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As to those going through to Pekin, I have no doubt of Ephrinell and Miss Horatia Bluett nor the German baron, nor the two Chinese, nor Major Noltitz, nor the Caternas, nor even for the haughty gentleman whose bony outline I perceive in the corner of the second car. As to these travelers who are not going across the frontier, they are of most perfect insignificance in my eyes.
"Well, then!" said Major Noltitz, "the rascal who sent us on to the Nanking line, who would have hurled us into the Tjon valley, to walk off with the imperial treasure, is Faruskiar." "Faruskiar!" the passengers exclaimed. And most of them refused to believe it. "What!" said Popof.
Verdure and trees are everywhere. This oasis justifies its name, and would not disgrace the Sahara. It extends to the station of Douchak at the six hundred and sixtieth verst, which we reach at six o'clock in the morning. We stop here two hours, that is to say, there are two hours for us to walk about. I am off to look at Douchak with Major Noltitz as my cicerone.
Up to now Major Noltitz had taken no part in the discussion. Now he interrupted Popof, and in a voice heard by all he asked: "Where is Faruskiar?" They all looked about and tried to discover what had become of the manager of the Transasiatic. "And where is his friend Ghangir?" asked the major. There was no reply. "And where are the four Mongols who were in the rear van?" asked Major Noltitz.
At breakfast gather all the passengers whom the sea has not affected: the young Chinaman, Major Noltitz, Ephrinell, Miss Bluett, Monsieur Caterna, the Baron Weissschnitzerdörfer, and seven or eight other passengers. I am careful not to let the American into the secret of the case. He would be guilty of some indiscretion, and then good-by to my news par!
My lord Faruskiar, followed by Ghangir, then arrived before the man in spectacles, who looked at him with a certain amount of attention. Major Noltitz and I watched him. How would he submit to this examination? Perhaps we were to be undeceived regarding him. But what was our surprise and even our stupefaction at the dramatic outburst which at once took place!
This orographic system, four hundred kilometres across, which remained for so many years an impassable barrier, has been surmounted by Russian tenacity. The Sclav race and the Yellow race have come into contact. We may as well have a little book learning on the subject; but it is not I that speak, but Major Noltitz.
The Reverend Nathaniel Morse, in announcing that the marriage will take place at nine o'clock, presents the compliments of Mr. Ephrinell and Miss Bluett. Major Noltitz and I, Caterna and Pan-Chao are under arms at the time stated. Caterna did not think it his duty to resume his costume, nor did his wife.
That was a proposal worth consideration, and we assembled to consider it, Major Noltitz, Pan-Chao, Fulk Ephrinell, Caterna, the clergyman, Baron Weissschnitzerdörfer, and a dozen others all who understood Russian. Faruskiar spoke as follows: "I have been looking at the portion of the line damaged by the band of Ki-Tsang. Most of the sleepers are still in place.
My good fortune furnished me with a companion, or I should rather say a guide, in Major Noltitz. Our acquaintance was made very simply. The major came up to me, and I went up to him as soon as we set foot on the platform of the railway station. "Sir," said I, "I am a Frenchman, Claudius Bombarnac, special correspondent of the Twentieth Century, and you are Major Noltitz of the Russian army.