Angara, and that,
on its side at least, their attempt was only a feint.

About ten in the evening, the state of the river sensibly improved, to
the great surprise of the besieged and still more to their disadvantage.
The passage till then impracticable, became all at once possible. The
bed of the Angara was clear. The blocks of ice, which had for some days
drifted past in large numbers, disappeared down the current, and five or
six only now occupied the space between the banks. The Russian officers
reported this change in the river to the Grand Duke. They suggested that
it was probably caused by the circumstance that in some narrower part of
the Angara, the blocks had accumulated so as to form a barrier.

We know this was the case. The passage of the Angara was thus open to
the besiegers. There was great reason for the Russians to be on their
guard.

Up to midnight nothing had occurred. On the Eastern side, beyond the
Bolchaia Gate, all was quiet. Not a glimmer was seen in the dense
forest, which appeared confounded on the horizon with the masses of
clouds hanging low down in the sky. Lights flitting to and fro in the
Angara camp, showed that a considerable movement was taking place. From
a verst above and below the point where the scarp met the river's bank,
came a dull murmur, proving that the Tartars were on foot, expecting
some signal. An hour passed. Nothing new.

The bell of the Irkutsk cathedral was about to strike two o'clock in
the morning, and not a movement amongst the besiegers had yet shown that
they were about to commence the assault. The Grand Duke and his officers
began to suspect that they had been mistaken. Had it really been the
Tartars' plan to surprise the town? The preceding nights had not been
nearly so quiet--musketry rattling from the outposts, shells whistling
through the air; and this time, nothing. The officers waited, ready to
give their orders, according to circumstances.

We have said that Ogareff occupied a room in the palace. It was a large
chamber on the ground floor, its windows opening on a side terrace.
By taking a few steps along this terrace, a view of the river could be
obtained.

Profound darkness reigned in the room. Ogareff stood by a window,
awaiting the hour to act. The signal, of course, could come from him,
alone. This signal once given, when the greater part of the defenders of
Irkutsk would be summoned to the points openly attacked, his plan was to
leave the palac