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"And the governments of Yeniseisk, Omsk, Semipolatinsk, and Tobolsk are we still in direct communication with them as before the insurrection?" "Yes, sire; our dispatches have reached them, and we are assured at the present moment that the Tartars have not advanced beyond the Irtish and the Obi." "And the traitor Ivan Ogareff, are there no tidings of him?" "None," replied General Kissoff.
The courier, having saluted his sovereign, immediately left the imperial cabinet, and, in a few minutes, the New Palace. "You made a good choice there, General," said the Czar. "I think so, sire," replied General Kissoff; "and your majesty may be sure that Michael Strogoff will do all that a man can do." "He is indeed a man," said the Czar.
"Shall I be able to find this head and heart?" thought the Czar. THE door of the imperial cabinet was again opened and General Kissoff was announced. "The courier?" inquired the Czar eagerly. "He is here, sire," replied General Kissoff. "Have you found a fitting man?" "I will answer for him to your majesty." "Has he been in the service of the Palace?" "Yes, sire." "You know him?"
Nevertheless, General Kissoff waited until the officer to whom he had just communicated the dispatch forwarded from Tomsk should give him permission to withdraw; but the latter still remained silent. He had taken the telegram, he had read it carefully, and his visage became even more clouded than before.
"SIRE, a fresh dispatch." "Whence?" "From Tomsk?" "Is the wire cut beyond that city?" "Yes, sire, since yesterday." "Telegraph hourly to Tomsk, General, and keep me informed of all that occurs." "Sire, it shall be done," answered General Kissoff. These words were exchanged about two hours after midnight, at the moment when the fete given at the New Palace was at the height of its splendor.
Also, while supplying him with a large sum of money, which was sufficient for his journey, and would facilitate it in some measure, General Kissoff had not given him any document notifying that he was on the Emperor's service, which is the Sesame par excellence. He contented himself with furnishing him with a "podorojna."
Nevertheless, the important occurrence which had occasioned these rapidly exchanged words was not so unknown as the officer of the chasseurs of the guard and General Kissoff had possibly supposed.
Nevertheless the Emperor did not leave the fete, and notwithstanding the extreme gravity of intelligence which might cost him his empire, he did not allow himself to show more uneasiness." "Than our host exhibited when General Kissoff informed him that the telegraphic wires had just been cut between the frontier and the government of Irkutsk." "Ah! you are aware of that?" "I am!"
Involuntarily he sought the hilt of his sword, and then passed his hand for an instant before his eyes, as though, dazzled by the brilliancy of the light, he wished to shade them, the better to see into the recesses of his own mind. "We are, then," he continued, after having drawn General Kissoff aside towards a window, "since yesterday without intelligence from the Grand Duke?"
The guests of the New Palace immediately began to stream towards the supper-rooms. At that moment. General Kissoff, who had just re-entered, quickly approached the officer of chasseurs. "Well?" asked the latter abruptly, as he had done the former time. "Telegrams pass Tomsk no longer, sire." "A courier this moment!" The officer left the hall and entered a large antechamber adjoining.
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