“She was in Moscow on the 15th of July?”
“Yes, certainly, by that date.”
“Then it was impossible for her—But no, I am mistaken—I was confusing dates.
Unfortunately, it is too probable that your daughter must have passed the frontier, and you can only have one hope, that she stopped on learning the news of the Tartar invasion!”
The father’s head fell!
He knew Nadia, and he knew too well that nothing would have prevented her from setting out.
Ivan Ogareff had just committed gratuitously an act of real cruelty.
With a word he might have reassured Fedor.
Although Nadia had passed the frontier under circumstances with which we are acquainted, Fedor, by comparing the date on which his daughter would have been at Nijni-Novgorod, and the date of the proclamation which forbade anyone to leave it, would no doubt have concluded thus: that Nadia had not been exposed to the dangers of the invasion, and that she was still, in spite of herself, in the European territory of the Empire.
Ogareff obedient to his nature, a man who was never touched by the sufferings of others, might have said that word. He did not say it.
Fedor retired with his heart broken.
In that interview his last hope was crushed.
During the two following days, the 3rd and 4th of October, the Grand Duke often spoke to the pretended Michael Strogoff, and made him repeat all that he had heard in the Imperial Cabinet of the New Palace.
Ogareff, prepared for all these questions, replied without the least hesitation.
He intentionally did not conceal that the Czar’s government had been utterly surprised by the invasion, that the insurrection had been prepared in the greatest possible secrecy, that the Tartars were already masters of the line of the Obi when the news reached Moscow, and lastly, that none of the necessary preparations were completed in the Russian provinces for sending into Siberia the troops requisite for repulsing the invaders.
Ivan Ogareff, being entirely free in his movements, began to study Irkutsk, the state of its fortifications, their weak points, so as to profit subsequently by his observations, in the event of being prevented from consummating his act of treason.
He examined particularly the Bolchaia Gate, the one he wished to deliver up.
Twice in the evening he came upon the glacis of this gate.
He walked up and down, without fear of being discovered by the besiegers, whose nearest posts were at least a mile from the ramparts.
He fancied that he was recognized by no one, till he caught sight of a shadow gliding along outside the earthworks.
Sangarre had come at the risk of her life for the purpose of putting herself in communication with Ivan Ogareff.
For two days the besieged had enjoyed a tranquillity to which the Tartars had not accustomed them since the commencement of the investment.
This was by Ogareff’s orders.
Feofar-Khan’s lieutenant wished that all attempts to take the town by force should be suspended.
He hoped the watchfulness of the besieged would relax.
At any rate, several thousand Tartars were kept in readiness at the outposts, to attack the gate, deserted, as Ogareff anticipated that it would be, by its defenders, whenever he should summon the besiegers to the assault.
This he could not now delay in doing.
All must be over by the time that the Russian troops should come in sight of Irkutsk.
Ogareff’s arrangements were made, and on this evening a note fell from the top of the earthworks into Sangarre’s hands.
On the next day, that is to say during the hours of darkness from the 5th to the 6th of October, at two o’clock in the morning, Ivan Ogareff had resolved to deliver up Irkutsk.
CHAPTER XIV THE NIGHT OF THE FIFTH OF OCTOBER
IVAN OGAREFF’S plan had been contrived with the greatest care, and except for some unforeseen accident he believed that it must succeed.
It was of importance that the Bolchaia Gate should be unguarded or only feebly held when he gave it up.
The attention of the besieged was therefore to be drawn to another part of the town.
A diversion was agreed upon with the Emir.
This diversion was to be effected both up and down the river, on the Irkutsk bank.
The attack on these two points was to be conducted in earnest, and at the same time a feigned attempt at crossing the Angara from the left bank was to be made.
The Bolchaia Gate, would be probably deserted, so much the more because on this side the Tartar outposts having drawn back, would appear to have broken up.
It was the 5th of October.
In four and twenty hours, the capital of Eastern Siberia would be in the hands of the Emir, and the Grand Duke in the power of Ivan Ogareff.
During the day, an unusual stir was going on in the Angara camp.
From the windows of the palace important preparations on the opposite shore could be distinctly seen.
Numerous Tartar detachments were converging towards the camp, and from hour to hour reinforced the Emir’s troops.
These movements, intended to deceive the besieged, were conducted in the most open manner possible before their eyes.
Ogareff had warned the Grand Duke that an attack was to be feared.
He knew, he said, that an assault was to be made, both above and below the town, and he counselled the Duke to reinforce the two directly threatened points.
Accordingly, after a council of war had been held in the palace, orders were issued to concentrate the defense on the bank of the Angara and at the two ends of the town, where the earthworks protected the river.
This was exactly what Ogareff wished.
He did not expect that the Bolchaia Gate would be left entirely without defenders, but that there would only be a small number.
Besides, Ogareff meant to give such importance to the diversion, that the Grand Duke would be obliged to oppose it with all his available forces.