"Whom I ought always to have been," replied Michael, his brow darkening.
Then later he added, "I have broken my oath, Nadia. I had sworn
not to see my mother!"
"But you did not try to see her, Michael," replied Nadia. "Chance alone
brought you into her presence."
"I had sworn, whatever might happen, not to betray myself."
"Michael, Michael! at sight of the lash raised upon Marfa,
could you refrain? No! No oath could prevent a son from
succoring his mother!"
"I have broken my oath, Nadia," returned Michael. "May God
and the Father pardon me!"
"Michael," resumed the girl, "I have a question to ask you.
Do not answer it if you think you ought not. Nothing from you
would vex me!"
"Speak, Nadia."
"Why, now that the Czar's letter has been taken from you,
are you so anxious to reach Irkutsk?"
Michael tightly pressed his companion's hand, but he did not answer.
"Did you know the contents of that letter before you left Moscow?"
"No, I did not know."
"Must I think, Michael, that the wish alone to place me in my father's
hands draws you toward Irkutsk?"
"No, Nadia," replied Michael, gravely. "I should deceive you if I allowed
you to believe that it was so. I go where duty orders me to go. As to
taking you to Irkutsk, is it not you, Nadia, who are now taking me there?
Do I not see with your eyes; and is it not your hand that guides me?
Have you not repaid a hundred-fold the help which I was able to give you
at first? I do not know if fate will cease to go against us; but the day
on which you thank me for having placed you in your father's hands,
I in my turn will thank you for having led me to Irkutsk.
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