Thebeautifulpanoramalaybeforethemforadistanceoffiftyversts。
Butnotaboatwastobeseen。Allhadbeentakenawayordestroyed，accordingtoorder。UnlesstheTartarsshouldbringwiththemmaterialsforbuildingabridgeofboats，theirmarchtowardsIrkutskwouldcertainlybestoppedforsometimebythisbarrier，theYenisei。
“Iremember，“saidMichael，“thathigherup，ontheoutskirtsofKrasnoiarsk，thereisalittlequay。Theretheboatstouch。
Friend，letusgouptheriver，andseeifsomeboathasnotbeenforgottenonthebank。“
NadiaseizedMichael’shandandstartedoffatarapidpaceinthedirectionindicated。Ifonlyaboatorabargelargeenoughtoholdthekibitkacouldbefound，orevenonethatwouldcarryjustthemselves，Michaelwouldnothesitatetoattemptthepassage！
Twentyminutesafter，allthreehadreachedthelittlequay，withhousesoneachsidequitedowntothewater’sedge。
ItwaslikeavillagestandingbeyondthetownofKrasnoiarsk。
Butnotaboatwasontheshore，notabargeatthelittlewharf，nothingevenofwhicharaftcouldbemadelargeenoughtocarrythreepeople。MichaelquestionedNicholas，whomadethediscouragingreplythatthecrossingappearedtohimabsolutelyimpracticable。
“Weshallcross！“answeredMichael。
Thesearchwascontinued。Theyexaminedthehousesontheshore，abandonedlikealltherestofKrasnoiarsk。Theyhadmerelytopushopenthedoorsandenter。Thecottageswereevidentlythoseofpoorpeople，andquiteempty。Nicholasvisitedone，Nadiaenteredanother，andevenMichaelwenthereandthereandfeltabout，hopingtolightuponsomearticlethatmightbeuseful。
Nicholasandthegirlhadeachfruitlesslyrummagedthesecottagesandwereabouttogiveupthesearch，whentheyheardthemselvescalled。
BothrantothebankandsawMichaelstandingonthethresholdofadoor。
“Come！“heexclaimed。NicholasandNadiawenttowardshimandfollowedhimintothecottage。
“Whatarethese？“askedMichael，touchingseveralobjectspiledupinacorner。
“Theyareleathernbottles，“answeredNicholas。
“Aretheyfull？“
“Yes，fullofkoumyss。Wehavefoundthemveryopportunelytorenewourprovisions！“
“Koumyss“isadrinkmadeofmare’sorcamel’smilk，andisverysustaining，andevenintoxicating；sothatNicholasandhiscompanionscouldnotbutcongratulatethemselvesonthediscovery。
“Saveone，“saidMichael，“butemptytheothers。“
“Directly，littlefather。“
“ThesewillhelpustocrosstheYenisei。“
“Andtheraft？“
“Willbethekibitkaitself，whichislightenoughtofloat。
Besides，wewillsustainit，aswellasthehorse，withthesebottles。“
“Wellthoughtof，littlefather，“exclaimedNicholas，“andbyGod’shelpwewillgetsafelyover……thoughperhapsnotinastraightline，forthecurrentisveryrapid！“
“Whatdoesthatmatter？“repliedMichael。“Letusgetacrossfirst，andweshallsoonfindouttheroadtoIrkutskontheothersideoftheriver。“
“Towork，then，“saidNicholas，beginningtoemptythebottles。
Onefullofkoumysswasreserved，andtherest，withtheaircarefullyfastenedin，wereusedtoformafloatingapparatus。Twobottleswerefastenedtothehorse’ssidestosupportitinthewater。
Twootherswereattachedtotheshaftstokeepthemonalevelwiththebodyofthemachine，thustransformedintoaraft。
Thisworkwassoonfinished。
“Youwillnotbeafraid，Nadia？“askedMichael。
“No，brother，“answeredthegirl。
“Andyou，friend？“
“I？“criedNicholas。“Iamnowgoingtohaveoneofmydreamsrealized——
thatofsailinginacart。“
Atthespotwheretheywerenowstanding，thebanksloped，andwassuitableforthelaunchingofthekibitka。
Thehorsedrewitintothewater，andtheyweresoonbothfloating。
AstoSerko，hewasswimmingbravely。
Thethreepassengers，seatedinthevehicle，hadwithdueprecautiontakenofftheirshoesandstockings；but，thankstothebottles，thewaterdidnotevencomeovertheirankles。
Michaelheldthereins，and，accordingtoNicholas’sdirections，guidedtheanimalobliquely，butcautiously，soasnottoexhausthimbystrugglingagainstthecurrent。Solongasthekibitkawentwiththecurrentallwaseasy，andinafewminutesithadpassedthequaysofKrasnoiarsk。Itdriftednorthwards，anditwassoonevidentthatitwouldonlyreachtheoppositebankfarbelowthetown。Butthatmatteredlittle。
Thecrossingwouldhavebeenmadewithoutgreatdifficulty，evenonthisimperfectapparatus，hadthecurrentbeenregular；
but，unfortunately，therewerewhirlpoolsinnumbers，andsoonthekibitka，notwithstandingallMichael’sefforts，wasirresistiblydrawnintooneofthese。
Therethedangerwasgreat。Thekibitkanolongerdrifted，butspunrapidlyround，incliningtowardsthecenteroftheeddy，likeariderinacircus。Thehorsecouldscarcelykeephisheadabovewater，andranagreatriskofbeingsuffocated。
