"You do not think so, little father?" resumed Nicholas. "You think
that they will march on to Irkutsk?"
"I fear so," replied Michael.
"Yes . . . you are right; they have with them a bad man,
who will not let them loiter on the way. You have heard speak
of Ivan Ogareff?"
"Yes."
"You know that it is not right to betray one's country!"
"No . . . it is not right . . ." answered Michael, who wished
to remain unmoved.
"Little father," continued Nicholas, "it seems to me that you
are not half indignant enough when Ivan Ogareff is spoken of.
Your Russian heart ought to leap when his name is uttered."
"Believe me, my friend, I hate him more than you can ever
hate him," said Michael.
"It is not possible," replied Nicholas; "no, it is not possible!
When I think of Ivan Ogareff, of the harm which he is doing
to our sacred Russia, I get into such a rage that if I could
get hold of him--"
"If you could get hold of him, friend?"
"I think I should kill him."
"And I, I am sure of it," returned Michael quietly.
CHAPTER VII THE PASSAGE OF THE YENISEI
AT nightfall, on the 25th of August, the kibitka came in sight
of Krasnoiarsk. The journey from Tomsk had taken eight days.
If it had not been accomplished as rapidly as it might,
it was because Nicholas had slept little. Consequently, it was
impossible to increase his horse's pace, though in other hands,
the journey would not have taken sixty hours.
Happily, there was no longer any fear of Tartars.
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