“Twenty thousand Russians, from the frontier provinces and the government of Tobolsk, engaged with a hundred and fifty thousand Tartars, and, notwithstanding their courage, were overwhelmed.” “You lie!” exclaimed the Grand Duke, endeavoring in vain to curb his passion. “I speak the truth, your Highness,” replied Ivan Ogareff coldly. “I was present at the battle of Krasnoiarsk, and it was there I was made prisoner!” The Grand Duke grew calmer, and by a significant gesture he gave Ogareff to understand that he did not doubt his veracity. “What day did this battle of Krasnoiarsk take place?” he asked. “On the 2d of September.” “And now all the Tartar troops are concentrated here?” “All.” “And you estimate them?” “At about four hundred thousand men.” Another exaggeration of Ogareff’s in the estimate of the Tartar army, with the same object as before. “And I must not expect any help from the West provinces?” asked the Grand Duke. “None, your Highness, at any rate before the end of the winter.” “Well, hear this, Michael Strogoff. Though I must expect no help either from the East or from the West, even were these barbarians six hundred thousand strong, I will never give up Irkutsk!” Ogareff’s evil eye slightly contracted. The traitor thought to himself that the brother of the Czar did not reckon the result of treason. The Grand Duke, who was of a nervous temperament, had great difficulty in keeping calm whilst hearing this disastrous news. He walked to and fro in the room, under the gaze of Ogareff, who eyed him as a victim reserved for vengeance. He stopped at the windows, he looked forth at the fires in the Tartar camp, he listened to the noise of the ice-blocks drifting down the Angara. A quarter of an hour passed without his putting any more questions. Then taking up the letter, he re-read a passage and said, “You know that in this letter I am warned of a traitor, of whom I must beware?” “Yes, your Highness.” “He will try to enter Irkutsk in disguise; gain my confidence, and betray the town to the Tartars.” “I know all that, your Highness, and I know also that Ivan Ogareff has sworn to revenge himself personally on the Czar’s brother.” “Why?” “It is said that the officer in question was condemned by the Grand Duke to a humiliating degradation.” “Yes, I remember. But it is a proof that the villain, who could afterwards serve against his country and head an invasion of barbarians, deserved it.” “His Majesty the Czar,” said Ogareff, “was particularly anxious that you should be warned of the criminal projects of Ivan Ogareff against your person.” “Yes; of that the letter informs me.” “And His Majesty himself spoke to me of it, telling me I was above all things to beware of the traitor.” “Did you meet with him?” “Yes, your Highness, after the battle of Krasnoiarsk. If he had only guessed that I was the bearer of a letter addressed to your Highness, in which his plans were revealed, I should not have got off so easily.”