[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
the projecting rock which protected the tarantass at the turning of the road.
The clump of pines struck by the lightning was still burning. There was
no one to be seen. However, Michael was not mistaken. Suddenly a dreadful
growling was heard, and then another report.
Page 16
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"A bear;" cried Michael, who could not mistake the growling. "Nadia;
Nadia!" And drawing his cutlass from his belt, Michael bounded round the
buttress behind which the young girl had promised to wait.
The pines, completely enveloped in flames, threw a wild glare on the
scene. As Michael reached the tarantass, a huge animal retreated towards him.
It was a monstrous bear. The tempest had driven it from the woods, and it
had come to seek refuge in this cave, doubtless its habitual retreat, which
Nadia then occupied.
Two of the horses, terrified at the presence of the enormous creature,
breaking their traces, had escaped, and the iemschik, thinking only of his
beasts, leaving Nadia face to face with the bear, had gone in pursuit of them.
But the brave girl had not lost her presence of mind. The animal, which
had not at first seen her, was attacking the remaining horse. Nadia, leaving
the shelter in which she had been crouching, had run to the carriage, taken
one of Michael's revolvers, and, advancing resolutely towards the bear, had
fired close to it.
The animal, slightly wounded in the shoulder, turned on the girl, who
rushed for protection behind the tarantass, but then, seeing that the horse
was attempting to break its traces, and knowing that if it did so, and the
others were not recovered, their journey could not be continued, with the most
perfect coolness she again approached the bear, and, as it raised its paws to
strike her down, gave it the contents of the second barrel.
This was the report which Michael had just heard. In an instant he was on
the spot. Another bound and he was between the bear and the girl. His arm made
one movement upwards, and the enormous beast, ripped up by that terrible
knife, fell to the ground a lifeless mass. He had executed in splendid style
the famous blow of the Siberian hunters, who endeavor not to damage the
precious fur of the bear, which fetches a high price.
"You are not wounded, sister?" said Michael, springing to the side of the
young girl.
"No, brother," replied Nadia.
At that moment the two journalists came up. Alcide seized the horse's
head, and, in an instant, his strong wrist mastered it. His companion and he
had seen Michael's rapid stroke. "Bravo!" cried Alcide; "for a simple
merchant, Mr. Korpanoff, you handle the hunter's knife in a most masterly
fashion."
"Most masterly, indeed," added Blount.
"In Siberia," replied Michael, "we are obliged to do a little of
everything."
Alcide regarded him attentively. Seen in the bright glare, his knife
dripping with blood, his tall figure, his foot firm on the huge carcass, he
was indeed worth looking at.
"A formidable fellow," said Alcide to himself. Then advancing
respectfully, he saluted the young girl.
Nadia bowed slightly.
Alcide turned towards his companion. "The sister worthy of the brother!"
said he. "Now, were I a bear, I should not meddle with two so brave and so
charming."
Harry Blount, perfectly upright, stood, hat in hand, at some distance.
His companion's easy manners only increased his usual stiffness.
At that moment the iemschik, who had succeeded in recapturing his two
horses, reappeared. He cast a regretful glance at the magnificent animal lying
on the ground, loth to leave it to the birds of prey, and then proceeded once
more to harness his team.
Michael acquainted him with the travelers' situation, and his intention
of loaning one of the horses.
"As you please," replied the iemschik. "Only, you know, two carriages
instead of one."
"All right, my friend," said Alcide, who understood the insinuation, "we
Page 17
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
will pay double."
"Then gee up, my turtle-doves!" cried the iemschik.
Nadia again took her place in the tarantass. Michael and his companions
followed on foot. It was three o'clock. The storm still swept with terrific
violence across the defile. When the first streaks of daybreak appeared the
tarantass had reached the telga, which was still conscientiously imbedded as
far as the center of the wheel. Such being the case, it can be easily
understood how a sudden jerk would separate the front from the hinder part.
One of the horses was now harnessed by means of cords to the remains of the
telga, the reporters took their place on the singular equipage, and the two
carriages started off. They had now only to descend the Ural slopes, in doing
which there was not the slightest difficulty.
Six hours afterwards the two vehicles, the tarantass preceding the telga,
arrived at Ekaterenburg, nothing worthy of note having happened in the
descent.
The first person the reporters perceived at the door of the post-house
was their iemschik, who appeared to be waiting for them. This worthy Russian
had a fine open countenance, and he smilingly approached the travelers, and,
holding out his hand, in a quiet tone he demanded the usual "pour-boire."
This very cool request roused Blount's ire to its highest pitch, and had
not the iemschik prudently retreated, a straight-out blow of the fist, in true
British boxing style, would have paid his claim of "na vodkou." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl chiara76.opx.pl
the projecting rock which protected the tarantass at the turning of the road.
The clump of pines struck by the lightning was still burning. There was
no one to be seen. However, Michael was not mistaken. Suddenly a dreadful
growling was heard, and then another report.
Page 16
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"A bear;" cried Michael, who could not mistake the growling. "Nadia;
Nadia!" And drawing his cutlass from his belt, Michael bounded round the
buttress behind which the young girl had promised to wait.
The pines, completely enveloped in flames, threw a wild glare on the
scene. As Michael reached the tarantass, a huge animal retreated towards him.
It was a monstrous bear. The tempest had driven it from the woods, and it
had come to seek refuge in this cave, doubtless its habitual retreat, which
Nadia then occupied.
Two of the horses, terrified at the presence of the enormous creature,
breaking their traces, had escaped, and the iemschik, thinking only of his
beasts, leaving Nadia face to face with the bear, had gone in pursuit of them.
But the brave girl had not lost her presence of mind. The animal, which
had not at first seen her, was attacking the remaining horse. Nadia, leaving
the shelter in which she had been crouching, had run to the carriage, taken
one of Michael's revolvers, and, advancing resolutely towards the bear, had
fired close to it.
The animal, slightly wounded in the shoulder, turned on the girl, who
rushed for protection behind the tarantass, but then, seeing that the horse
was attempting to break its traces, and knowing that if it did so, and the
others were not recovered, their journey could not be continued, with the most
perfect coolness she again approached the bear, and, as it raised its paws to
strike her down, gave it the contents of the second barrel.
This was the report which Michael had just heard. In an instant he was on
the spot. Another bound and he was between the bear and the girl. His arm made
one movement upwards, and the enormous beast, ripped up by that terrible
knife, fell to the ground a lifeless mass. He had executed in splendid style
the famous blow of the Siberian hunters, who endeavor not to damage the
precious fur of the bear, which fetches a high price.
"You are not wounded, sister?" said Michael, springing to the side of the
young girl.
"No, brother," replied Nadia.
At that moment the two journalists came up. Alcide seized the horse's
head, and, in an instant, his strong wrist mastered it. His companion and he
had seen Michael's rapid stroke. "Bravo!" cried Alcide; "for a simple
merchant, Mr. Korpanoff, you handle the hunter's knife in a most masterly
fashion."
"Most masterly, indeed," added Blount.
"In Siberia," replied Michael, "we are obliged to do a little of
everything."
Alcide regarded him attentively. Seen in the bright glare, his knife
dripping with blood, his tall figure, his foot firm on the huge carcass, he
was indeed worth looking at.
"A formidable fellow," said Alcide to himself. Then advancing
respectfully, he saluted the young girl.
Nadia bowed slightly.
Alcide turned towards his companion. "The sister worthy of the brother!"
said he. "Now, were I a bear, I should not meddle with two so brave and so
charming."
Harry Blount, perfectly upright, stood, hat in hand, at some distance.
His companion's easy manners only increased his usual stiffness.
At that moment the iemschik, who had succeeded in recapturing his two
horses, reappeared. He cast a regretful glance at the magnificent animal lying
on the ground, loth to leave it to the birds of prey, and then proceeded once
more to harness his team.
Michael acquainted him with the travelers' situation, and his intention
of loaning one of the horses.
"As you please," replied the iemschik. "Only, you know, two carriages
instead of one."
"All right, my friend," said Alcide, who understood the insinuation, "we
Page 17
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
will pay double."
"Then gee up, my turtle-doves!" cried the iemschik.
Nadia again took her place in the tarantass. Michael and his companions
followed on foot. It was three o'clock. The storm still swept with terrific
violence across the defile. When the first streaks of daybreak appeared the
tarantass had reached the telga, which was still conscientiously imbedded as
far as the center of the wheel. Such being the case, it can be easily
understood how a sudden jerk would separate the front from the hinder part.
One of the horses was now harnessed by means of cords to the remains of the
telga, the reporters took their place on the singular equipage, and the two
carriages started off. They had now only to descend the Ural slopes, in doing
which there was not the slightest difficulty.
Six hours afterwards the two vehicles, the tarantass preceding the telga,
arrived at Ekaterenburg, nothing worthy of note having happened in the
descent.
The first person the reporters perceived at the door of the post-house
was their iemschik, who appeared to be waiting for them. This worthy Russian
had a fine open countenance, and he smilingly approached the travelers, and,
holding out his hand, in a quiet tone he demanded the usual "pour-boire."
This very cool request roused Blount's ire to its highest pitch, and had
not the iemschik prudently retreated, a straight-out blow of the fist, in true
British boxing style, would have paid his claim of "na vodkou." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]